Getting Dogs to Swallow Seizure Medication
Having your poodle swallow a pill can be tricky business. They are very smart and they just know when someone is trying to pull the wool over their eyes. They are brilliant at detecting a pill even when it is hidden in food. They also have an amazing ability to spit out the medicine and eat the food. Having said this, there are times when it is necessary to get your dog to swallow a capsule whether it be a dog supplement such as a fish oil capsule or medication for seizures. Every breed is different, so be prepared to experiment with a few different methods.
One relatively simple technique is to disguise the caplet in food such as a meatball or a piece of a hot dog, bread or cheese. Make sure your poodle is calm and not convulsing from epilepsy before you try this. It is best to make the food small so that chewing won’t be necessary.
If you prefer not to use food, try massaging your poodle’s neck. This causes the automatic reflex of swallowing. If massage doesn’t do the trick open your dog’s mouth and grasp his nose firmly. Blow air into his mouth and nose, pop the pill in and your dog will automatically swallow the pill.
If none of the above works or is to unpleasant to attempt on a regular basis, place the pill in your poodle’s mouth and hold up his lower jaw with a light touch. Dab a bit honey on his nose. This causes the dog to lick whatever is on his nose and the pill will get swallowed. Your poodle will also like the taste of the honey and forget all about the pill. This method can save the lives of epileptic puppies
Administering Pills to Puppies
Your poodle is like a child. Administering canine seizure medication to children is not easy, but with a whole lot of patience, love and understanding you are bound to find the right method for your pooch. If one method fails, move on to the next. Keep going until you and 
your companion have a meeting of the minds.
After you accomplish administering the tablet reward your poodle with a special treat. Eventually, the process will get easier, so just hang in there.
Finding the Best Holistic Dog Seizure Remedy
There is nothing quite as scary as seeing your beloved companion suffer through a seizure. It is confusing and leaves owners feeling helpless. Unfortunately convulsions are becoming a common ailment that we are forced to deal with. Our beloved friends can have two different kinds of attacks – “Petit Mal†are infrequent and only affect specific muscles while “Grand Mal†affect the whole body. Generally speaking Grand Mal seizures produce the most pronounced symptoms and are the most debilitating.
There are many factors that can contribute to attack like genetics, diseases of the liver, tumors, cysts, low blood sugar and some vitamin deficiencies. Some vaccinations have also been shown to react negatively with animals and cause them to have a bad reaction.
If you are not sure if your pup is having a seizure look for telltale symptoms like stiffness, uncontrollable urination, shaking, spasms and a loss of consciousness. A great holistic remedy to administer during an episode is a tablespoon of all natural honey.
A teaspoon of honey helps to raise your pets blood sugar level safely and naturally. After giving your pet the honey turn off all the lights and anything else that may be on such as the TV or radio. Stay calm and let your canine know that you are there for it. I know you’re scared, but just imagine what they must be feeling!
If your pet has never had a seizure before you should probably get it checked out by a veterinarian. A vet will probably prescribe some medicine and send you on your way. Many people find that the medicines side effects can be worse then the symptoms. Therefore, people often turn to canine holistic seizure medications.
What Do I Do if My Dog Has Epilepsy?
The first thing a person needs to do is to look at their pet’s diet. Feeding him low quality food is akin to feeding yourself a diet of nonstop fast food and soda. These inexpensive foods are laced with chemicals and additives which can be horrible for your them. Changing your companion’s food will ensure that it is getting plenty of vitamins and minerals without the nasty additives.
Many people swear by the homemade diet which contains a balance of fruits, proteins and good carbohydrates. There are also many high quality foods which can be bought at your local pet store. Just ask around and you will be able to find alternatives to the low quality stuff.
Another holistic seizure remedy is exercise. Keeping your friend fit keeps it healthy and lowers its chances of having an attack. A young pup should get more exercise than an old one, if you can exercise a half an hour a day it should be OK. It really depends on its age and fitness level.
Make sure you remove any chemicals from your home that your dog may be ingesting. Floor waxes and chemical cleaners can do a lot of harm. Also make sure that you take off the flea collar, as it can contain chemicals that are quite harmful. Make it a point to not let your canine near you when you are cleaning your home and open the windows to ventilate the area you were working in.
The final, and probably best way to stop dog seizures is to add supplements into its food. The most helpful ones are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fish oils. These oils provide a ton of benefits like fighting inflammation and building up your pup’s immune system. It is quite an inexpensive remedy but it is one that many people have had success with.
Popular Dogs Seizure Treatment
Epileptic episodes can happen at anytime and are brought on by several different causes. Usually they occur when an unusual increase of electrical activity begins inside a dog’s brain. Often, before it begins, there are symptoms a dog displays such as wanting to be by himself, wanting affection or crying out. Normally a seizure doesn’t last too long, usually they last only a couple of minutes.
During that time a dog collapses and his limbs become rigid and extended. Then, a dog becomes unconscious and in some cases, stops breathing for about 30 seconds. Seconds later, a dog acts like he or she is running or they act confused and disoriented. They may even walk around as if in a state of blindness. More causes of seizures include brain injury, brain abscess, stroke, brain tumor, kidney failure, or liver failure. Being poisoned is another reason for a dog seizure. Poisons such as antifreeze, chocolate and insecticides can bring on an attack. Heart problems in a dog may also result in a seizure.
Breeds susceptible to Dog Seizures
Other signs and symptoms are: being restless, looking confused, and being more agitated or nervous than usual. Other symptoms that are associated with a dog seizure are: trembling, chewing and chomping motions, muscle twitching, collapse, loss of consciouosness and uncontrollable urinating and bowel movements.
Dogs that are at a higher risk for episodes are around the age of five months, and up to five years old. There are breeds who are more susceptible to this health condition and they are: Dachshunds, German Shepherds, Beagles and Belgian Tervuren.
There are various treatments for these phenomenons such as Phenobarbitol. This drug is used often but has some side effects to be aware of such as liver disease, weight gain, sedation and extreme tiredness. Another treatment for this health condition is Felbatol. This treatment is expensive but has fewer side effects. This drug does not cause sedation and that makes it a good choice for most pups.
Another treatment for this condition is surgery. This treatment should only be done when a dog has a life-threatening condition. This type of treatment is not performed often and it is expensive. There are also risks to a their life with this kind of treatment and that is why many owners look for other treatment plans.
What Do I Do if My Pet Has a Seizure?
Other kinds of treatments that have been known to help with epilepsy are giving the pet a blend of natural herbs. This may help prevent future attacks. A dog’s diet also helps manage and possibly prevent seizures. Vaccinating your dog can also lessen the risk of a dog seizure.
In addition, should your pet suffer a seizure, be sure to keep your hands away from your dog’s mouth, talk quietly and gently to your dog and stay calm. Doing these things will help him or her regain consciousness. Once you take your pup to the vet, they will want to know if anything happened prior to the instance that might have brought on the convulsions such as eating something strange, fireworks or playing too long.
Because convulsing is exhausting, your dog may want to sleep; veterinarians say this is perfectly fine and normal because the animal needs rest. Your vet may want to wait and see how your pet does in the days and weeks to come; or, he may want to take some blood samples to check your pet’s heart and liver. X-rays may also be taken to look for other causes of the seizures.
No comments:
Post a Comment