Tales from the consulting room: Exploring what you can do with your Pet First Aid kit - Digestion
Dogs will be dogs. And as you dogs owners out there will know, sniffing around in the hedges for something yummy to eat is a common pastime. A lot of the time it is a harmless bit of fun, with no further consequences. Other times it can be a serious issue, perhaps even resulting in a foreign body that gets stuck and the dog needing an operation. Very commonly it is somewhere in between, with a little bit of vomiting, perhaps to be followed by diarrhoea.
As ever, it is important to do a bit of Holistic Triage:
Red Level – If you are worried about your pet, then call the vet. If it is looking ill, then better to get it checked out and follow the vet’s advice.
Red Flags – If you think it is not quite that bad yet, then leave some Red Flags in place. Signs such as persistent vomiting, persistent inappetence, abdominal pain, weakness or collapse should ring a warning bell. If it shifts to the Red Level, seek veterinary support.
Green Level – much can be done with a bit of practical support. Perhaps a bit of fasting followed by a bland diet, little and often. Again, your vet can give you advice.
Amber Level – with the above checked out, then you have done all that you can – except now you can add in some extra support from the Amber Level.
In most pet kits you will find two commonly useful remedies:
Nux vomica – is a great remedy to support detox and help pets that have eaten things they shouldn’t have.
Arsenicum Album – is also a fantastic remedy for food poisoning.
The art of homeopathy, always, is to choose a remedy that matches the symptom picture. If the symptoms fit the pictures of these remedies, then they are likely to be useful and help your dog. I commonly use them as first aid remedies. The dog may need Nux Vomica first for a few doses, followed by some Arsenicum Album for a few doses for a day or so. Continue to monitor carefully, and remember to call your vet if needed.
If you want to know more about homeopathy for your pets, then look out for the new services coming in 2023.
Helios Homeopathic Pharmacy do a great little first aid kit.