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How to treat a sick dog?



(March 26, 2010)

A major part of taking care of a domestic pet such as a dog is its health care. Unlike humans, dogs can only communicate through non verbal cues and it is important to understand your dog. You may also observe your dog for patterns that might suggest illness or disease. There are several telltale signs that your dog might be ill.

If your dog displays signs of lethargy, tiredness, heavy breathing, dry nose, vomiting or diarrhea there is something wrong. Symptoms may pass easily as the dogs immune system may take care of them. However, it is always recommended to understand how to care for sick dogs. If your dog is ill, treat it like you would treat your own child. Some basic remedies include feeding it well. Make sure that your dog eats its nutritional supplements. There are some dog food products that are designed to help a sick dog recover from illness. Visit your local pet store to see if you can find something that will help your dog recover.

Sick dog treatment should include administering lots of water. Water is ultimately passed out of the system as urine, which contains toxins that are being filtered out of the body by the kidneys. If your dog passes urine regularly, the toxins will be regularly removed from the body. This is especially vital if your dog shows symptoms that you would associate with flu.

If you notice symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting, this could be a diet related problem. Change your dog’s diet to some other type of food other than what you are currently feeding. If you have a habit of giving your dog leftover food, make sure this food is not too old and is from a recently cooked meal. Food that is old will have harmful bacteria in it. You can also warm up your dog’s food slightly to kill some of the bacteria. Also, when your dog is showing signs of digestive distress, do not force it to eat. Allow it to eat some lighter foods such as white meats or white rice. This will allow the digestive system to heal.

In the case of skin related illnesses where the dog’s skin is irritated or broken, you should treat this with care. Make sure your dog cannot scratch its wounds by covering its paws with socks. Also, you may use a collar that prevents it from licking or chewing at its torso. While these may cause discomfort to your dog, it is essential to help the wound heal.

Submitted by A on March 26, 2010 at 01:24

 

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