Shownotes
Keep Your Pup Out of the Clinic: Top Vet-Approved Home Care Tips
Hosts Laura Reeves and veterinarian Dr. Marty Greer, DVM, break down the most common reasons dogs visit the clinic. More importantly, they share invaluable, practical advice to help you manage minor health issues and quirky behaviors right from your own living room. Learn the correct way to flush your dog's ears, how to handle minor limping, how to curb gross eating habits, and how to know the difference between a minor issue you can monitor and a true pet emergency.
Top Tips to Manage Your Dog's Health and Avoid the Vet
- The "If It Ain't Broke" Ear Rule:Do not start flushing your dog's ears if they do not have a history of infections or allergies. Healthy, upright ears naturally maintain themselves. However, do get your dog used to having their ears and paws handled when they are young so they are cooperative if they ever do need treatment.
- Choose the Right Ear Cleaners:Never use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide in your dog's ears. These substances burn sore, raw skin and will make your dog terrified of ear cleanings. Instead, use gentle, over-the-counter options, or soothing antibacterial remedies likeSilver Honey(a grey-colored mix of Manuka honey and silver sulfadiazine) orZymox.
- Ditch the Cotton Swabs:Avoid using Q-tips deep inside your dog's ears. Instead of cleaning, swabs simply pack wax and debris further down into the canal. Flush the ear with liquid cleaner, massage the base, and let the dog shake it out.(Pro-tip: Always do this outside or throw a towel over your dog's head first to avoid a shower of flying earwax!)
- Preventing Serious Disease Through Dental Care:A clean mouth is essential for your dog's overall longevity. Dental disease allows bacteria to enter the bloodstream, which can cause serious heart, liver, and kidney issues as your pet ages. If your dog allows it, brush their teeth at home using a non-foaming toothpaste containingEDTA(such as LivFresh) to actively break down stubborn tartar.
- Curbing "Pupsicles" and Stool Eating:Eating stool (coprophagia) is actually a natural maternal instinct to keep den sites clean and safe from predators, but it is a habit you want to break in adult dogs. To make stool unappealing, try adding papaya-based additives, meat tenderizer, or an over-the-counter deterrent likeCoprophagia(available on Amazon) directly to their food.
- Assessing Joint Pain and Limps:Minor limping, mild strains, and arthritis flare-ups are highly common but are rarely immediate emergencies. If your dog is limping but still putting some weight on the leg, and the leg is not dangling or obviously broken, you can safely wait to see your regular vet during normal business hours rather than rushing to an expensive after-hours emergency clinic.
- Knowing When to Worry (Vomiting vs. Diarrhea):While a sudden bout of diarrhea can usually be monitored and managed at home with a temporary bland diet, continuous or active vomiting is a much more serious issue that requires rapid veterinary attention.
