My Easy Dogs

Much will depend on the time of year whether the dog is allowed out to relieve himself or not. If possible, house-trained dogs should always be taken out for this purpose (if necessary wearing a coat and on a lead to prevent undue excitement or exertion) as a very clean dog will suffer if forced to “misbehave” indoors.

 

In hot summer weather the dog is probably better outdoors for part of the time provided he is not allowed to run about much (he could be kept in a small run) and is protected from strong sunlight. Ask your veterinary surgeon and be guided by what he says.

 

If the dog is not allowed out the floor of the room must be protected. If possible, carpets should be removed but if this is impracticable two thick layers of newspaper with a thin sprinkling of sawdust in between is usually sufficient.

Of course a kennel is much more practical, but it should be a large one of the shed type, in which there is room for a table, a good light, and ample space for handling. A cramped kennel in which it is impossible to stand upright is obviously not a suitable sick-room! House dogs will usually be nursed in a spare room, to which reference has already been made.

Whichever is used, good ventilation without a draught must be ensured. Stuffy sick-rooms are an abomination. In winter the temperature should be kept to about 60°F. A room thermometer is useful. Whatever form of heating is arranged, it must be absolutely safe. If it is impossible to arrange this, the dog can be kept perfectly warm with light rugs and hot water-bottles and, if necessary, he can wear a woolly coat. The hot water-bottle should be regularly refilled. If the dog is well enough to be out of his bed most of the time artificial heating will be necessary only in cold weather. Fresh air is essential and provided.

 

 

If the dog is warm, and in lung cases wears a pneumonia jacket, he will come to no harm.

Cleanliness of both the patient and his surroundings is essential. The room itself should be kept spotless and any excreta removed immediately. The dog should be groomed daily if well enough, and even if he cannot be moved from his bed it is usually possible to brush him gently with a soft brush or massage his skin with your fingers. If the dog is very ill he must not be disturbed for anything but essentials, but in the ordinary way the average well-cared-for dog, especially in the long-coated breeds, will appreciate this gentle grooming, just as a human patient will feel better for the refreshing daily wash.

The bed should be sufficiently roomy for the dog to turn and stretch in comfort. For small dogs, a tea-chest on its side with a three- to four-inch board nailed.

 

Across the bottom of the opening will be found very useful. It keeps out draughts and the dog will feel cosy and private. The front can have a wired door if the patient is a restless puppy, running a high temperature, and determined to commit suicide by leaving his box and lying in an icy draught from the room door.

 

The bedding can be straw, pine-shavings or blan­kets. The latter should be used only for clean cases, and it is a useful idea to have the blankets covered by a small linen sheet or light flannelette cot blanket which can be easily washed and frequently renewed.

The tea-chest plan is useful when the dog is suffering from a nervous disease, as it is possible to arrange a sack or blanket to shade the front opening and keep the patient inside sleeping in the dark without having the whole room darkened.

Whatever bedding is used, it must be kept clean and often renewed. If straw is used, shake it up frequently as it can become packed into a hard lump. When changing the bedding of a very sick dog have another box beside you lined with a thick blanket and place him gently in this while you see to his bed.

 

Have a nice day…

Angela

 

http://www.myeasydogs.com

Dogs are most commonly bitten by another dog, a cat or a rat.

 

1.         Dog bites

There is invariably some degree of penetration with this injury, and it is important that a close watch be kept on such injuries until they have completely healed, as abscess formation is a constant danger if healing of the skin wound is too rapid. Immediately the bite is found the hair should be clipped away from the wound. This is very necessary with the longhaired breeds. A thorough search should be made for other wounds; these often have only small skin openings and may be easily overlooked. The wounds should then be thoroughly cleansed with cotton wool soaked in warm water containing a suitable antiseptic.

 

Any injury near the eyes should be swabbed with warm water only. This should be done twice daily for at least 5 days, and in the event of any heat or hardness developing in the injured region a veterinary surgeon should be informed.

If larger than about half an inch, any tear in the skin alone, or skin and muscle, should be seen at once by a veterinary surgeon in order that any stitching that may be necessary can be carried out promptly. It is important that such wounds are not left many hours as once secondary infection occurs and granulation tissue form, a wound cannot be stitched satisfactorily.

 

Bites on the head, limbs or genitalia should be regarded with especial caution, and veterinary advice sought if in doubt. Bites by dogs with powerful jaws may result in fracture, or puncture, of a bone or a joint, and such wounds can only be satisfactorily treated systemically, as well as locally, by a veterinary surgeon. Small centres of infection are left embedded deeply in the tissue, and these centres may, and usually do, form abscesses at a later stage.

 

2.     Cat bites

Cat bites, fortunately, are not very common in dogs as cats generally prefer to scratch and run. However, when they do occur they should be thoroughly cleansed, hair being clipped away from the points of entry, and then swabbed. Usually it is advisable to have the animal injected with penicillin or some other anti-infective agent. Gat bites are notoriously dirty, and the wound is of the puncture variety, i.e., deep, with a small point of entry, and therefore provides inadequate drainage. This is true also of:

 

3.         Rat bites

Here again local treatment should be carried out, but systemic treatment is more or less essential to avoid complications. Rats carry an infection called leptospiral jaundice, which can easily be fatal to dogs who have no protection against the disease.

 

It is wise, therefore, following a local dressing and cleansing of the wound (which the owner can usually do quite satisfactorily) to have the animal given a dose of antiserum, and/or suitable antibiotic. This will prevent the much more dangerous complication of leptospiral infection. All dogs should be immunised against this disease if they are employed as ratters, or are likely to be in contact in any way with these vermin.

Details of vaccination:

Vaccination against leptospira icterrohaemorrhagia infection is a simple process, which is carried out in the healthy dog and which will protect him for the rest of his life. The vaccination consists of two small injections, each of 1 ex. only, given subcutaneously at an interval of one week. There are no ill effects after these injections and the dog will be immune to the disease within a few days of the second injection.

 

Great Day

Angela

 

http://www.myeasydogs.com