Home Remedies and First Aid for Your Weimaraner

With over 20 years in the breed, and after caring for a lot of Weimaraners, my home remedy arsenal has become pretty extensive!

There are lots of lists like this on the internet, but this one is Weimaraner-specific. Meaning, that a lot of the stuff is here because of the trouble Weims get into!!

I’ve also shared things that will save you money or save you and your Weim an unnecessary trip to the vet.

That said, I am not a veterinarian, and just because I have had success with many of these home remedies for Weimaraners, does not mean that you or your dog will. (In other words, I am not responsible for your taking medical or veterinary advice from the internet!!)

Stuff to Keep in Your Pantry

Blue Power Treatment for Dog Ears

This is one of those old school remedies for ear infections that has been handed down for decades, and I’m not sure anyone knows who gets the credit for it. But it works like a charm and is uber cheap to make to build your own dog first aid kit.

Ingredients are:
– 16 oz Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
– 6 oz Boric acid powder
– 16 drops Gentian Violet solution

I also like it because it’s made of just three safe ingredients. Gentian Violet is an anti-fungal and is used for human babies with thrush (fungal infection in the mouth) so is pretty safe! Boric acid and alcohol help keep things dry.

The big downside to this is that it is super messy and stains! I just use it outside.

You can also try boric acid and vinegar, or even a 50/50 water/vinegar solution. The acidic pH in the ear from vinegar should help with minor ear infections.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics should be prescribed by a vet, but I do keep some over the counter antibiotics handy for emergency situations, especially out in the field.

Antibiotics should be given for its full course (7-12 days) even if your Weim starts looking better after a few days.

Aqua-Flex or Fish-Flex is Cephalexin labeled for fish but often used off-label for dogs. Cephalexin is effective for bite wounds and skin infections, so skin problems from allergies and itching is one of the ways it’s most often used. As one of the best home remedies for Weimaraners who may have skin infections, the dosage is 15 mg per pound of body weight every 8-12 hours.

This isn’t a home remedy per se, but when I am out in the field (i.e., in remote locations) I like to keep vet-prescribed Clavamox around. This is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, meaning it works on lots of different bacteria. This isn’t something you can just buy without a prescription and you will have to work closely with your vet in order to get it.

Flagyl or Metronidazole

This is an antibiotic and anti-protozoa medication that is often prescribed by vets for diarrhea problems and IBD. It’s also the go-to medication for giardia. My Weims have picked up giardia in the field so this is a go-to in my Weimaraners’ first aid kit when.

Fish-Zole is Metronidazole labeled for fish but can be used for dogs with caution. Metronidazole is quite effective but side effects can include neurotoxicity especially after long term use. Pregnant dogs and puppies should not be given metronidazole. The usual dosage is 7.5 mg per kg (2.2 pounds) of body weight twice a day for IBD and 15 mg per kg (2.2 pounds) for bacterial or protozoal infections.

Diatomaceous Earth

DE looks like flour, and it kills bugs, like fleas and worms, mechanically when the insects come in contact with it. DE is made out of crushed fossils from the ocean and if you look at it through a microscope, it looks like broken glass. These shards cut through insects’ exoskeletons which dehydrates them and then kills them. The best part is that DE is known to be effective and safe for you and your dogs.

Simply sprinkle food grade DE (NOT the pool stuff!) on your rugs, your dog beds and anywhere else you may have fleas, including ON your dog, just don’t breathe the stuff in!

You and your Weim can also ingest DE, and it’s actually used in commercial agriculture for grains and animal feed. It is non-toxic and keeps the bugs out of grain storage, and keeps food dry and mold-free as well.

For dogs, feeding DE means that you can worm them naturally. Give your puppies under 50 pounds 1 teaspoon daily and dogs over 50 pounds 1 tablespoon daily. You should treat for 30-60 days so you can catch the lifecycle of any parasites, and then take a fecal into your vet to check.

De-Skunking Solution

If you haven’t already had this experience with your Weim, well, let’s just say you are due. Or overdue. You probably already have baking soda, peroxide and dish soap (Most people prefer Dawn due to its effectiveness on oils.) on hand. These three ingredients just need to be mixed together to bathe your dog.

This classic home remedy is effective, although many people use Oxyclean to dab the oily scent off their dog’s coat and then bathe. It may also take several baths to get the stink out. And as for the collar, you may have to throw it away!

Antihistamines

Antihistamines like Benadryl can be a life saver so I like to keep a generic antihistamine on hand. Diphenhydramine is the generic of Benadryl; Chlorpheniramine is the generic of Chlor-Trimeton; Loratadine is the generic of Claritin.

Antihistamines are most commonly used for allergic reactions, from insect or snake bites or from vaccines — or from food or irritants in the environment. You should therefore add them to your list to build your own dog first aid kit.

And, let’s not forget the nice little side effect which can be very useful at times. Antihistamines cause drowsiness, and some people use it when fireworks are going off outside or to otherwise calm their dogs. The dosage is 1 mg per pound of body weight.

Gas-X and Bloat Kit

Gas can be a nuisance or it can actually be very dangerous when it’s a precursor to bloat. The fancy name for bloat is Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus where the stomach fills up with gas and then can twist. Bloat is always an emergency and Weimaraners are predisposed to this condition.

Gas-X is safe to use as a home remedy for your Weimaraner to ease flatulence, and you can use up to the adult human dose. Do not use this regularly; if your Weim is gassy all the time, you need to examine the cause of the problem. In most cases, you are going to be looking at changing his food.

Now, if you don’t live close to a 24 hour emergency clinic, I would highly recommend keeping a bloat kit at home. These bloat kits are sold by a veterinarian (and Weim owner)!

Chicken Broth and…

Rice – Chicken broth and rice is great for short term gastric upset. Keep it low sodium, low fat!

Metamucil – Did your Weim ingest something sharp? You know, like steel wool?! (This really happened to me!) Mix about 1-2 tablespoons Metamucil with chicken broth to make a gelatinous “blob” which your Weim should inhale. Warning: Do not overdo this! Too much may cause a blockage instead. You also want to be sure your Weim has constant access to your yard. My steel wool story? What went in came right out — and the steel wool was wrapped in the glob. Hooray!

All Natural Cotton Balls – You can use cotton balls instead of Metamucil. Soak cotton balls in chicken broth. You need to use the cotton kind, not synthetic. The fibers will wrap around the sharp edges. Again don’t give your dog too many as it could potentially cause a blockage instead.

The requisite warnings on this topic!: Some things that are accidentally ingested within the past 2 hours such as antifreeze, human medications, toxic human foods, etc., will require that you induce vomiting! Please call Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435; 24/7) or your emergency veterinarian for instructions if you are not sure what to do!

Hydrogen Peroxide

This is one of the best home remedies to keep on hand for your Weimaraner. You already have this in your pantry for any middle of the night skunking incident! It has another great purpose. It’s also good for inducing vomiting. Let’s put it simply. Weims get into stuff. If you know what your Weim ingested and it is safe to induce vomiting, then hydrogen peroxide will do the trick.

Using a turkey baster, give your dog 1 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of body weight). Check with ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control to be sure; NOT everything that goes down should come back up!

First Aid and Emergency Care

Unfortunately, most of us experience emergencies with our pets, and while they may not always be life threatening, oftentimes, emergencies happen at home, at night, and otherwise test our ability to deal with stressful situations that may require quick action. Nothing replaces being prepared!

Please bookmark this online emergency preparedness reference from VIN. It covers emergency situations such as snake bites, impalement, near-drownings and other things you hope you never have to deal with: First Aid and Emergency Care, by Roger W. Gfeller, DVM, DipACVECC, Michael W. Thomas, DVM, and Isaac Mayo.

Documentation and Paperwork

Put your veterinarian, closest emergency vet clinic and Animal Poison Control phone numbers in your phone’s contact list. You don’t want to be looking for these things when you are panicked!

Keep two sets of your Weim’s paperwork. One set should be in a plastic bag in your first aid kit. This should include rabies vaccination information and other important medical records, as well as microchip information.

Weimaraner First Aid Kit

First aid kits are available to purchase as a complete kit, or you can create your own. Of course it’s easier to purchase a ready-made one, but it is a good idea to take the time to make your own. For one thing, you will save some money. But mostly this exercise will force you to think about the potentially dangerous situations that you might have to deal with!

Make Your Own Dog First Aid Kit

Everything listed below is grouped together here! Just click “add to cart” and you’re done!

• Pet First Aid Book
• Phone numbers: Your vet, closest emergency vet, Animal Poison Control
• Paperwork for your Weimaraner in plastic bag: rabies vaccination certificate, copies of other important medical records and a current photo
• Supply of current medications
• Vet-prescribed: pain relief (NSAID), acepromazine, high potency antihistamine
• Temporary ID tag
• Nylon leash – Most vet clinics will give you one
• Muzzle or pantyhose to make one with
• Emergency blanket
• Absorbent gauze pads
• Vet wrap
• Adhesive medical tape
• Cotton balls
• Disposable gloves
• Ice pack
• Penlight or flashlight
• Magnifying glass
• Blunt ended scissors
• Hemostats
• Syringe
• Splints or Tongue depressors
• Slanted tweezers
• Nail clippers
• Rectal thermometer
• Petroleum jelly
• Wound spray
• Bentadine or Chlorohexine solution
• Activated charcoal
• Cortisone spray
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• Rubbing alcohol
• Sterile saline solution
• Diphenhydramine (Benedryl)
• Gas-X tablets
• Styptic powder
• Bach’s Rescue Remedy
• Unflavored Pedialyte
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Karo syrup

[Disclaimer: Information on this site is not to be used as a substitute for consultation with professional persons such as veterinarians, dog trainers or animal behaviorists. JustWeimaraners is not responsible for any damages, whether direct or indirect, resulting from any action taken by you due to advice taken from this site or purchases made from this site.]

About Anne Taguchi

Surviving life with Weims!

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