| CONDITION | THIS HAS HELPED BOOMER, ELLIE & THEIR BT FRIENDS... |
| Burns, Sunburn | Aloe Vera, Willard Water |
| Calluses | Vitamin E oil (and Kisses) |
| Cuts, Scratches | Clean area with Apple Cider Vinegar (full strength) or Grapeseed Extract & Water |
| Dental Cleaning | Beef knuckle/marrow bones once a week will keep your dog's teeth clean. Can't guarantee minty-fresh breath though! |
| Dry Skin Patches | Vitamin E or Almond oil |
| Ears, Infected or Itchy | Clean with Halo Herbal Ear Wash or Veterinarian's Best Natural Care Ear Relief Wash; soothe earflaps with calendula, almond, olive or Vitamin E oil. |
| Paws, inflamed or irritated | Epsom or sea salt soaks daily, dry and swab with full strength apple cider vinegar if yeast infection; dry and dust with corn starch if irritated. |
| GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR HEALTHY DOGS | |
| Diarrhea | Intermittent watery bowel movement is not uncommon due to dogs' eating habits. It is not considered serious unless it lasts more than 12 hours in duration and there is blood, vomiting, etc. Uncontrollable diarrhea is considered an emergency. You must call your vet for advice and/or treatment. |
| Heart Beat, Checking Your Dog's | You can often feel the heart beat by placing your hand on the chest behind the front legs, or by feeling for a pulse along the inside of the back upper leg (where it joins the body). Normal range is 60 - 140 beats per minute (at rest). Wide range is due to the size, age, and fitness of your dog. Practice periodically to get a sense of what is normal for your dog. |
| Mucous Membranes, Color of | Gums, tongue, and inside of eyelids should be a nice healthy pink. Color varies from dog to dog - - memorize the color of your dog's membranes when it is well so that you will know when there is a change in the color. |
| Respiratory Rate | 15 to 20 breaths per minute. |
| Temperature | A dog's normal temperature ranges between 99.5° F. (38.5° C.) and 102.5° F. (39.2° C.) - - slightly higher if it is excited. |
| Temperature, How to Take Your Dog's | Digital thermometers are quick and easy to use. Lubricate, insert into rectum and wait for the beep. Read temperature and clean with rubbing alcohol. If using a a regular rectal thermometer, shake it until it registers below 98.5° F. (36.7° C.). Lubricate well with K-Y or petroleum jelly and insert into rectum. Hold in place for 1 minute, remove and wipe clean with tissue. Read temperature and clean with rubbing alcohol. |
| Vomiting | Intermittent vomiting is usually not serious as the dog's natural reflexes cause periodic vomiting to totally empty the stomach of debris. Vomiting more than twice during a 12-hour period warrants a call to your vet. Dogs commonly eat grass to force themselves to vomit. THIS IS NOT HARMFUL. |
| HEALTH LINKS | |
| Anal Sacs, About | Anal Glands by Randy Walker, DVM |
| Anal Sacs, How to Express | VetInfo's Anal/Rectal Problems in Dogs |
| Canine Bacterial Dermatitis, Interpreting | http://www.dclink.com/mastiff/rpskin.htm 
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| Canine Medical Emergencies and First Aid | Canine Medical Emergencies and First Aid by Estelle C.L. Ward, DVM |
| CPR Instructions | http://members.aol.com/henryhbk/acpr.html CPR from The Well Dog Book by Terri McGinnis, DVM |
| Critter Chat Health Links | http://members.xoom.com/critterchat/table.html |
| Dogs With Disabilities | http://pwp.starnetinc.com/dwd/ |
| Hypothyroidism Links | Thyroid Dysfunction as a Cause of Aggression in Dogs and Cats by L.P. Aronson DVM & N.H. Dodman RVMS Thyroid Testing In Dogs: A Reference for Dog Breeders and Owners by Karen J. Wolfsheimer, D.V.M., Ph.D Hypothyroidism by John Cargill MA, MBA, MS and Susan Thorpe Vargas MS, Ph.D. (from AcmePet site) Endocrine Diagnostic Service at the Auburn University of Veterinary Medicine Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: Common Problem of Purebreed Dogs by W. Jean Dodds DVM All About Soloxine from Daniels Pharmaceuticals, manufacturers of Soloxine |
| Poison Control Center, ASPCA National Animal | http://www.napcc.aspca.org/ |
| Poisons, Affecting Dogs | http://www.vetinfo.com/dtoxin.html |
| Poisons, Common Small Animal | http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/poisgde.html |
| Poison, What to Do | http://www.pharm.arizona.edu/centers/poison_center/pets/pets.html |
| Poisonous Plants | http://www.dogpatch.org/doginfo/plants.html |
| Prescription for Optimum Pet Health | http://www.cyberpet.com/cyberdog/articles/health/prescrpd.htm |