How to Help Dogs With Itchy Skin and Kidney Disease
It is hard on an owner when a pet is sick. When they have multiple ailments it is even harder. Taking care of them often involves many trips to a veterinarian and giving them medicine. Kidney disease in dogs is a serious condition that requires many treatments, while skin conditions can stem from a range of problems that are all uncomfortable for the dog. While it may be emotionally draining, there are a lot of things you can do to improve your dog's quality of life if they have kidney disease or a skin problem.
Things You'll Need
- Veterinarian
- Low-protein dog food
- Water
- Nutritional supplements, including omega 3, vitamin e, b-complex, vitamin c, fish oil, and tea tree oil (optional)
- Pet acupuncturist (optional)
- Oatmeal (optional)
- Journal (optional)
Instructions
-
Kidney Disease Treatment
-
1
Take your dog to a veterinarian. Symptoms of kidney disease include urinating more or less, blood in the urine, and changes in behavior, according to the website Pet Education. If your dog has any of these symptoms take him to a veterinarian right away. If he has kidney disease, your veterinarian will discuss a number of treatments with you, including fluid therapy, antibiotics, dialysis, and even a kidney transplant. Once you and your veterinarian have determined the best course of action, make sure you follow through with any instructions for when you get home.
-
2
Keep your dog hydrated. He will want to drink a lot of water and it's important to make sure he always has access to it, according to Pet Educaiton. Your veterinarian might also suggest switching to a new food with lower protein, which is easier on the kidneys.
-
-
3
Give your dog nutritional supplements after discussing it with your vet. Supplements including Omega 3, and vitamin's E, C, and B complex can all be beneficial to dogs with kidney disease, according to the website Healthy Happy Dog. (See References 2) Combining conventional treatments with natural therapies increase the amount of resources your dog has to help them get better.
-
4
Take your dog to an acupuncturist, according to Healthy Happy Dogs. It's important to improve their quality of life so they can fight their disease the best they can. While this is not a proven healing technique, acupuncture is believed by some to offer benefits.
Dogs With Skin Disease
-
5
Take your dog to a veterinarian so they can determine what is causing your dog's skin condition. Skin problems in dogs can be caused by allergies, parasites, nutritional deficits and infections, according to the website The Pet Center.
-
6
Give your dog any medicines prescribed by a veterinarian on schedule. This will help the skin problem heal so he can feel better as soon as possible.
-
7
Consider supplementing your dog's medicine with natural remedies, after consulting with your veterinarian. Calendula extract and tea tree oil can both be applied directly to the skin, while vitamin E and fish oil can be given orally, according to the Daily Puppy website. Oatmeal can also be applied directly to the dog's skin as a calming ointment.
Dog's With Both Kidney Disease And Skin Problems
-
8
Consult with a veterinarian about both of their problems to make sure none of the medication will conflict or make one of the issues worse.
-
9
Keep all of their medication, supplements and therapies organized. It may be useful to start a journal charting their progress and keeping track of when you are supposed to give your pet what medication. The better care you give your dog, the better chance he has of recovering.
-
10
If your dog has both conditions, he will need attention and affection to boost his spirits to help him recover. Reduce your dog's stress and improve his quality of life by spoiling him as much as you can and letting him know how special he is.
-
1
