Proof The Bible Is True

1.Dental care — Veterinary dental procedures are expensive, especially when tooth extractions are necessary. It’s also unnerving for many pet guardians to know their dog or cat must be anesthetized for the procedure. And the situation inside your pet’s mouth doesn’t improve with age. The older the animal, the more likely it is that she’ll have tooth and gum issues.

The best way to help your pet avoid oral disease is to brush her teeth every day or several times a week at a minimum. If you can develop the habit when your pet is a puppy or kitten, it’s typically easier than training an adult dog or cat to accept tooth brushing. You can find a video demonstration and instructions on how to brush a cat’s teeth here.

2.Ear care — Ear problems are much more common in dogs than cats, but even kitty companions need their ears checked regularly and cleaned as needed.

Some pets are much more prone to ear infections than others. If your dog has a tendency to have problems with his ears, I recommend checking them daily or every other day at a minimum. Wax or other debris that accumulates in the ear canal is the foundation for infection.

A good rule of thumb is to simply clean your pet’s ears when they’re dirty. If there’s lots of wax accumulating every day, they need to be cleaned every day. If the ears don’t produce much wax or collect much crud, you can clean them less often.

If you think your pet might already have an ear infection, it’s important to have your veterinarian check him out before you begin a cleaning regimen. Infections often lead to ruptured eardrums, in which case special cleaners and medications will be required. For taking care of canine ears, my favorite cleaning agents include:

Use cotton balls only to clean the inside of the ear canal. You can use cotton swabs to clean the outer area of the ear, but never inside the canal, as they can damage the eardrums.

The best method for cleaning a pet’s ears is to saturate a cotton ball with cleaning solution and swab out the inside of the ear. Use as many cotton balls as necessary until there’s no longer any residue on the cotton ball.

3.Nail trims — Regularly trimming your dog’s or cat’s nails has many benefits. Most importantly, it prevents injury to your pet from a nail that catches on something or curls under and digs into the paw. Nail trims also keep human family members safe from pokes and scratches. In addition, when your pet’s nails are short, she’s less likely to damage your floors or furniture.

It’s important to desensitize a pet who doesn’t like having her paws touched before you attempt a nail trim. Equally important is to err on the side of caution when deciding how close to clip the nails. You don’t want to create a painful experience for your pet, because she’ll forever associate the nail clipper with pain.

For more information on clipping a dog’s nails, see Trimming Your Dog’s Nails Without Stress or Pain. If you’re owned by a cat, go here.

4.Healing baths and rinses — If your dog or cat develops a skin condition, irrigation therapy (rinsing with water) and frequent bathing can promote healing and provide immediate relief for itchy, irritated skin.

When bathing your dog or cat, avoid oatmeal shampoos. Oatmeal may be a soothing ingredient, but grain-based shampoos are not a good idea for most dogs and cats. In fact, the only pets that truly benefit from oatmeal shampoos are those with poison oak or poison ivy reactions. Use an all-natural organic pet shampoo specifically formulated for dogs or cats. Homemade healing rinses:

• Disinfecting vinegar rinse — Add 1 cup of vinegar to one gallon of water. Pour over your pet (from the neck down). Massage into skin. Do not rinse off. Towel dry.
• Deodorizing lemon rinse (note that applying lemon rinse to dark-coated pets can bleach their fur if they spend time in the sun) — Cut one lemon in thin slices and boil in 1 quart of water for 10 minutes. Cover and let stand for about three hours. After shampooing, pour solution over your pet starting at the neck and working toward the tail. Massage the solution into skin, avoiding the eyes. Do not rinse off. Towel dry.
• Povidone iodine rinse (note that this iced tea-colored solution will turn white coats to an off-white color) — This is a good rinse for hotspots and bumpy or infected skin. Add 1 cup of povidone iodine (also called Betadine or 1 percent iodine solution) to 1 gallon of water. Pour over pet from the neck back to the tail. Do not rinse off. Towel dry. You can re-establish your pet’s skin microbiome by trying this probiotic rinse.
• Herbal tea rinse (for generalized itchiness and restlessness) — Add five green, peppermint, chamomile, or Tulsi tea bags to 2 quarts of very hot water. Steep for about three hours to allow for the release of the maximum amount of polyphenols into the water. Remove tea bags and pour rinse over pet from the neck down. Massage into skin. Do not rinse off. Towel dry.

5.Hairball prevention — Long-haired cats, excessively clean short-haired cats, and kitties who like to groom all the other pets in the household are prime candidates for hairballs. Other common causes of trichobezoars (the scientific name for hairballs) are a moisture-deficient diet, or a problem with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Do-it-yourself hairball management: