Your pup is your best friend and it can be painful for you to see your pup sick or uncomfortable in any way.
If you suspect that your pet is sick, the first thing you need to do is take him to see the vet. Once he has had a proper checkup, and the vet tells you just what the problem is, you can then bring your pup home and care for him.
Luckily, there are always things you can do to make your pup feel more comfortable even when he isn’t looking too good.
Here are 7 easy ways to care for your sick dog.
Your sick dog won’t have the energy to keep himself clean. He will most likely lie in one place all day, exhausted and dirty.
At times like these, it becomes your responsibility to make sure your pet stays clean. Sometimes, even just feeling clean can make your pet feel slightly better when he’s under the weather.
While you don’t necessarily have to give your pet a proper bath when he’s sick (as this can irritate him even more), you can always take a wet cloth and rub it over his body. Make sure to specifically run the cloth over his ears, eyes, and mouth.
The wet cloth can do wonders to make your pet feel refreshed, and this will automatically make him feel better.
As a pet parent, it’s your job to track your pet’s bathroom habits, especially while he is sick. During these trying times, he is most likely going to feel too exhausted to actually get up from his place and go to the restroom.
As such, you may have to change his bedding every day during sick days. It’s also very probable that your pet’s body will be full of feces and urine, so make sure to clean his body at least twice a day every day.
Alternatively, you can even construct an indoor toilet for your pet to use while he is sick. And if your pet has an ‘accident’ somewhere indoors, be gentle on him. Don’t yell at him or punish him during such times. Punishing him will only serve to stress your doggie out even further, and this can make it increasingly difficult for him to recover on a timely basis.
While your dog might not feel like moving a muscle all day when he is sick, this is actually really bad for his health. Your pup might end up developing infections such as bedsores if he lies immobile for too long at a stretch.
Bedsores or ‘pressure ulcers’ are an injury to the skin or tissue and occur when there is prolonged pressure on the skin for extended periods of time.
When your pup spends all day resting in one position, the likelihood of him developing bedsores is quite high.
So even while your pup is sick, take him on short walks around the neighborhood. A little bit of fresh air can work wonders for your sick pup and also prevent any infections.
While your pet shouldn’t lie completely immobile the entire time, it’s also not a good idea for your pup to be outside, playing like he otherwise does.
You need to make sure that there is a balance in the amount of time your pet spends resting and the time he spends playing.
Playing outside for too long is most likely going to leave your pet exhausted and vulnerable to catching all sorts of illnesses, which will only make the situation worse.
For example, if he has a fever, you should make sure that he avoids running outdoors as the cold air can only make his fever worse.
Remember that when your pet is sick, you don’t want him to eat something that is too heavy on the stomach because this will most likely only make him feel worse than he already does.
So, for the first 24 hours, especially if your pet is suffering from nausea or diarrhea, you should actually withhold all food.
After 24 hours, make sure to only give your dog completely bland pet food. Make sure that even the bland diet includes both protein sources as well as starch. A good combination of both can be cottage cheese or boiled chicken, together with a cup of white rice.
Just as humans need to stay extra hydrated when they are sick, so do animals. Any sort of illness, bacterial or parasitic, can leave your pet dehydrated and weak.
So, make sure to always keep a bowl full of water well within reach of your pup at all times during his illness.
Your pet is your baby, and he needs you more than ever when he is sick. So remember to do these little things so that he is as comfortable as he can possibly be while he’s sick.
Remember that the first thing you should do when your pup is sick is to take him to the vet. Also, keep in mind that the vet knows exactly what they’re talking about. So don’t take anything the vet says lightly. If the vet has prescribed medications for your pet to take at certain times, make sure your dog gets those medicines when he is supposed to.
Being a dog parent is a whole lot of responsibility, and it can be overwhelming when your pet is sick. However, keep in mind these 7 easy ways to care for your sick dog, and you should be alright!
by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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