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Hello, Our 80 pound dog tore a ligament in his back leg. The vet says the only way he will ever be able to use the leg again is with surgery. She said that if we don't do the surgery, he will be in chronic pain. We love our dog very much and want the best for him. Has anyone had this happen and used alternative remedies to help the situation?
Torn Ligament: I have the same problem with a 5 yr old Mastiff, torn ligament in rear leg at knee. Vet says best to put him down, claims it will never heal without surgery. Says the dog is too heavy for him to heal and only way is surgery which he told is $4,000. -5,000. Which cannot afford. Have you heard from anyone or does anyone have any suggestions how we can heal this. He is being crated right now, and only activity is going out on a leash for potty. thks.
Here's one we've been using for years. Cheap and usually effective! Soak oatmeal in enough water to make a paste. Probably slightly less than a 50/50 mixture. Spread the paste on problem areas such as heat spots and small cuts, or irritated skin. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, or as long as your dog will let you. Rinse off, but don't scrub! Use water only to rinse, no washcloth or anything. PAT dry. Repeat several times every day until healed. Completely safe if your pet licks it afterward. If you're lucky enough to have a pet that doesn't lick at it - try dabbing straight aloe vera on it as well, afterward.
For anyone who wants to know why it works; oatmeal contains the chemicals avenanthramides and phenols... which are supposed to soothe skin.
A friend told me about this. A horse rammed a stick into its chest, it's owner removed the crust off of a piece of white bread and soaked it in milk and used it as a poultice, re-doing it every day. It took 3 months to draw the stick out and the horse recovered! Tonzzi
Posted by Elizabeth (Portland, Oregon, Usa) on 06/08/2010 ★☆☆☆☆
I have an 8 1/2 year old alapah bull dog/terrier mix. Every year for the past 5 years he's devloped itchy open sores that become infected quickly. Durring this past week he went from not unusually itchy to having the worst open sore yet. This happened upon our return from Southern Oregon where it is terribly flea and tick infested, I checked him over for ticks several times finding none, and bathed him before coming home.
I discovered the sore the day after I got home when I had seen a small amout of blood and poured some 3% peroxide over it. I realized It was larger and he protested like crazy. I shaved the wound and around it, 7 days ago, he has not withstood even washing it with plain water (either cool or luke warm). He will not let me cut the hair back anymore at all. He has only barely tolerated (due to intoxication from marijuana oil in his food today) a pack made of a piece of clean linen with dried goldenseal sprinkled sprinked (maybe 1/8 teaspoon) topped off with 1/4 to 1/2 cups of raw russet grated potatoe. It looks a little better, but even intoxicated he won't stand for it to be placed more than 1/4 of wound at any time or in one setting.
I have tried plain water rinsing, a cool calendula tea rinse,thick cool oatmeal tea rinse, neosporin, and silversulfadiazine. But he just goes nuts and finds a way to rub off what ever I applied, or he has bulldozed his way out of the bath tub (he has never done this before) He has always had a high pain tolerance. And has never not let me do what ever I want to him, (except once after a fight where he got tore up quiet severely). But everything I have tried he acts like I am applying a flesh eating acid or something to the like to his sore.
It is now about 3 1/2 inches in diamiter, and seems to be growing maybe a quarter to a half in a day, with or with out him scratching at. It smells. It drains puss and blood almost continually,It's location is on the back of his neck over the left shoulder.The location prevents me from putting any kind of collar to allow me to cover his back toe nail to prevent him from scrating it any more.
I mostly feed him a homemade food comprising of approxametly 30% muscle meat,30% grain (usually oats, sometimes rice), 20% dark green or orange vegables,10% organ meat, 5% bran, 5% onoins, galic, cayenne pepper, or things like that. That in combitation with some of what ever I eat. He also suppliments his diet with what ever dry food my brother's dog is being feed at the time, when, for instance, I get ill (was outsleeping with flu for 4 days this week)
Please What can I do to give him some kind of relief now, and help him heal long term? What other information can I offer to help you help me help him. Thank You
Posted by Rainman (Central, Vt, Usa) on 06/10/2010
First of all.. .onions are known to be toxic to dogs. I think cooked onions are safer. But, your dog doesn't need them, I would eliminate them all together. Grains are another thing a dog does not need and tends to cause more problems (digestion and allergies). I would feed RAW 75% muscle meat, 10% meaty bones, 10% organ meat and if you are dead set on feeding vegetables.. then add them in as the remaining 5%. As it stands now... your dog is missing a big fundamental portion of the required diet: Bioavailable CALCIUM/Phosphorous. Not to mention all of the mineral goodies in Marrow. It's the best thing for their teeth and gum health too.
To the actual reason for posting... and without seeing a picture of it... sounds like your dog is suffering from a staph infection. I would start seeking help asap.
Posted by Jane (Pasadena, California) on 06/10/2010
Hi, this sounds to me like a serious staph infection. I would take your dog to a vet as soon as possible. Don't mess around with home remedies at this point as they may make the condition even worse or spread. I had a dog with a small hot spot that turned into a staph infection. The only thing that worked was antibiotics and ointments from the vet. Don't wait on this, trust me!
Posted by Merryanne (Orange City, Florida, Usa) on 06/09/2010 113 posts
If he is drinking,,boil some chicken and let him drink that broth,,just give him the meat juice and water to flush his system,,check his food for soy bean contamination
I have a question on the kerosene and linseed oil? I have a goat who was attacked by dogs and now she is in the house due to half her back thighs missing most of the meatty area. She acts as though nothing is wrong with her so I am continuing treatment which has been sugar and iodine mixed. I have been packing it and trying to wrap it. But am trying to find a better way as the sugar just melts and it is just about in possible to bandage the area.Will this mixture help with this severe of a wound and will it fill back in after time. I run a rescue and I have a ton of animals. Would this work on any animal? For wounds etc.??
Posted by Mansij (Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh) on 09/14/2011
Hey Trixie...
We Did Use Kerosene oil on our dog's wound.....
And I have no idea how our little nino is feeling right now... The wound got wayy badd in just a matter of days... Im gonna use both Kerosene oil and Linseed oil tomorrow... I hope it works... I just want him to recover.... Hes in PAIN... and is very tired .
Me and my Parents are praying that he gets well ... because we love him a lot... And hes just a kid... Pls Reply ASAP if you have any Further Suggestions... Thank You!
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
While kerosene, linseed oil and turpentine can be an excellent wound remedy, I would hesitate to use it on cats because cats lack a liver enzyme that helps them break down certain compounds and flush them out of their system; this in turn can lead to liver failure.
Can you capture this cat and get her to a rescue scheme? Even if you captured her and held her inside your home in a cage, you could treat her wound and allow it to heal to the point where you could release her again.
The maggots, while gross, do serve a critical role in eating the dead flesh in her wound, but being pestered by a constant flurry of biting flies cannot be helping :-(
Has anyone had an experience with blisters on their dogs muzzle area? They are all around the area he eats. My daughter said it may be from the plastic bowls that I feed him in. They look painful and he is very depressed. Some have blood in them and are big. Thank you for any help you can give. I will try alternative before going to the vet.
Posted by Gabriele (Limestone, Maine) on 10/10/2008 ★★★★★
For many years I have been using a weed which can be found anywhere in your back yard, or in fields -to heal sores, cuts, and small wounds. It's called ribwort plaintain, snakeweed or soldiers weed. I used it in Germany, my home country. Years ago, when I moved to the states, an old Indian pointed it out to me as the number one healing plant. 2 weeks ago I adopted a dog who had been spending 3 month in a clinic to heal him of his life threatening injuries. His owner had left him 7 days hanging in a barb wire fence, and then decided to shoot him. A neighbor rescued him, but by that time he already had gangrene. Anyway, Casper, the white shepherd, came via airplane from WI to ME. I was shocked when I saw the wound on his belly. The size of 2 hands, still totally raw, but with 3 skincrafts the size of a quarter in it. From day one, I picked ribwort leafs and made a compress every night for Casper. Very hard to do because it is on his belly, and I have to use ace bandages to keep it in place. My vet who really is not much into natural remedies, is now convinced that this plant is what's healing the wound very fast. Within 2 weeks it closed from the 2-hand-size to 1/3rd the size! She said yesterday to me: I wish we could put these leafes into his brain to cure him of being terrified of people. There is quite a bit on info on the internet; check it out- it will help you or your pet. Of course I use only leafs from my back yard which I know have not been sprayed with any poison.
Posted by Gabriele (Limestone, Maine) on 10/11/2008
Hello, ribwort plaintain is safe for any living creature. You would not believe how fast it heals. It's also called soldiers weed- from what I have read in the civil war soldiers used it to treat their wounds. Also attached are two photos of my dogs' wound. Picture 001 is from 1 week ago, the 2nd one is from 2 days ago. All the pink skin is new, and grew within these past 2 weeks. When I adopted Casper 2 weeks ago it was solidly red, and raw, with 3 small skin crafts, the pink ones on the upper edge. My vet see's Casper once a week, the rest of the time I wash the wound and put the cream on it myself. Anyway, when she saw Casper this week, she said: Oh my God! scared me, and I asked, what's wrong Terry? She answered: "It's a good 'oh my god' -- I can't believe how fast it's healing."
About Elissa's horse -- with theses leaves I am positive he would heal. Let me know please. Gabriele
I have a rabbit that has a huge infection around it's middle. I have the infection drained mostly, but wondered if this ribwort plant would be usefull in the healing of the wound. It says in your log that you had a pup with gangreen and used it to help heal the poor dogs wound. My question is was the gangreen still present when you started using the ribwort? and What did you do to make the compress? Please let me know. Good luck to you and your pup.
If you look up under pets and wounds you will find the remedy of ribwort plantain for more info.
pets-wounds-ribwort plantain
Update: I recently had a rabbit with huge swelling of his front leg and have been trying the ribwort plantain. All I found at the health food store was some caplets so I bought them. I took them home and on the first occasion I opened the caplets & made a paste and applied to the wounded area and applied bandaged.
Of course the rabbit took the bandage off and the next day when I looked at the wound the plantain paste was caked on the wound. Since I wanted to keep the wound clean I tried another idea.
This time I made a paste placed the paste in the center of a piece of fabric and tied it off with a rubber band. Now when I treat the wound I dip the fabric in some bottled water and squish the juice from the fabric on the wound. I usually do this and wait until it kinda dries then reapply a few more times.
My rabbit is also being given antibiotics (which I never had much luck with) baby asprin (for fever and pain) and flushing out the infection every couple of days.
When my babies get sick I will try anything and everything.
Posted by Sandy (North East, Tx, Usa) on 06/13/2012
If anyones still on this site, please where about can I find Ribwort, Soldiers Weed or Snakeweed. I live in Dallas Texas. My dog Iris, part blue heeler part beagle, had a syliva duct blocked and it swelled and blew out of her throat. Her throat needs help healing and I come up with marajuana when I do searching on the internet. Why is it when you need something you can never find it?
Posted by Nh Gardener (Sanbornton, Nh, Usa) on 06/18/2012
For Sandy from TX re. Dog Iris--Please try giving her food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) in her dampened food, starting with 1 tsp. Once a day, increasing gradually to rounded or heaping tsp. 2 X/day. It helps in decreasing inflammation, absorbs and eliminates toxins from the body. Check internet for places to buy it. One site esp. has great human and pet testimonials. It's worth a try; good luck.
Posted by Sandy (North East, Tx, USA) on 06/24/2012
Thank You Nh Gardener from Sanbornton, Nh, Usa for replying. Thankfully she has healed up to a small scabbed over hole. Since there is a chance of her siliva gland doing this again I am copying your note just incase. Thank You! And I am going to look for the DE.
Posted by Samarra (Pacific Nw, Washington) on 06/23/2015 1 posts
My 1 yr old King Shepherd Dog has oozing and a red patch on his testicles (scrotum). I don't see anything that might have caused it. Although it's possible a deer or horse fly got him. I did read here that some people recommend giving 1-2 tsp of turmeric with the dog's food; and another recommended putting sugar on the wound. Does anyone have any specifics on either turmeric for internal or external use &/or sugar for external use? How much of either or both and what goes with it? How long does it take to see results? I live almost an hour way from a vet so any help or info you could give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
If this were my dog I would bathe him and pay extra attention to the wounded area, making sure it was cleaned and debrided of scabs or crusty tissue. Then I would apply an over the counter wound cream or ointment, such as a triple-antibiotic from the drugstore. You may have to apply twice a day - making sure the wound is thoroughly cleaned before each application of the antibiotic ointment. Do this first and keep an eye on the wound. You can still do the turmeric in the food, but for sure clean the wound and put a top dressing on it.
Please, if your pet has skin issues that are oozing, red, inflamed, infected, etc., etc., PLEASE GET THEM TO THE VET!! If these skin issues are this bad it means an infection! Really needs to be healed first with antibiotics from your vet. Then AFTER they are healed with antibiotics, you can then try some of the recommended preventative treatments.
NOTE: if you can't afford your vet, ask your vet if he/she take CareCredit. Most vets do nowadays. It's an interest-free loan good for up to 6-months term.
Hello, my cat has a wound on the knee of the hind leg n it's pain makes me cry .would u like to tell me if we can use sugar for every sort of cat's wounds n what is the process of pouring. Reply plz :'(
This remedy combo was passed on to Earth Clinic from Jane of Los Angeles (a friend's friend). Her dog had surgery to remove a cyst from a spider bite (they think) and the area with stitches was not healing after 1 week.
Remedy:
1. Brew green tea. Let cool. Put some on a cotton ball and wipe off the wound area. Let dry.
2. Put on a thin layer of calendula gel or cream. Do this twice a day.
3. Get silicea 30c. Put 5 little pellets in a juice glass. Add a little distilled water. Stir vigorously for 30 secs. Won't dissolve pellets. Take a teaspoon of the liquid and give it to the dog orally on an empty stomach. Best time to give it -- distilled water with dinner. An hour later give the silicea and take up food bowl so they don't eat after taking the silicea.
Do the silicea remedy just once. Should see the wound close up in a day or two.
My kitty has a hole on his upper left chest area by the leg... It's like bb size and puffy around the area... A lite colored fluid is leaking out of it... No blood.. Was wondering how to make colloidal silver and if you think this would help him... Thanks so much, amanda
Posted by Joanna (Glendale, AZ) on 02/19/2007 ★★★★★
Jack, my beagle mix, had some bug bites(fur was sticking up) on his head last week and itched them to an open sore. I found this site, read up upon ACV and within 2 days his sores and bites went completely away. Now he has a little scab on it. I was just amazed how this remedy worked. Now I'm trying it on my beagle/dach. mix, Bailey. She's gets these ear rashes/infections often, I'm hoping ACV will work miracles for her too. Thanks again!!
Same thing happened to my goat. I went to the feed store and bought Penicillin and syringes too. Everyday my husband had to push pus out of his wounds but he made it through...
i got 3 cats and one of them gets hurt more often then the others, i always tried olive oil for my burns and scraches so i thought i would try it out on my cat and it did work always. i also have teeid turmeric (root based herb from india) with olive oil mixed and applied on the injury. It takes some time but it cures very well.
Posted by Candice (Victorville, CA) on 11/12/2006 ★★★★★
Hello. I have 10 cats and 3 dogs and at least one of them, are always getting hurt some how. Anyways everytime I use to take my dogs or cats to the doctor for wounds or stitching, he would always tell me to clean it with Hydrogen peroxide. I would just soak a qtip in hydrogen peroxide and then clean the wound. A couple of times the wound, would be so bad that he (the vet) would have to put a dranage tube in, he would then tell me to use a syringe (not the needle ones) filled with peroxide to flush it all out, 3x a day. The dogs really DID NOT like this, but it worked nontheless. I have also used it on stitches and then applied neosporin. My pets would try and lick of the wound even though the peroxide was on it, so I did use an Elizabethan (E-collar) on them but even when they were able to lick it off, they never got sick. Just dont let them lick it continually as this may upset there stomache amongst other things. I just believe that hydrogen peroxide works for animals as it does for people. Good luck! I am not sure if you already have this method on your cures list for pets, but I tried it and it worked. Thanks!
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