There are lots of home remedies you can try to keep your pet comfortable when an illness strikes. Give some of these solutions a try the next time your dog or cat is under the weather.
Ear Mites
If your pet has itchy ears, the problem could be ear mites, which are ugly little critters that invade the ear canal, sometimes by the thousands. Ear mites will pass from Fluffy to Fido, and the resulting scratching can cause an infection. Several solutions are available from your pet store or vet, but there's a simple home remedy in your kitchen cabinet, too. And it will both kill the mites and relieve the itch.
Home Remedies from the Cupboard
Garlic clove. Crush 1 garlic clove, and steep it in 1/4 cup olive oil for 8 hours. Remove the garlic, then heat the oil until it's barely warm. Using an eyedropper, put a few drops in each ear. Rub the ear for a minute until the drops have penetrated the ear canal. Leftover oil can be reused, but make sure it's barely warm. Repeat every other day until the mites are gone. If the mite infestation isn't severe, you can treat as infrequently as once a week.
Gas
It always happens at the worst time. Fluffy decides to curl up on your lap or Fido crawls under the covers with you, and then boom! Your eyes are watering, you're gasping for breath, and your pet has that innocent look on his face, as if to say, "I didn't do it." You know better, though. But what you didn't know is that there is a gas-be-gone right in your kitchen.
Home Remedies from the Refrigerator
Yogurt. Yogurt has an enzyme that aids digestion and therefore helps a gas problem. So add a little yogurt to your pet's food. Use 11/4 teaspoons for small pets and 1 tablespoon for pets over 20 pounds. And skip the flavors. Go for the plain; it will blend better with pet food flavors.
Gas Do's and Don'ts
DON'T give a vitamin supplement unless there's a specific need. These can cause gas.
DO try switching pet-food brands if the one you use contains a lot of soy. Soy-based products are great gas producers.
DO add a small amount of powdered charcoal to food to absorb bad odors.
Urinary Tract Infections
Pets get them, too. Symptoms are straining, blood in the urine, a dry litter box, or more trips to the backyard or box than usual. Here are some kitchen fixer-uppers to help alleviate the problem:
Home Remedies from the Faucet
Water. Keep the water in fresh and abundant supply.
Home Remedies from the Refrigerator
Cranberry juice. If they'll drink it, cranberry juice can keep bacteria from sticking to the lining of the bladder and urethra, thereby preventing infection. If they won't drink cranberry juice, try a citrus fruit juice.
Do's and Don'ts for Urinary Problems
DON'T keep Fido penned up all day without a potty break. Let him out midday.
DO pay attention to the amount of urine your pet passes. Dribbles, a slow stream, or passing just a tiny amount could indicate a problem.
More Pet Solutions from the Kitchen
Try these home remedies for an assortment of animal ailments.
Home Remedies from the Cupboard
Baking soda. For inflammation: A paste of baking soda and water can soothe inflammation caused by irritation and insect bites or stings.
Tea. For inflammation: Make a strong brew of black or green tea, cool it thoroughly, and apply to inflamed areas. The tannic acid in tea can heal.
Cider vinegar. For skin infection: After a therapeutic shampoo to treat a skin infection, rinse the dog with a solution of 1 part apple cider vinegar to 3 parts water.
Garlic. For a healthy appetite: If your pet's losing weight, crushed garlic can help get his digestive tract back on track. Add 1/4 to 1/2 crushed clove to the food of small animals each day or 1 to 2 crushed cloves a day for larger animals.
Rice. For treating diarrhea: Make a bland food of 2 parts rice to 1 part skinless chicken breast. Feed small amounts every four hours. If the rice doesn't work, try using pasta or mashed potatoes. Throughout the week, gradually change the ratio of rice to chicken until you're feeding him only chicken.
Vinegar. For a healthy coat: A vinegar and water rinse after a shampoo keeps your pet's coat healthy and shiny. Mix 1/2 cup vinegar into 1 gallon water, and coat the dog's hair with the solution. Leave it on for ten minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Keep the rinse out of the dog's eyes during this treatment.
Home Remedies from the Refrigerator
Butter. If kitty has a hairball, give her 1/2 to 1 teaspoon butter every day for up to a week. Butter lubricates the digestive tract, easing the hairball out of his system.
Home Remedies from the Spice Rack
Garlic. For fleas: Add a little garlic powder and brewer's yeast to your pet's food. It will make him taste bad to fleas.
Meat tenderizer. For insect bites: Apply a paste of meat tenderizer and water to soothe insect stings and bites.
Home remedies can help make your pet more comfortable during an illness, and they can help maintain Fido or Fluffy's overall health. But if you suspect a serious health problem, be sure to call the veterinarian.
