Common Ailments and How to Treat

Almost all foster pups will have some sort of ailment while they are with you, some are simple to treat! If there are any questions or concerns, never hesitate to reach out to the rescue.

• Tummy Issues: mild diarrhea, vomiting, gas and constipation 

  • Canned pumpkin (plain, NOT pumpkin pie mix!) mixed with their food or alone- just a few spoonfuls can help with a lot of upset tummy issues.

  • Bland diet - plain white rice and boiled plain chicken shredded or cut into small pieces- give this for a day or two and then slowly transition them back to their food. 

  • De-Worm  - contact us about de-worming your pup. If your pup was de-wormed in the past few days, mild diarrhea and seeing worms in their stool is normal!

• Skin Issues: mild bald patches, red irritated skin or itching

  • Coconut oil- Start with 1/4 teaspoon once a day for a few days and gradually increase the amount to 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds.

  • Oatmeal baths or Epsom sale soaks.

  • Jax N Daisy 

• Fleas. 

  • In pups under 8 weeks, give them a bath with blue Dawn dish soap. Be sure to dry them completely and keep them warm after a bath (this is a great time for puppy snuggles!).

  • In pups older then 8 weeks, find out if they had preventatives. If they have, it may just be the last of the fleas dying, give them a blue Dawn bath.

• Allergies: If you notice your dog sneezing (but no major cough) or they are itchy, it could be seasonal allergies or a food insensitivity.

  • Try Benadryl:  The general dosage guideline for dogs is 1mg of Benadryl for every pound of body weight. 

  • Try switching foods. Chicken and beef are known culprits for food issues. Try turkey, lamb or fish.

• For coughs, these can linger after any respiratory infection, this does not me another vet visit is warranted. We need to give them time to fully heal. We can use some home remedies during this time. Contact the foster team for some ideas.  Easy ones are a humidifier in their room, boost their immunity with honey, blueberries, yogurt, bananas. Try mixing some of these with their food, or give as a treat.

• Worms  -there are so many different kind of worms. We know it's yucky, but if you see them in your foster's feces, please let us know what they look like. If they have been de-wormed in the past few days, seeing them in their stool is normal

  • Roundworms: can often be spotted in vomit or stool. These worms are white or light brown and look like spaghetti noodles. Commons signs are a pot belly (usually seen in puppies), weakness, vomiting and/or diarrhea, weight loss and visible signs of worms. De-wormer to give: strongid,  panacure, drontal / droncit  or multi-worm de-wormer

  • Tapeworms: Looks like grains of rice. Common signs are diarrhea, weight loss, may bite or lick the anus and may scoot their bums across the floor.  De-wormer to give: drontal (covers tape / hook / rounds) / droncit 

  • Hookworms: can only be detected via microscope.  Commons signs are anemia, low energy /weakness, bloody diarrhea and  weight loss. De-wormer to give: strongid,  panacure

  • Whipworms: resemble long pieces of thread with one end larger than the other, though seldom seen in stool. Commons signs are chronic weight loss and passes stool that seems to have a covering of mucous or blood. De-wormer to give: panacure

When to Reach Out to PIPs

Puppies Under 8 Weeks Old:

These babies can go downhill faster than the older pups, always air on the side of caution with these babies!

• Diarrhea that lasts for more than 8 hours

• Vomiting and diarrhea for more than 2 hours

• Vomiting more than once in 30 minutes

• Not eating for more than 6 hours

• Lethargy without fever for more than 4 hours

• Lethargy with fever