Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (81 page)

Here is a list of supplies you should have on hand in order to make full use of my suggestions. See www.drpitcairn.com for suppliers of the homeopathic remedies. Dr. Bach’s stress-relieving rescue formula is available at natural foods stores, and the other supplies are found in drug stores.

Homeopathic Remedies

For each, order 2 drams of the remedy as #10 pellets (little tiny ones, like grains of sand, which are easiest to give), approximately 10 or so as a dose given from the cap of the vial.

• Aconitum
  30C
  
• Arnica montana
  30C
  
• Arsenicum album
  30C
  
• Calendula
  30C
  
• Calendula tincture—one-ounce dropper bottle
  
• Calendula ointment—can be purchased from homeopathic pharmacies
  
• Carbo vegetabilis
  30C
  
• Glonoine
  30C
  
• Hypericum
  30C
  
• Ledum
  30C
  
• Nux vomica
  30C
  
• Phosphorus
  30C
  
• Symphytum
  30C
  
• Urtica
  urens tincture—one-ounce dropper bottle
  

Other Remedies

• Activated charcoal granules
  
• Ammonia water
  
• Fresh warm coffee (caffeinated)
  
• Raw onion
  
• Dr. Bach’s stress-relieving rescue formula—10½-milliliter dropper bottle of the stock. Prepare a solution from purchased stock in this manner: Add four drops of stock to a one-ounce dropper bottle filled a third of the way with brandy, as a preservative. Add enough spring water to fill the bottle and shake well. Make this diluted solution in advance and use it as recommended for treatment. It will keep for at least a year if kept out of the sun and away from heat.
  

Materials

• (2) blankets—thick and strong
  
• Adhesive tape—one-inch-wide roll
  
• Elastic bandage—three inches wide
  
• Enema bag
  
• Gauze pads—one package
  
• Natural soap—like Dr. Bronner’s natural soap
  
• Plastic bowl—for preparing dilutions
  
• Sea salt—for making saline (¼ tsp. per cup of water)
  
• Water—for dilution (spring or distilled water is best; tap water is okay)
  
• Empty plastic syringe—for administering remedies
  
• Empty dropper bottle(s)—for preparing remedies
  

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

B
REATHING
S
TOPPED

Follow these steps to apply Artificial Respiration Technique.

1. Open the mouth, pull out the tongue, check back into the throat to make sure no obstructions are present. Clear away mucus and blood if necessary. Replace the tongue.
   
2. Give one dose of
   Carbo vegetabilis
   30C. Place a few pellets on the tongue. Drip water on the tongue to dissolve the pellets.
   
3. Close the mouth and place your mouth over the nostrils. Exhale as you fill the animal’s lungs, allowing it to exhale after. Do this 6 times a minute for dogs, 12 times a minute for cats. Inflate the chest until you can see it rise.
   
4. Administer Dr. Bach’s rescue formula, starting after 5 minutes. Place two drops on the gums or tongue and continue every 5 minutes until breathing is restored. Then every 30 minutes (if you can’t reach help) for four treatments.
   

B
REATHING
AND
H
EART
B
OTH
S
TOPPED

(Listen at chest.)

Follow these steps.

1. Use the Artificial Respiration Technique including use of one dose of
   Carbo vegetabilis
   30C (see “Breathing Stopped”) and the External Heart Massage Technique (
   view
   ), step one, at the same time. This is easiest for two people.
   
2. Apply acupressure. Use the edge of your thumbnail or the pointed cap of a pen to put strong pressure over the center of the large pad of each rear foot. If there’s no response at first, try reaching the same point by coming in from under the back edge of the pad. After a few seconds, release and apply pressure to the point on the nose shown in the diagram. Alternate between acupressure and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. If two people are working, have each one apply one of the techniques continuously.
   
3. After five minutes, give one dose of
   Arnica montana
   30C. Place a few pellets on the tongue.
   
4. After 5 more minutes, administer Dr. Bach’s rescue formula. Place two drops on the gums or tongue and continue every 5 minutes until breathing is restored. Repeat every 30 minutes (if you can’t reach help) for four treatments.
   

B
URNS

(“White” skin or scorched hair)

Use one technique.

1. Apply Urtica urens tincture. Add six drops of the tincture to one ounce (two full tablespoons) water. Saturate gauze with the solution and place over the burn. Do not remove the gauze, but keep it moistened by adding more of the solution. If necessary, hold in place with a bandage.
   
2. Give one dose of Arsenicum album 30C.
   
3. After 5 more minutes, administer Dr. Bach’s rescue formula. Place two drops on the tongue every 30 minutes for a total of three treatments. Repeat every four hours until relief is evident.
   

C
AR
A
CCIDENTS

(Obvious injury; greasy or very dirty coat)

Follow these steps.

1. Move the animal to a safe place. If the animal is found on the road, without bending its spine or changing its position, slide it onto a board or taut blanket and transport it to a safer location. You may need to tie a strip of cloth or wrap a pressure bandage around the mouth temporarily (as a muzzle) or put a blanket over the animal’s head, to keep it from biting someone.
   
2. Give a dose of
   Arnica montana
   30C. Place a few pellets on the tongue every 15 minutes, for a total of three doses. Do this only if it is safe to do so. An injured animal will bite without restraint and can cause very serious injury. If it seems unsafe to administer a medicine, dissolve two pellets in some water or milk and drip it onto the lips from a safe distance above. If you happen to have a syringe with a needle on it, you can squirt the diluted medicine fairly accurately between the lips and into the mouth.
   
3. Keep the animal warm and watch for shock (
   view
   ).
   

C
ARDIOPULMONARY
R
ESUSCITATION

(See “Breathing and Heart Both Stopped,”)

C
ONVULSIONS

(Stiffening or alternate rapid contraction/ relaxation of muscles; thrashing about; frothing at the mouth)

1. Do not interfere with or try to restrain the animal during the convulsion. It is too dangerous to you and does not help the animal.
   
2. If breathing stops after the convulsion, use artificial respiration (see “Breathing Stopped,”). If the heart stops too, use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (see “Breathing and Heart Both Stopped,”).
   
3. Give
   Aconitum
   30C. If possible, put a few pellets on the tongue (see warning about being bitten in “Car Accidents,” opposite).
   
4. If convulsions continue, after 5 minutes give
   Belladonna
   30C.
   
5. After 5 more minutes, administer Dr. Bach’s rescue formula, two drops every 15 minutes, if the animal is frightened or disoriented, up to three doses or until relief is evident.
   
6. Consider poisoning as a possible cause (
   view
   ).
   

C
UTS

(Lacerations, tears)

Follow these steps.

1. Flush out the cut with clean water. Remove obvious debris like sticks, hair, and gravel.
   
2. Apply calendula lotion. Add six drops calendula tincture to one ounce (two full tablespoons) water; saturate gauze pads, and tape them in place. If this is irritating, flush with saline and bandage with dry pads.
   
3. Wash minor wounds that do not need professional care with soap and water and dry carefully. Clip hair from the edges of the wound. Apply calendula ointment twice a day until healed. Leave unbandaged if possible.
   

Also give one dose of
Calendula
30C.

F
RACTURES

(Leg “bends” at sharp angle; animal won’t use leg)

• If the lower leg is obviously broken
  , very carefully wrap a roll of clean newspaper or magazine around it and tape it to prevent unrolling. Do not try to set the leg yourself; just keep the lower end from swinging back and forth.
  
• If a wound is present at the fracture site
  , cover it with clean gauze before applying a temporary splint, as above.
  
• If the fracture is not apparent or is high up
  , do not attempt to splint. Let the animal assume the most comfortable posture . A padded box may be best for transporting small animals to the veterinarian. Walking on three legs may be best for a larger dog.
  

1. Give
   Arnica
   30C. One dose is usually enough, but repeat again in 4 hours if there is still much pain.
   
2. Next day give
   Ruta
   30C, which will remove residual pain from having torn the membrane that covers the bones (or give after surgery to reduce pain).
   
3. Wait another 3 days and give
   Symphytum
   30C to accelerate healing of the bones.
   

G
UNSHOT
W
OUNDS

(Look for two holes opposite each other on the body, great pain and anxiety.)

1. Give
   Arnica
   30C, a few pellets every 15 minutes, for a total of three doses.
   
2. Apply hand pressure with dry gauze over the wound, if necessary, until bleeding stops. Or temporarily use the Pressure Bandage Technique (
   view
   ).
   
3. Give
   Hypericum
   30C if there is no relief from the three doses of
   Arnica
   . Give a few pellets every 15 minutes for a total of three doses.
   
4. Continue treatment with
   Arnica
   30C or
   Hypericum
   30C, whichever was most useful. Give a dose every 4 hours, as long as it seems needed to control pain. Typically, 3 doses will do all the good that can be accomplished with this medicine.
   
5. If there is still apparent pain, give
   Calendula
   30C, one dose.