Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (82 page)

Heart Massage: Using both hands, press firmly and release 60 times a minute.

H
EART
S
TOPPED

(No heartbeat felt or heard at chest) Follow these steps:

1. Apply External Heart Massage Technique. Place the animal with its right side down on a firm surface. Place one or both hands (depending on animal’s size) over the lower chest directly behind the elbow. Press firmly and release at the rate of once every second (see the illustration, left). Caution: Excessive pressure can fracture ribs.
   
2. Give one dose of Carbo vegetabilis 30C. As soon as you can, place a few pellets on the tongue, then drop some water on the pellets to dissolve them in the mouth.
   
3. Administer Dr. Bach’s rescue formula. Put two drops in the side of the mouth, repeating every 5 minutes until there is a response. Then every 30 minutes (if no help is available) for four doses.
   
4. Apply artificial respiration if the heart does not start within a minute (
   view
   ).
   
5. Successful heart massage (and respiration) can be recognized by the return of normal “pink” color to the gums.
   

H
EAT
S
TROKE

(Animal found unconscious in hot car)

Follow these steps.

1. Remove the animal immediately to a cool, shady area. Use the car’s shadow if necessary.
   
2. Wet the animal with water. Apply continuously to cool the body as much as possible. Place ice packs or cold, wet towels around the body and head during transport to the veterinarian.
   
3. Give one dose of
   Belladonna
   30C.
   
4. If no improvement within 30 minutes, give one dose of
   Glonoine
   30C.
   
5. Administer Dr. Bach’s rescue formula. Put two drops in the mouth every ten minutes until you arrive at the veterinarian’s.
   
6. If breathing has stopped, follow instructions for “Breathing Stopped,” (
   view
   ).
   

H
EMORRHAGE

(Bleeding from a wound or body opening)

For skin wounds, use these treatments.

1. Give one dose
   Arnica
   30C. Wait for 30 minutes. If bleeding has not stopped, give the next remedy.
   
2. Give one dose
   Phosphorus
   30C.
   
3. Locally apply a calendula “lotion” (six drops tincture in one ounce of water).
   
4. If necessary, use the Pressure Bandage (as described
   here
   .
   

For internal bleeding, (pale tongue, gums, and inside of eyelids, with weakness) use these treatments.

1. Give one dose
   Arnica
   30C and repeat it every 30 minutes for three treatments.
   
2. Give
   Phosphorus
   30C in three 3 doses (as above), if
   Arnica
   30C is not sufficient.
   
3. Keep the animal calm. If hysteria is a problem, begin treatment by placing two drops of Dr. Bach’s rescue formula in the mouth every five minutes for three treatments. Then follow with
   Arnica
   .
   

I
NSECT
B
ITES

(Bee, hornet, and wasp stings; centipede, scorpion, and spider bites; red, painful swellings)

For local use:
For bee, hornet, or wasp stings, apply a freshly sliced onion. Alternatively, rub in one drop of ammonia water (can be purchased for cleaning floors and windows—in a pinch, you can use ammonia detergent or an ammonia-based window cleaner).

An effective herbal treatment is to rub in a drop of nettle extract (
Urtica urens
tincture or glycerine extract) directly on the sting.

Hold a dull knife perpendicular to the skin and scrape across the area of the sting a few times. This will grab the stinger and pull it out without pain. Do not try to grab a stinger with your fingers or with tweezers, as it will squeeze more poison into the wound.

Internally, for all insect bites give
Ledum
30C, a few pellets every 15 minutes for a total of 3 treatments.

P
OISONING

(Symptoms appear in three major forms: excess salivation, tears, and frequent urination and defecation; muscle twitching, trembling, and convulsions; severe vomiting.)

Follow these steps.

1. Give granular activated charcoal. Mix five heaping teaspoons of granules in 1 cup of water. Depending on the animal’s size, give about ¼ to 1 cup by spoonfuls in the cheek pouch. If this causes excess struggle or worsens symptoms, discontinue. Your veterinarian will be able to apply treatment under sedation or anesthesia.
   
2. Give
   Nux vomica
   30C, a few pellets on the tongue every 15 minutes for a total of 3 doses. Do not continue treatment if the symptoms worsen.
   
3. Keep the animal warm and as quiet as possible. Stress has a very negative influence.
   
4. Call the National Animal Poison Control Center if you know where the poison came from. Call 800-548-2423 ($30 credit card charge per case) for specific advice on treatment or antidotes.
   

Otherwise, bring the suspected poisons and container (if known), as well as any vomited material, to the doctor for possible identification of the poison.

P
RESSURE
B
ANDAGE
T
ECHNIQUE

(To control hemorrhage, excessive bleeding; to keep gauze and medication in place)

To control bleeding: Place medicated gauze over the wound. Wrap an elastic bandage around the wound.

Follow these steps.

1. Place dry or medicated gauze (calendula ointment is a good choice) over the wound and wrap an overlapping elastic bandage around it. Apply only slight tension to the wrap because excessive pressure (especially on a leg) can cut off blood flow like a tourniquet. If the wound is on the lower half of the leg, wrap all the way to and including the foot (to prevent swelling).
   
2. Secure the end of the bandage with adhesive tape to prevent unwinding.
   
3. Remove the bandage at once if swelling occurs below the wrap (as on a leg). If you can reach the foot pads, periodically check that they remain warm; if they’re cold, then the bandage is too tight. Remember, bandaging is a temporary measure; use it until bleeding stops or you can reach the veterinarian.
   

P
UNCTURES

(From teeth, claws, sharp objects)

Follow these steps.

1. Wash wound with soap and water. Use a natural soap, not a strong detergent.
   
2. Extract any embedded hair you see in the hole.
   
3. Apply direct pressure over the wound with gauze only if bleeding is excessive (see “Pressure Bandage Technique,” above). Moderate bleeding is appropriate to flush out the wound.
   
4. Give
   Ledum
   30C, a few pellets every two hours, for 3 doses.
   

S
HOCK

(Accompanies serious injuries. Symptoms are white gums, rapid breathing, uncon sciousness.)

• If much bruising or trauma is evident or internal hemorrhage is suspected
  , use Arnica 30C, one dose every ten minutes until a response is seen. Then treat every two hours until the gums are once again pink and your pet seems to be normally alert.
  
• If the animal is unconscious, give Aconitum
  30C, one dose every ten minutes until consciousness returns. If there is no response within four doses, switch over to
  Arnica
  30C and use the same schedule as you would for
  Aconitum
  .
  
• If the animal appears to be dying (cold, blue, lifeless)
  , give
  Carbo vegetabilis
  30C, one dose every five minutes for three treatments. If he rallies, follow with
  Arnica
  30C as described in the first step of this section.
  

Note:
Keep the animal warm with a blanket in a horizontal position.

S
UDDEN
C
OLLAPSE

(Sudden unconsciousness without warning; fainting)

Follow these steps.

1. First check to see if breathing or the heart has stopped. If so, use the treatment described under “Breathing Stopped” (
   view
   ) or “Breathing and Heart Both Stopped” (
   view
   ).
   
2. Use Dr. Bach’s rescue formula, two drops every 5 minutes until a response, and then every 30 minutes.
   
3. Give a warm coffee enema (for caffeine). Use ¼ cup for small dogs, ½ cup for medium dogs, and 1 cup for large dogs. Press gauze against the anus for 15 minutes to prevent the fluid from coming out.
   
4. Count out the heart rate for a minute, if possible, by listening to the lower left chest (near where left elbow touches the chest). This will be useful information for your veterinarian, as an abnormal heart rate (too fast or too slow) is a frequent cause of fainting.
   
5. If none of this has helped then, give one dose of
   Arsenicum album
   30C.
   

SCHEDULE FOR HERBAL TREATMENT

General Directions:
Use freshly harvested and dried herbs if possible, preferably this year’s crop. After a few years, herbs lose potency from exposure to air. Alcoholic extracts of herbs, called tinctures, are an especially useful form because they are more stable, maintaining potency for at least two years and sometimes longer. Available in one-ounce dropper bottles, they are easily added to water for dilution. Gelatin capsules are also useful for preserving powdered herbs. They help the herbs stay fresh by excluding the oxygen, which degrades them.

SCHEDULE 1: INTERNAL

In this schedule, give the herbs
three times a day
until there are no more symptoms, or for a maximum of seven days. Depending on the form of herb you use, they’re prepared a little differently (see chapter 15 for more information on herbs and on techniques for giving medications to pets). Here are the options.

(a)
Infusions
. Make an infusion by first bringing one cup of pure water (filtered or distilled) to a boil. Pour it over one rounded teaspoon of dried herb or one rounded tablespoon of fresh herb. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Then extract the liquid by straining it through a cheesecloth or sieve.

Here’s how much to give your pet three times a day (morning, mid-afternoon, and at night before bed): ½ teaspoon for cats or small dogs (less than 30 pounds); 1 teaspoon for medium dogs (30 to 60 pounds); or one tablespoon for large dogs (60 pounds and over).

(b)
Cold extracts
. Add two rounded teaspoons of dried herb or two rounded tablespoons of fresh herb to one cup of cold,
pure water. Cover and let it sit for 12 hours. Strain out the solids and administer the liquid extract three times a day, in the same quantities listed for infusions (a).

(c)
Decoctions
. In some cases the instructions specify that you should prepare a decoction, the method to prepare certain dried roots, rhizomes, and barks. To do so, add one rounded teaspoon of the herb to one cup of pure water. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain out the solids and administer the liquid three times a day, in the same quantities listed for infusions (a).

(d)
Tinctures
. If you have the tincture form of the herb (see chapter 15 for preparation instructions or they can be purchased in natural food stores), dilute it, three drops to one teaspoon (nine drops to one tablespoon) of pure water. Administer this solution three times a day in the same quantities listed for infusions (a).

(e)
Gelatin capsules
. Herb capsules that are prepared for human consumption can also be given to animals, but in smaller doses. Small dogs and cats will get half of a capsule as a dose; medium dogs will get one as a dose; large dogs will receive two capsules each dose. Remember that one dose is given three times a day with this schedule.

SCHEDULE 2: INTERNAL

On this schedule, give the herbs
twice
a day, on approximately a 12-hour schedule. Use the same procedures and quantities as described in Schedule 1. Likewise, continue treating until symptoms are gone or a week has passed.

SCHEDULE 3: INTERNAL

With this program, you’ll give the herbs
only once a day
(every 24 hours). Again, follow the same procedures and quantities outlined in Schedule 1, treating until the symptoms are gone, or for a maximum of one week.