Molly's Darling Doodles - Tips for health and grooming

Information on this page is to be used as a guide only....the opinions expressed here are mine and I do not claim to be a nutritionist, Vet, or groomer.  What works for one does not necessarily work for another, s0 please always consult with a professional!

Health and Grooming Tips

Some Common Foods That May be Harmful to Your Dog
1. Chocolate
2. Mushrooms
3. Onions
4. Grapes
5. Raisins
6. Macadamia Nuts
7. Xylitol sweetener found in gum/candy and many other things, now even in some PEANUT BUTTERS! SO PLEASE READ INGREDIENTS!

If your pet has ingested a known poison, call your Veterinarian immediately! If you need to induce vomiting you can safely use ipecac syrup or hydrogen peroxide (for hydrogen peroxide, give 10cc by mouth (with a syringe) every 15 minutes until desired effect is produced). I know hydrogen peroxide works well as I had a puppy once who swallowed an entire sock....the peroxide made him vomit and out came the sock! The puppy was fine and had no ill effects. Proof that puppies will eat just about anything!!

* I will continue to add to this list as I learn...so, if you know of anything that is toxic/poison to pets, please let me know*

Below are some Home Remedies...but, this is meant as a reference only.... Please CONSULT WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN BEFORE GIVING ANY MEDICATION TO YOUR DOG!!

Hydrogen Peroxide - In dogs, this is like Ipecac Syrup. Use it to induce vomiting after accidental ingestion (but, be sure that it is safe to induce vomiting....ask your Vet). Give 10cc by mouth (with a syringe) every 15 minutes until desired effect is produced.

Buffered Aspirin - Use for pain relief or for the anti-inflammatory effects - give 5mg per pound of body weight twice daily. NEVER GIVE TYLENOL (Acetaminophen)

Kaopectate - Used to stop diarrhea. Give 1cc per pound of body weight every 2 hours until diarrhea stops. Note: can cause stools to become dark in color...this is normal.

Dramamine - Used to combat motion sickness. Note: This will make your dog very drowsy. Also you cannot use this product when shipping a dog via airlines - You can give up to 50mg every 8 hours. (I know some people use
Benedryl for this).

Ginger - This can also be used for motion sickness and is more gentle and natural....also helps to calm an upset stomach.

Mineral Oil - This can be used for constipation in dogs....give up to 4 tablespoons daily until constipation has subsided. Do not use long term as they will not get the appropriate nutrition from their food.

Canned Pumpkin - This can be used for constipation or diarrhea. It helps to regulate the stool. (I have not used it for constipation but have for diarrhea and it works really fast). Give 1 Tablespoon twice daily until the problem is relieved.

Home Treatments ~ First Aid For Dogs

With all of the following home treatments, if possible please call your Vet's office before using to make sure your pet's situation will be helped and not harmed by these treatments. These home treatments are meant to be more convenient in the middle of the night, when money is tight, or any other time you are unable to take your pet into the Vet. They ARE NOT meant to take the place of the veterinarian's exam or diagnosis.

Vomiting - Remove food bowl and water bowl. Offer nothing by mouth for 12 hours. Then offer small amounts of pedialyte, gatorade or water. If your dog is able to hold the liquid down for 4-6 hours, slowly reintroduce food in small amounts. If still unable to keep food down, please contact your Vet.

Diarrhea - For diarrhea, give Pepto Bismol or Kaopectate. (PLEASE DO NOT GIVE PEPTO OR KAOPECTATE TO CATS) Give 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds or 1 tablespoon per 15 pounds (so 1cc per pound) every 2 hours. If diarrhea does not improve after 3-4 doses, please contact your Vet.

Itch or sudden puffy swelling of the face and/or feet - For excessive itch or allergic reaction, give Benadryl 1mg per pound every 4-8 hours. (25mg tablet for 10-25 pounds, 50mg tablet for 25 pounds and up). If your dog continues to swell up or begins to have difficulty breathing due to the reaction, please contact Vet immediately.

Pain - NEVER GIVE IBUPROFEN, TYLENOL, MOTRIN OR ALEVE TO YOUR DOG. Instead give Aspirin (Bayers Aspirin is okay)-1 tablet (325mg) per 30 pounds every 12 hours. Baby(Children's) Aspirin 1 tablet(81mg) per 7.5 pounds every 12 hours. NEVER EVER GIVE ANY PAIN MEDICATION TO CATS!

Cough - For a persistant cough, give Robitussin DM, 1cc per 2 pounds, 1
teaspoon per 10 pounds, 1 tablespoon per 30 pounds. Give every 4 hours.
If cough does not subside please contact your Vet.

Red or Runny Eyes - Use normal opthalmic solution (regular contact solution is fine) 2-3 drops every 4 hours. DO NOT USE ANY SOLUTION WITH A STEROID IN IT UNTIL THE EYES HAVE BEEN EXAMINED BY A VETERINARIAN. If eyes continue to stay red or becomes painful, please contact your Vet.

Wound Care - Apply direct pressure to stop bleeding and bandage lightly if possible (almost all lacerations can be sutured satisfactorily for up to 12 hours after injury). For deeper or infected wounds, please contact your Vet.

Seizures - In the case of a seizure, it is important to remain as calm as
possible as to not further stress your pet. Reduce lighting, turn them on their side and wrap your pet in a blanket or place on something soft until seizure stops (usually 1-3 minutes) KEEP YOUR FINGERS OUT OF THEIR MOUTH, THEY WILL NOT SWALLOW THEIR TONGUE. Please contact your Vet if the seizures continue or do not subside.

Itchy rash - Apply 1% Hydrocortisone cream every hour. Rub in well. If rash spreads or if skin becomes broken from excessive licking/scratching, please contact your Vet.

Constipation - For constipation problems give Dulcolax; 1 tablet every 8
hours (max 4 doses), or vegetable oil (Wesson Oil, etc); 1 teaspoon per 5
pounds every 4 hours. If your pet is still unable to have a bowel movement after treatments please contact your Vet.

Induce Vomiting - To induce vomiting, give Syrup of Ipecac-give 1 teaspoon per 5-10 pounds, should work within 30 minutes, or give Hydrogen Peroxide-1 teaspoon per 5-10 pounds every 10 minutes until effective. Inducing vomiting is necessary if you suspect your pet has consumed rat poison. For all other concerns, please contact your Vet first.

Skunk Odor Removal: Mix together 1 cup peroxide, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 1 cup dish soap. Soak dog in mixture and let mixture stay on dog for a few minutes. Rinse well. Re-apply as necessary

Below is a recipe for an awesome ear cleaner that I received years ago from a friend. In my experience with the Poodle ears, I have to say this is the best ear cleaner I have come across! I have not had any "problem ears" since using this formula. It is very cheap to make and lasts a long time! You can get the ingredients at your local Drug Store....but they do not all carry the Gentian Violet Solution....I found mine at my local Rite Aid (or the Pharmacist will order it for me). The Gentian Violet was used years ago to treat thrush (yeast) in babies mouths....I remember using it for my oldest son who is now 27 yrs. old. Ear infections in a dog are usually caused by yeast so this ear recipe makes complete sense.

   "Blue Power Ear Treatment"

Ingredients:
16 oz. Isopropyl Alcohol (I use the 70%)
   4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%

  Mix together in alcohol bottle and shake well. You will need to shake solution every time you use it to disperse the Boric Acid Powder. To use, purchase the "Clairol" type plastic bottle to dispense solution to affected ears. (I use the bottle from the ear cleaning solution that I used before I received this great recipe).

Treatment: Evaluate condition of ears before treating and if very inflamed and sore do not attempt to pull hair or clean out the ear at all but just put the solution into the ears. Wait until the inflammation has subsided, which will be about 2 days, before wiping or plucking the ears.

Shake the bottle each time before using. flood the ear with solution (gently squirt bottle), massage gently to the count of 60, wipe with a tissue...or cotton.

Flood again on the first treatment, wipe with a tissue (or cotton) and leave alone without massage. The dog will shake the excess out which can be wiped up with a tissue, the Gentian Violet does stain fabric, so don't do this on carpet floor.

   The schedule of treatment as follows:

Treat 2x per day for the first week to two weeks, depending upon the severity of the ears. Treat 1x per day for the next 1-2 weeks. Treat 1x per month as a maintenance.

If your dog swims a lot, or spends a lot of time outside, you may need to use more often. It is a good idea to use the ear cleaner after your dog has been exposed to water, swimming, bath, etc.

Click the link below for a printable copy of the recipe

Blue Power Ear Treatment

slicker brush, metal tooth comb and dematting comb used for grooming doodles and poodles

Grooming Tips and Tools

Pictured above are the 3 tools that I use most often when brushing my Poodles and Doodles. On the left a slicker brush. I use this first to brush over the entire coat. Be careful not to brush too hard because you can do damage to the skin. 2nd I use a metal toothed comb (pictured in the middle). Be sure to comb down to the skin to keep the coat from forming mats. Pictured on the right is a dematting comb. This can be used to break up any mats found while combing through the coat. Be careful as this tool has actual blades that can cut you (been there, done that…LOL)….the thumb guard is a must have. A thorough weekly brushing is usually sufficient to keep the coat mat free.

Tips

1). There are some slicker brushes that are softer than others which will be less likely to cause damage to your dog’s skin.

2). From personal experience, I do not recommend using a metal comb that has rotating bristles.

3). Always brush/comb your dog and be sure he/she is free of mats BEFORE giving him/her a bath….this will save you a lot of grief later because mats will only get tighter to the skin when wet.

A bi weekly bath is recommended to keep your dog's coat clean and healthy. I recommend using conditioner as well.

4). Be sure to clean your dog’s ears on a regular basis to avoid ear infections! You should pluck any hair from within the ear canal as far as you can reach with your fingers. I do not recommend using tweezers or hemostats to remove hair from the ear canal because you may hurt the dog. There is an ear powder you can purchase at any pet supply store that makes it a lot easier to grip and pull out. Blue Power Ear Treatment is the best ear cleaner I have used and it is very cost effective. See recipe above. Be sure to put ear cleaner in your dog’s ears whenever they are in contact with water….swimming, after baths, etc. because water can get trapped in the ear and cause an infection. The most common ear infections are caused by yeast and can be taken care of with the Blue Power Ear Treatment. If your dogs ears are infected and it does not get better after using this ear cleaner, please consult with your Vet as it could be a bacterial infection that needs medical attention!!

5). It is easiest to clip a dog’s nails after a bath because the water softens them some……and don’t forget to trim the dew claws!

6). Poodles coats need to be cut about every 6-8 weeks. Doodle coats do not grow as fast as Poodle coats and usually only need to be cut a couple of times a year depending on how short you want their coat to be. But, you may need to trim around their eyes in between so they can see as well as a sanitary trim as necessary.

**The most common reason for a poodle/doodle to need to be shaved down the the skin is because people will "brush" over the top of their coat and think they are not matted. It is important to use a metal "comb" to get down to the skin if you want to keep your dog in a longer coat.** If you want less maintenance, then getting your dog shaved is fine, it is only hair and it will grow back!

While we try our best to send your puppy home parasite free, worms and parasites in puppies are common. This growth phase of their life is when they are most susceptible! Your puppy will have had a dewormer 2-3x prior to leaving my home. While they are usually free of parasites/worms at this point, they sometimes need more dewormer after they go home to you. Parasites and worms are opportunistic and can take advantage of a stressful event, such as going to a new home.

Deworming your dog is a lifetime commitment.
Dogs put everything in their mouth and may need deworming twice a year to eliminate the parasites they will pick up. If your dog is a big hunter, he/she will need more frequent deworming – you must assess the risk for your dog.

Your new puppy will be eating Iams Large Breed Puppy food while in my care. If you plan to change the brand of your puppy food, I will send home a gallon size bag to mix with the new food, please do it slowly over several days so as not to cause stomach upset. You can also add a tablespoon or so of canned pumpkin (plain, no spices) into the food and that helps regulate the stool. I recommend keeping canned pumpkin in your pantry, even when your pup is an adult, as it comes in handy!
In light of the new information coming out about grain free foods possibly contributing to heart disease in dogs (due to the lack of taurine in the diet/having legumes/peas/potatoes) I do not recommend putting your puppy/dog on a grain free food. If you would like some more information on this subject, to make your own informed decision, I will be more than happy to send it by email. I do believe that adding fresh, healthy people foods to your dogs diet is a good thing and do not believe there is any dry kibble that is healthy if the only source of food for your dog. There are some people foods that are toxic to pets and you can see a list of foods to avoid at the top of this page.

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”
― Roger A. Caras