Naturally Healthy Dogs
Fun in the Sun!

July, 2010

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Natural Dog Health Remedies

In this issue:

• Keeping Your Dog Cool on a Hot Summer Day
• Should Our Dog Wear Sunscreen?
• Dog Treat Recipe
• Aromatherapy Recipe - Tick Bite Treatment

If you live in a hot place, canine hyperthermia can be a threat. (A dog is considered hyperthermic when his body temperature exceeds 106°F) Help you dog stay cool and comfortable.

Here are some tips:

• Water, water, water! Your dog should always have plenty of fresh cool water available.
• Provide shade whenever possible. If your dog stays outdoors most of the time, be sure to provide shade and cooler surfaces for your dog to lie on, such as mats, grass, or wooden planking.
• Give him breeze. Air movement is good - Even though dogs don't perspire, they can lose heat through radiation.
• If your dog does not want to come out of the shade to go for a walk, get him a good-quality cooling jacket, such as this one - Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler.
• Do not walk your dog on paved roads during the hottest time of the day. Hot asphalt can easily burn your dog's paws. (Last summer, one of my friends took her dog out for a walk on the road on a hot day, and in about 5 minutes, her dog started limping because her paws were burned.)
• Watch out for the slightest signs of heat stroke, such as excessive, intense panting, excessive drooling, wide eyes, staggering and weakness, collapse. Read here for more information on Dog Heat Stroke.

Yes - if they stay in the sun for a long time. Dogs get sunburn and it is just as painful for them as for us. The most vulnerable parts for dogs to get sunburn are the nose, ears, around the eyes, and the tummy.

The first sign of dog sunburn is redness and tenderness on these parts. Sometimes, the edges of the dog's ears will become dry, cracked, or curling. In more serious cases, dog sunburn can lead to hair loss. Serious sunburn can cause or aggravate existing skin problems, such as skin ulcers, infections, and even skin cancer. Dogs with white or light-colored hair, and dogs with no or little hair are at the highest risk of getting sunburn.

There are quite a few doggie sunscreens on the market. Last year, I did a small research on some such sunscreens to see if they contain any harmful, toxic ingredients. To my surprise, most of them do!!! Read this page Sunscreen for Dogs for more information on dog sunscreens.

Summer means holidays (for some people, anyway), and holidays mean traveling! Do you travel with your dog? Does your dog have motion sickness? Here is a simple recipe for a delicious dog treat that you can take with you on a road trip. This treat is calming to the gastrointestinal system and contains ingredients that can help alleviate motion sickness.

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole oat flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon carob powder
• 3 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon of ginger (if your dog has motion sickness, a 500mg ginger capsule is perfect)

Instructions

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add the applesauce, mixing until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, lightly sprinkle with flour.
4. Roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness.
5. Using a sharp knife, score the dough to make treats of any size and shape you want.
6. Place in the oven. Turn on the oven to 350°F.
7. Once the oven is up to temperature, turn it down to 175°F, and leave the treats to slowly bake for two hours, or until they are bone hard.
8. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

It's fun to be out in the sun on a summer day, but summer also means "Tick" season. If you live in a high risk area, be sure to arm your dog with some form of natural tick repellent, such as this amazing Anibio Tic-Clip Insect Repellent Collar Tag.

If unfortunately your dog has been bitten by a tick, here is a simple essential oil blend that you can mix easily. This blend is intended for use on tick bites or immediately after a tick is removed to help prevent infection, reduce redness and inflammation and possibly prevent Lyme's disease (from "Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals" by Kristen Leigh Bell):

• 1/2 oz (15 ml) base oil such as sweet almond oil
• 5 drops Thyme thujanol essential oil
• 3 drops Hyssop decumbens essential oil
• 8 drops Lavender essential oil

Mix well and store in a dark glass bottle.