Dog’s allergic reaction is different from cats. Dogs have a general itchiness of skin and rash or sores. Dog’s will allergies will have redness (inflammation) in ears, toes, and genitals. Gastrointestinal disturbance is common also (gas).

Cats also have skin problems but they more frequently have bladder inflammation and digestive upset. Cats may display no symptoms at all except erratic behavior caused by their discomfort such as fidgeting, licking and biting themselves.

To discover natural cures for pet allergies see our post Home Remedies for Dog Skin Allergies and Cat Allergies

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Care of Dog Paws

Problems with Dogs Paws

If your dog or cat is limping or favoring one foot, you need to take a look and see if you can find out what the cause is. Even though your pets paws are very tough, they can still get cut, scrapes and burns. According to M. Lynne Kesel, D.V.M., assistant professor of elective surgery in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Fort Collins “Between the pads it is very sensitive and cuts can be extremely painful. Here are some suggestions from The Doctors Book of Home Remedies by the editors of Prevention for Pets:

Do an inspection – Get down on the floor and gently raise the paw that may be injured. Look for redness, swelling, bleeding or other sign of irritation. Press gently on the pads, around the claws and between the toes. If your pet winces or cries, move in for a closer look. Be prepared to back off if your pet seems agitated. Even the sweetest pets may nip you if they are in pain.

Check for burrs – To remove a burr, grab it firmly with a pair of tweezers and gently wiggle it free. If it is tangled in the hairs, however, you may need to clip it out with scissors. You can apply a little vegetable oil to help loosen a stubborn burr.

Trim hair around toes – Long-haired pets can develop hair mats between the foot pads, which can chafe and cause irritation. It is a good idea to keep the hair trimmed back.

Clean muddy paws - Like hair mats, mud that accumulates between the toes can cause pain and irritation. After your pet has returned from a muddy romp, wash their feet thoroughly with soap and water to remove the grit.

Keep paws dry – Paws can become irritated from too much moisture. So after washing your pet’s feet or after they come in from a wet day – dry feet thoroughly with a soft towel.

Take care of burned paws properly – Pet’s paws may get burned from standing on a hot surface. Any burn should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and warm water to prevent infection. As always, dry paws with a soft towel. Then apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment. Cover it loosely witha gauze bandage to keep it clean. To keep gauze in place, cover it with a light cotton sock.

Watch for dryness - Like people, pets occasionally suffer from dry, cracked, callused skin of the bottom of their feet. Try applying a moisturizer (whatever you use on your skin should be fine) or use Vitamin E oil. Put the oil on at mealtime, your pet will eat first, so the oil will have some time to soak in.

Don’t over moisturize – Don’t use lotion for more than a few days in a row or your pet’s paws will become too soft and be vulnerable to injuries.

Clean off salt in winter – In winter, salt spread on sidewalks to melt snow can irritate your pet’s paws and lead to cracking. Remove the salt from your pet’s paws with soap and water immediately after winter walks. Dry the paw well, the apply a small amount of moisturizer with lanolin.

Clean up oil or household chemicals on your pet’s paws – There are a number of common household chemicals, like motor oil, antifreeze and corrosive cleaners, that can be extremely hard on your pet’s paws – and toxic should they lick them off. Washing you pet’s feet with dishwashing detergent works well. Applying olive oil can help. Apply the detergent or oil to a damp washcloth and scrub the paw until it’s clean.

Removing gum – If you pet has chewing gum stuck to their paw, you can use dishwashing detergent to help dissolve it. Or you can use gum removers, available at hardware or drugstores. If gum is really stuck in their hair, you may need to cut it out. Take a small pair of scissors and cut at the base of the hairs below the gum.

Skip the cute boots - While pet stores and specialty catalogs promote the virtues of rubber boots for dogs, they really don’t need them say the Prevention Vets.

Dog Gas – Natural Remedies

Excessive Flatulence in Pets

Though intestinal gas is a natural part of digestion, it is still unpleasant. Some animals produce more gas than others. Dogs have more a problem than cats but then often dogs are much larger than cats thus making it a more difficult problem to ignore.

Here some natural ways to help rid your pet of gas. These suggestions come from The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats by the editors of Prevention for Pets.

Walk your dog – Exercise helps move gas out of the intestine, and if your pet happens to relieve himself on  his walk, even more gas will be released.

Soybean content in food – Soybeans comprise up to 25% of some pet foods. Some pets may find soy hard to digest. Changing to a food with less soy or no soy could make a big difference. Wenaewe Adult Dry Dog Food  contains no corn, soybean, wheat, meat by-products, food by-products, dairy, artificial flavors, chemical preservatives, artificial colorants, GMOs, fillers, or ashes. Wenaewe also makes an equally nutritious cat food.

Switch brands slowly -Vets say it takes awhile for the colon to adjust to a new diet. They recommend switching over a period of three days, substituting one third of the new food for one-third of the old each day.

Keep trash can tightly covered – If your dog gets in the trash frequently, it can really affect their digestive system and increase their gas output.

Feed your pet the right amount of food – Overeating can overload the gut, so things end up fermenting that normally wouldn’t as a result your pet will have more gas.

No dairy - Most adult dogs and cats can digest only tiny amounts of milk. If your flatulent pet is getting milk, take it away for a few days and see if things improve.

Try Yogurt - Many yogurts contain digestion-friendly bacteria that can help decrease flatulence. Vets recommend giving 1/4 teaspoon of plain yogurt to cats and small dogs, 1 teaspoon to do 15 to 20 pounds and 1 tablespoon for large dogs. Most pets like the taste, so you won’t need to hide it in their food. Even pets that can’t handle lactose can usually enjoy yogurt without any problems.

Try activated charcoal – It’s messy, but it can absorb the smell pretty well. For small pets add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon to their food daily. For larger pets, 1/2 teaspoon is about right. Be aware activated charcoal can absorb nutrients as well as gas from the digestive tract. Don’t use it for more than a few days at a time.

Try a natural anti-gas product – Many vets recommend giving pets digestive enzymes on a regular basis because pets are subject to the sames kinds of environmental factors that cause humans to experience digestive problems.PetAlive Digestive Support is an excellent digestive system tonic and contains three carefully chosen herbs in therapeutic dosage to soothe and support the stomach lining, esophagus, and entire digestive tract. I like Native Remedies Pet Alive products because they are all natural and are thoroughly tested. If you more information on the product click on the banner at the top or bottom of the post.

Reduce mealtime competition - When pets are fed together, one pet may eat too quickly to prevent the other pet from get their food. Just like humans, pets take in too much air when they eat too fast and this causes gas. Feeding your pets separately will allow them to eat more slowly.

Make your pet eat more slowly – I thought this was a really clever idea. You put a large object – like a ball- in your pet’s bowl. Your dog or cat has to nose around and work harder to get the food so they will forced to slow down.

Raise the food dish – If your dog does not have to bend their neck so far down they will swallow less air. You can place the food bowl securely on a box or you can buy a stand that holds food and water at mouth level. The stands are really nice. My mother-in-law’s Doberman used to have a stand that a neighbor made for him. The dog’s look so much more comfortable eating from a dish at their level.

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