Emergency dog care is one of those things that most of us fail to prepare for. When you get a new puppy or adopt an older dog, you have visions of fun times together. Romps in the woods, a hunting partner, and going everywhere with your new best friend.
But things don’t always turn out the way we expect them to. We want to believe that our Weimaraners will never get sick or hurt!
But parents who have dealt with children’s everyday cuts, bruises and stomach aches know that accidents happen when you least expect them! Even to dogs who have had the best of care.
Naturally curious, Weimaraners explore their environments and get into all kinds of situations. This can lead to unexpected emergencies.
As a dog owner, if you are prepared for emergency dog care, you will be able to react quickly to help your dog when she needs you the most.
Everyday Emergencies for Your Dog
While you certainly can’t anticipate every little thing that might happen to your Weimaraner, there are a few common everyday emergencies that almost every dog owner will face at one time or another.
Cuts and Wounds
Stat! Pet Wound & Skin Care Spray is nice to have on hand. It forms a gel-like coating on scratches and wounds and fights bacterial and fungal infections. An added benefit is that Stat has a eucalyptus scent that repels insects, and it promotes new hair growth in the injured area.
Dog Diarrhea
Dogs often get diarrhea when they eat things that are not dog food. Feeding your dog canned pumpkin can help get rid of diarrhea.
Or keep a product like Pet Ultimates Probiotics for Dogs on hand, just in case you need it.
Vomiting
When your dog tastes a dead animal, ingests garbage or eats animal poop, in addition to having diarrhea, she may vomit. Both diarrhea and vomiting become dangerous if your dog becomes severely dehydrated.
If you suspect that your dog has eaten something nasty and he vomits, usually a little activated charcoal will help move things along. Veterinarians often prescribe activated charcoal for dogs who have eaten some kind of poison or toxin.
Here’s how it works…Charcoal attracts the poisonous particles in your dog’s stomach and intestines, and quickly takes them through her bowels and out of your dog’s body, in her feces.
Your dog’s stools will turn black for a short period of time. This is perfectly normal and not a cause for concern. The most common side effect of activated charcoal is mild diarrhea.
If you decide to keep some on hand (and it’s a good idea), make sure you get activated charcoal that is safe for human consumption. There is another kind that is used to filter swimming pools–you don’t want to use that kind.
Constipation
If your dog gets constipated once in awhile, it’s usually only a temporary discomfort for her. However, do keep track, and if she doesn’t have a bowel movement for a couple of days, she could have a more serious issue like a blockage.
Dogs can have a blockage when they eat something that balls up and blocks the intestines or colon or they can eat something too large to pass. And, if your dog eats a bone that splinters, like a chicken bone, he can have intestinal damage or a blockage.
Dog Heat Strokes
Weimaraners are active dogs with tremendous stamina, but, just like other dogs, they can suffer from a heat stroke. If your dog runs hard in hot weather and gets overheated, she is at risk.
When the weather is hot, air circulation is poor and your dog has not had enough water to drink, he is at risk for having a heat stroke.
Hypoglycemia
Whether you take your dog on a long hike or she goes hunting with you, you’ll need to make sure that she doesn’t get too hungry or work too hard without a snack or two.
Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia can lead to exhaustion, and, depending on where you are when it happens, getting your dog back to the car, truck or home can be a problem.
Bloat
Weimaraners are one of the dog breeds prone to getting bloat. One of the cardinal rules to avoiding this issue is to prevent your dog from eating or drinking too fast.
In addition, if you are hunting, have your dog rest for 20 minutes after eating. Most commonly, dogs who get bloat have eaten a large meal, then went right back to exercising.
Puppy Vaccinations
Just like you, your dog can have a reaction to her vaccinations. If this happens to your dog, you will usually see symptoms within 24 hours.
Chocolate
You might think that it would be unusual for a dog to eat chocolate. Not so. For some strange reason, dogs are drawn to chocolate like bees to honey. Depending on the kind of chocolate your dog ate and the amount, it may or may not be an emergency.
Salmonella or Listeria
Sometimes we see dog food recalls because of salmonella or listeria contamination. Dogs can get pretty sick if they ingest either of these toxins.
Pet First Aid Kit
A good pet first aid kit will help you treat cuts or broken bones until you can get to the vet. Having all your dog first aid supplies in one spot will save time and frustration. This kit can go with you when you travel or go camping.
Pet First Aid Book
The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats by Amy Shojai is a good reference book to have on hand. You don’t need to memorize the book to be ready. It’s laid out nicely and tells you what to do first, and when to call the vet.
Illnesses that can be Emergencies
Cushing’s Disease
Cushing’s Disease has a huge number of symptoms. This is a nasty disease, as it affects a dog in so many different ways. One of the symptoms is seizures. If your dog has a seizure, especially one that is longer than 5 minutes, she needs to see your vet.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a disease that can be chronic or acute. An acute attack can be extremely painful and your dog can have diarrhea with blood in it and may become dehydrated. If your dog has an acute pancreatic attack, he needs to go to the vet.
Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections, while not usually life threatening, can be quite uncomfortable. Your dog may strain and strain to pee, and may have pain and a fever.
Ear Infection
Any dog can get an ear infection, but dogs with long, floppy ears are more likely to get them. If your dog constantly scratches his ear with his paws, shakes his head, has a discharge or smell in his ears or even becomes unsteady on his feet, he may have an infection.
When treated promptly, an ear infection quickly clears. However, if not treated, ear infections can actually cause deafness in dogs.
Bladder Stones
If your Weimaraner has bladder stones he will pee a lot, or not at all, may have accidents in the house, and will constantly lick his genitals.
Bladder stones can be very painful, and dogs who are taking medications are more prone to getting them.
Plants and Animals
Plants Poisonous to Dogs
Some plants are very poisonous to dogs. Some can cause itching. When you purchase new plants for your landscape or your home, make sure they will not hurt your dog if she eats them. This refrigerator magnet provides a quick reference on plants that are toxic to dogs.
Tick Bites
Your dog does not need to be a hunter to get ticks. They will find him in your backyard. With Bichons, tick removal can be difficult, if the tick embeds in your dog’s skin. The O’TOM Tick Twister Removal Tool is inexpensive, and it removes ticks, without leaving the head behind. Very important, it removes the ticks without squeezing infectious liquid into your dog or child.
Flea Allergies
Many dog breeds are notorious for having allergies—and they get flea allergies, too. You will see your dog scratching and she will be very uncomfortable if she has fleas and a flea allergy. You can prevent flea bites by using a flea and tick collar.
Insect Bites
While insect bites are annoying and can make your dog itchy and sore, they can also be a health hazard. Mosquitoes carry heart worm and diseases. Ticks carry lyme disease and a number of other diseases, as well.
Spray your dog with a safe repellent, to prevent insect bites when outdoors.
Contact Dermatitis
Dogs can be allergic to plants, just like you. They even develop rashes like poison ivy, if they come into contact with the right plant.
Long Term Preparedness
Emergency Essentials for Pets
If you experience a natural or man-made disaster, you need to be prepared to care for both your Weimaraner and your family…
Hurricane Preparedness for Pets
So many of us live in hurricane zones that could easily become disaster areas. Make sure you are prepared to care for your Weimaraner, if a disaster of any kind, strikes…
While we all hope that these things never happen to our dogs, life has a way of coming up with little surprises. Dog care, like taking care of children, is never dull!
It certainly is best to be prepared to take care of these everyday emergencies—and hope you never have to use your knowledge of emergency dog care!
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