Sunday, June 13, 2010

Dog Pain Relief Tips

How many of us have heard of horror stories of seeing a friend’s dog suffer through intense pain? I’m assuming more than a few of you are raising your hands right about now. Perhaps you’re the one who has seen it yourself and have asked yourself—what can I give my dog for pain? You don’t want to see them like this anymore. Well, here are some simple tips to ensure that you keep your pet as far away from that as possible from now on.

One of the most common reasons that dogs suffer is because of arthritis. There are some things you can do to keep the effects of this as minimal as possible. For one thing, maintain a healthy weight for your dog. Give him healthy food as well as beneficial supplements with his diet.

Have regular exercise but stay away from intense sports that put unnecessary pressure on his joints like Frisbee. An excellent physical activity you can engage the animal in is swimming. It doesn’t put stress on the joints and you will find that many canines actually love playing in the water. If you have a small dog, a large bathtub filled with water will work just as well.

A simple way for dog pain relief in the dog’s neck and shoulders is to elevate their food dish and water bowl. You can also make it in such a way that the area they sleep in has layers of warm blankets so he can snuggle inside for the cold and damp days. These small adjustments may not seem much for you but they will go a long way in ensuring the future condition of the animal’s joints.

A source of pain for the dog is also inflammation in some of his body parts. You can help alleviate this pain by applying a cold compress on these areas for 20 minutes at a time for the next two days. Do not put hot compress on swelling as it may aggravate the situation. Warm compress can be applied on tense shoulders and backs but not on inflamed joints.

Another good tip in easing pain is through massage. A massage stimulates the flow of blood, relieving stress and soothing your pet’s frazzled nerves. You can also brush out your dog’s hair and in doing so, check is he has any lesions or open wounds that may cause infection and pain. You can use Aloe Vera to soothe the sting of the cuts.

Never use human prescription drugs in an attempt to alleviate your dog’s suffering. Even the seemingly harmless medications have substances that are too harsh for the dog which can lead to damaging his internal organs. Ask your vet for canine medications you can use specific for your pet’s condition.

A good dog pain relief therapy is always accompanied with a master’s loving attention. You may not be able to shield your pet from every illness and pain that comes upon him but with your loving care on him—being happy is an easy enough thing to do for him.

(c) Brigitte Smith, 2010

Labels: , ,

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home