Dog Attack! What you Need in a Natural First Aid Kit
By Sally Shultis, naturopathic practitioner
This article was first published in the May 2009 issue of Fusion.
* * * * * *
This month’s lesson: be prepared, because disaster of the furry friend variety always strikes on a weekend after your veterinarian has gone home!
My daughter, Leigh, and I decided to take our dogs on a pack walk on a Sunday afternoon. She took Bonnie and Clyde, our Doberman puppies, and I was behind her with Bruno, Daisy, and Penny, three adult mixes. We do this several times a week. (Cesar Milan would be proud!)
Unfortunately, this day’s walk turned out to be much different. As we were passing our neighbor’s house, his black lab (a new dog to the neighborhood) came from behind the house, flew across the road, and attacked us. He landed on Penny, a 13-year-old Australian Shepard, first. He then attacked Daisy, a Lab/Pit Bull mix. The attacking dog turned to bite Leigh when the neighbors, who had been standing by watching the event unfold, finally called him off.
This attack was the perfect example of a red zone dog, a dog that attacks violently with little or no provocation. After talking to several vets and reading Cesar Milan’s book, I found out that Labrador retrievers, or “labs,” can be some of the most dangerous dogs. They are number six on the dog bite list! However, I know that it is not the breed, it is the dog and his owner that make for a dangerous animal. I have two Dobermans, one Australian Shepherd, one Pit Bull mix, and a Border Collie/German Shepherd mix. Many consider these “dangerous” breeds but ironically, it was the Lab that attacked my “dangerous” pack
I digress, so back to the point of this article. After the dust settled, I realized that I had two injured dogs on my hands and it was Sunday. I checked their injuries and decided they were not immediately life-threatening so we headed home, dripping blood all the way. This is where an emergency oil kit comes in handy. Whether you make the choice to head to the emergency room or wait until your vet opens, Young Living essential oils can help!
Here’s what I have in my emergency oil kit, which I use for both humans and animals:
¨ To calm Penny and Daisy, I administered lavender. I let them sniff it first, and then I put a few drops on the top of their heads.
¨ Next I needed to get the bleeding stopped so I applied helichrysum a few drops at a time, giving it a chance to work, until the bleeding stopped.
¨ I then applied Thieves because it is highly antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-infectious.
¨ I finished up with Palo Santo. I have used this oil on my family when they have gotten cuts and puncture wounds. We have found that it relieves pain and helps the wound to heal quickly.
There are other oils you can use but these are my favorites. I also keep Di-Gize, Purification, Valerian, and Animal Scents ointment in my emergency kit.
Here’s a quick list of oils I keep close by. I include an instruction sheet for my family, in case I am not there to assist, and list several oils so we know of a substitute if we run out of an oil. A carrying case is a good way to keep these instructions and oils in one place, and various sizes are available through Young Living. Remember this is my list of favorites; others may have different oils they like:
¨ Calming – Lavender, Tranquility roll-on
¨ Burns – Lavender (can be applied directly to burn), or Lavaderm spray
¨ Bleeding – Helichrysum
¨ Wound Cleansing – Purification (This blend also repels ticks and mites. I have found it works with fleas, too). Idaho Tansy washes and cleanses wounds.
¨ Antiseptic – Thieves (This blend also promotes tissue regeneration and works well on proud flesh).
¨ Healing – Palo Santo, Idaho Tansy, Roman Chamomile
¨ Anti-Inflammatory/Pain Reliever – OrthoEase
¨ Colic – Di-Gize (As a horse owner, I am never without this blend).
¨ Stomach Upset/Diarrhea – Peppermint
¨ Pain Control – Vetiver, Palo Santo, OrthoEase, Deep Relief roll-on, Pan Away (Do not apply the last two to open wounds as they will sting).
In some situations there are feelings of fear involved. After the attack, I was fearful of walking past the neighbor’s house and I sense a little apprehension from the dogs. The best thing to do for yourself and your pets is to “walk through those fears.” If you need a little help, you can use Valor or Trauma Life. When one is trying to get past a difficult time these two oils can help tremendously.
After treating my animals, I determined that they would be able to wait until the morning to see their vet. They are both healing well and my husband and I have resumed our pack walks again.
Ref: Essential Oils Desk Reference, Essential Science Publishing
* * * * * *
Also in the May 2009 issue of Fusion:
Making the Move to Natural Skin Care
home