Using Raw Honey As A Topical Antibiotic

Posted on: September 13, 2017 by: DougB

The use of honey as a topical antibiotic has a long history. In fact, it is considered one of the oldest known wound dressings. Honey was used by the ancient Greek physician Dioscorides in 50 A.D. for sunburn and infected wounds. He described honey as being “good for all rotten and hollow ulcers” [1]. Honey’s healing properties are mentioned in the Bible (Prov 24:13), Quran (16.68-69), and Torah.

Wounds infected with Pseudomonas, not responding to other treatment, have been rapidly cleared of infection using honey as a topical antibiotic, allowing successful skin grafting [4], [5].

Honey as a Topical Antibiotic?

Some of the compounds in honey kill certain bacteria and fungus. This is why honey is the one natural foodstuff that won’t spoil. No one knows how the bees do that, but we know it works. When applied to the skin, honey also serves as a barrier to moisture and keeps raw skin from sticking to dressings. Honey also provides nutrients that speed healing.

Buddy Beagle says “Life Is Better With a Donut”

Posted on: September 8, 2017 by: Doug Comments: 1 Comment

Cochise, on donut collars — Cochise tells the tale

Everyone likes eating a donut, but have you ever tried wearing one? When Buddy Beagle came here, he was wearing one of those lampshade cone e-collars. That was to keep him from licking or chewing at his many wounds, and it did its job admirably. But it did make life cumbersome.

While he was in intensive care at Cedarwood Animal Hospital, the cone was a bother, but he wasn’t involved in as much activity as he is allowed here, so it was fine.

Why a Cone is Bad

He hated the cone and he let the Peoples know about it.

Giving People Medicine to Your Dog

Posted on: July 7, 2017 by: DougB

If your dog has mild allergies, you can treat them with over the counter medications intended for humans (people medicine) and avoid the risks and cost of prescription drugs like Prednisone.

Benedryl uses and dose diphenhydramine — Click to enlarge

There are a number of reasons you might want to give your dog Benedryl (diphenhydramine – also available in many generic brands). Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, so it helps in relieving itching from contact allergies or bug bites or stings. It can be used to reduce swelling and pain from a snake bite. It will calm a hyperactive dog or reduce “terrors” during fireworks or thunderstorms.

The usual dosage of Diphenhydramine for dogs is 1 mg per pound of dog every 8 to 12 hours (two to three times daily), but a single dose can be doubled to 2mg/lb if needed in an emergency such as a snake bite. This suggested dose is for formulations containing the active ingredient diphenhydramine only — NO Tylenol. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is poisonous to dogs. Overdosing on diphenhydramine for an extended period can be lethal, but there is a wide margin of safety.

If you need something stronger, Cetirizine (Zyrtec) and Loratadine (Claratin) are also safe for canine use and available in affordable generic forms.

Intensive Care for Cheyanne

Posted on: January 23, 2014 by: Doug Comments: 2 Comments

Today Cheyanne went in for her final step in the medication for heart worm treatment: the second injection deep into her back muscles. The vet tech tells me that these injections are not very painful, so the dog is not sedated for each procedure, but the aftermath is. Cheyanne is in enough pain now that they sent some medication for that as well. Not all dogs require that, but Cheyanne is “delicate”. She’s more sensitive to cold than the rest as well.

It’s cold today: 12° this morning, 22° as a high. After spending the day in the intensive care room at the shelter for her procedure and observation, I put her in an old Tee shirt when she came home and needed some leg stretching time. She seemed to appreciate that. She appreciated getting the breakfast she was deprived of this morning even more.

She seemed dazed and disoriented. She spent a long time just sitting on the boardwalk. It is not at all like her to be so still. When I called her to come inside where it’s warm, she turned and went to her dog house instead. “It’s too cold for that sweetie.” I had to carry her inside. I put an extra blanket in her crate for added cushioning on her sore little body. She curled up and went to sleep.

Marie and I decided it would be best to put Cheyanne into intensive care for a couple of days to be sure she was OK. Blondie and Cochise agreed and gave permission for her to sleep in their house for a couple of nights.

Heartworm Treatment Begins for Cochise

Posted on: September 20, 2012 by: Doug Comments: 4 Comments

Cochise dogs sick heartworm treatment foster dog program Hello again, Cochise here. You may recall that HairyFace & NiceLady are fostering me while I undergo heartworm treatment. We’ve spent the past month and a half preparing for me to receive these treatments. It has been quite an adjustment for me as I learned to live a civilized life and for them as they prepare to care for me while I undergo the heartworm treatment. I understand it can be rough.

Accommodations

When I arrived here, I started out staying exclusively in the Guest Quarters my People set up for foster dogs: a 10×10 chain-link pen with a cabin style dog house. But I managed to wheedle my way into their hearts and they decided to let me come inside the house with them; on occasion. Because I’m so adorable, these occasional indoor visits have turned into full time. I have one room of my own (they call it a crate) in the house and one in HairyFace’s office. This is partly because it has been so hot, they felt it would be bad for me to be left out in the heat while I’m so sick to start with. And partly because I’m very good at making a pitiful, “I’m seeick” face (see above) that just melts their hearts.

The Rescuing of Cochise: An American Bulldog’s Tale

Posted on: September 13, 2012 by: Doug Comments: 4 Comments

American Bulldog, Cochise, dog fostering

Hello, my name is Cochise. I am an American Bulldog. Well, mostly American Bulldog; I’m not a purebred, but close enough as long as a certificate isn’t important to you. I was picked up by the County Animal Control officer because I was living free and easy on the streets of Newport Tennessee. I had a home once, but… well… maybe I’ll tell you about that another time. For now I want to tell you how a couple of good people rescued me from certain death.

See, when I was brought into the local animal shelter I tested positive for heart worms, that made me ineligible for the national Rolling Rescue program, which would have allowed me to be adopted somewhere that good pets are not so plentiful, and the prospect of local adoption was getting slimmer by the day. The shelter cannot keep dogs forever. I was on death row – with just days to go before it was my turn to take the one-way walk.