The Healthy Pet Blog

Posted on: 26 August 2016

Have you recently gotten a new puppy or adult dog? Do you know what to do if your new furry friend is sick or injured? Although this is not something that people enjoy thinking about, most pets will be sick or injured at least once in their lives. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent at least some injuries. Before your dog becomes ill, here are some things that you can do as preventative measures. 

Avoid harsh household cleaners: Most puppies go through a phase where they'll chew on anything, including any containers of household cleaner that you accidentally leave out. If your dog chews one of these containers open, you'll likely have to rush to your nearest veterinary clinic so that your puppy can be treated for poisoning. But even if you keep the containers away from your dog, dogs will still lick or gnaw on a wide variety of surfaces. While this may not lead directly to serious poisoning, like would happen with the straight cleaners, you may still have to deal with a dog with excessive drooling at the very least. Avoid this situation entirely by switching to natural cleaners as much as possible. A spray bottle full of vinegar water will work as a cleaner for windows, countertops, and more.

Unplug things when they are not in use: While it can be frustrating to have to replace power cords that have been chewed through, it's even worse to have to rush your dog to the local veterinary clinic with electrical burns. You may not be able to unplug everything so that the cords are out of reach, but you should still try to do so as much as possible. For the cords that need to stay plugged in, you'll want to discourage your dog from trying to gnaw on them. Your vet or your local pet store should have a liquid that you can spray on the cord that will make it taste terrible to your dog. Failing that, you could leave a thin layer of super spicy hot sauce on the cords in question. This may look messy, but it can also serve as a deterrent for your dog.

Put together a doggy first-aid kit: If your dog has been wounded, rushing them to your nearest emergency veterinary clinic might not be enough to save them. Most dogs are much smaller than humans and will go into shock with even a little bit of blood loss. Put together a first-aid kit with bandages, tourniquets, and an Elizabethan collar or "cone of shame" for your dog. Your vet will be able to help you pick out supplies that will work well for dogs based on the injuries that are the most likely to occur in your area.