The best thing to do when a pet is in pain is to call a vet. Sometimes this is not reliable since some causes of pain are best solved by the owner since they have unconditional love for the animal and are in touch with their daily problems. If a pet seems to have trouble walking around perhaps due to sore legs or hips, you should make arrangements for it to walk less and not to be disturbed. Some people give pets human medications which are not totally safe. However, for short term care, a NSAID such as Aspirin of Advil can be safe for your adult pet. Puppies and cats of all ages should never be given human medications as even a small dose can be lethal. In adult dogs, continued use of NSAIDs can cause stomach ulcers and an inflammation or an overdose can cause kidney failure. For longer term pain relief, consider giving the dog fishoil which has shown a range of positive effects from improvement of the dog's coat to helping with kidney diseases. If you want to treat your dog without human or vet drugs, a great alternative is Assisi Loop, a light portable 7.5 inch loop of wire. Simply place it where the animal is sore and press the on button. A light will flash indicating treatment is being administered.
This thread reminds me of my first dog Jedi who was afflicted with renal disease when she was 10. The vet said that the only solution is euthanasia because the kidney had already given up. Her tummy was getting bigger maybe because she could not urinate. I hate to think of mercy-killing but on the last day of her life, I couldn't bear to see her suffering - gasping for breath with teary eyes. The suffering was clearly evident in her looks so I summoned the vet for the lethal injection. That was May 19, 2007.
We should really have the vet check our pets every month to avoid any kinds of illnesses or to spot one that's already developing. I don't think I can bear it if my Clio has to be put down because of an incurable disease. I sometimes don't have much money but when I do, I bring her over just to be safe. If vets are not available, sometimes it's up to us to make a research on certain natural remedies we can provide for them and how to use them properly. Right now, I'm looking up aloe vera as a possible itch relief remedy for her. The gel is safe to use but I must be careful that the sap is not ingested.
