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Sick Dog Care Nursing. Information on caring for a sick dog. Diet, nursing and care.
Sick Dog Care and Diet
Absolute cleanliness, an unfailing supply of fresh air, a suitable temperature, plenty of fresh water, general comfort, and last but not least, companionship is needed by a sick dog. Locking a dog in a dark- ened room or stall, or any unaccustomed change, will work havoc with a sick dog. He wants to see his master, he relies upon his companionship, and he tuFhs to him as if to a god, with a sublime confidence in his master's ability to help him in his difficulty. A word of approbation is worth more to his nervous system than drugs, and he will frequently eat and take nourishment simply to please his master. Dogs have sensitive stomachs, and often, as a result of indigestion, refuse to eat altogether. In these cases this is Nature's method of working a cure. If the dog is down with some febrile disorder that is rapidly weakening him it is important that he take some nourishment. Necessarily it must be of the lightest and most sustaining character. Medical practitioners and trained nurses have brought the dietary of the sick room up to a perfection that the canine practitioner can study with good results. There are a number of predigested foods easy of preparation, nourishing and sustaining. Milk, mutton broth, gelatine and raw eggs are valuable foods. Boiled rice is easy of digestion. Raw beef or mutton, minced or chopped fine, fed a few teaspoonfuls at a time, will act in many cases as a tonic to an exhausted stomach, and should be resorted to, as there is always danger of a disordered stomach rebelling against too long continued liquid food. A few teaspoonfuls of brandy or port wine will frequently cause the stomach to retain food that would otherwise be rejected. It is best given in the form, of an egg-nog and fed a few teaspoonfuls at a time. A dog will eat small quantities of food offered from his master's hand when he will refuse it from a dish. Do not allow a pan of food to remain before him after he has declined to eat. Remove it at once and offer it at some future time.
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