Creature Feature: The Pet's Medicine Chest

There are many common medications sold over the counter for human use that are also of immense practical value for use in the care of pets and livestock.

However, before we explore this subject any further it must be adamantly stated that no owner, no matter how experienced, should treat their animal without an okay from their veterinarian.

Unapproved, home treatments by owners could mask symptoms of serious ailments, thus making it difficult for the veterinarian to diagnose the illness.

No Aspirin For Cats

Aspirin is a drug that can be very effective in treating osteoarthritis or the aches and pains of a dog that has overexerted itself. Bufferin or Ascriptin are the best choice.

Alleve and ibuprofen drugs such as Advil should not be used. They have been implicated as a cause of serious gastrointestinal problems in dogs.

There is no place for aspirin or related products in the home-care medicine kit of the cat. Aspirin can be very toxic to cats, and, since it is not something that would be particularly useful in minor health problems that are treatable at home, cat owners should eschew its use for their pets.

Tylenol is especially dangerous. Never give it to a cat or leave it where a cat get could into it.

"It can't be said often enough that Tylenol should never be given to cats. It will kill a cat. It binds up their red blood cells; they turn purple and die," says Dr. Mark Davis of the South Fork Animal Hospital.

Pepto-Bismol is another medication that is useful for dogs but should not be given to cats since it contains aspirin. But veterinarians commonly recommend it for use in a dog suffering from minor diarrhea due to dietary overindulgences.

For a cat in the same unfortunate circumstances Dr. Claude Grosjean of Olde Towne Animal Hospital suggests Kaopectate.

Cuts And Scrapes

Topical preparations that are commonly used for human cuts and scrapes can also be helpful for the minor injuries sustained by pets.

Hydrogen peroxide or Betadine can be used to clean scratches and minor cuts, though Dr. Grosjean also feels a mild soap, such as Ivory, and lots of warm water will also do the trick.

A triple antibiotic cream can be applied to the wound after cleansing to ward off further infection. Dr. Jonathan Turetsky of the Veterinary Clinic of East Hampton advises owners to be sparing in their application of ointments to their pets.

"Whatever you put on a cat is going to end up in the cat, because they'll lick it off. The same is true of dogs, but to a lesser extent."

Itchy Skin

Betadine is also useful in combating the common fungal skin condition ringworm. There are also some excellent over-the-counter ointments that combat this infuriating condition.

All vets interviewed recommended cortisone creams for insect bites and other itchy skin conditions, boric acid or a commercially available eyewash for minor eye irritations, and a styptic pencil to stop any bleeding that may occur when claw-clipping.

There are several nondrug items that pet owners should have on hand. A thermometer is an essential piece of equipment. Alas, there is no relief for the squeamish; the best way to get an animal's temperature accurately is to take it rectally.

Neither Dr. Grosjean nor Dr. Davis has found the thermometers that take a temperature reading from the ear to be particularly accurate when used on animals.

Dr. Turetsky does use an ear probe thermometer made especially for veterinary use, but he agrees that thermometers of this type made for human use are not reliable when used in animals.

"Ear wax, debris, and ear mites can interfere with the reading. Also, the probes of the ones made for human use are not usually long enough," he said.

Pocket Pets: Heating Pads

Tweezers for tick, splinter, and thorn removal are helpful items to have around. Nail clippers in the appropriate size are also useful. Cotton balls and gauze pads are very handy for cleaning and swabbing. Eye droppers and small dosing syringes are excellent for administering medications to small animals.

Dr. Grosjean advised owners of "pocket pets," such as gerbils, mice, and hamsters, as well as owners of reptiles to keep a heating pad on hand.

"Small animals lose heat very easily and placing a heating pad under the cage or tank can help them stay warm," he said.

Owners should keep careful watch when they are using a heating pad lest it get too hot.

The Lowly Hairbrush

A low-tech care item that Dr. Turetsky recommends is a hairbrush. "Brushing an animal is extremely good for the skin and coat. Daily brushing can eliminate the problem of hairballs in cats."

For the cat owner who has not been able to keep up with the brushing, Petromalt, a remedy for hairballs that is sold in pet stores, is a good item to have on hand.

But do not get carried away administering it, advised Dr. Turetsky. "Two to three times a week is best. Giving it more frequently can interfere with the cat's ability to absorb nutrients from its food."

There are several other over-the-counter preparations made specifically for animals which have a place in the home health care kit.

Ear washes such as Oti-Clens are very useful. A note of caution voiced by veterinarians: When cleaning ears, do not use Q-tips or any small, probe-like object; there is too great a risk of perforating an ear drum.

Wiping an ear out with cotton balls or cotton gauze wrapped around a finger is safe and effective.

Birds And Ferrets

Dr. Grosjean advised that bird owners keep one of the commercially available "stop-bleed" powders on hand for use on birds that have damaged a blood feather.

He also finds that Nutracal vitamin emulsions, a very good diet supplement, are very useful to ferret owners, often especially useful as a distracting bribe.

"Ferrets love it so much that if you put some of it on one of their paws they'll be so busy licking it off that they'll stay still for grooming and claw-clipping."

Horse Calls

Horses have some different medical requirements from smaller animals.

"Most of our horse calls are colic, injuries, or hoof-related problems," said Dr. John Andresen of the Mattituck-Laurel Veterinary Clinic.

He said the bare essentials in a home health kit for horses would be mineral oil for the relief of colic, Betadine for cleaning wounds, and gauze pads, Vet-Wrap for bandaging them, Epsom Salts for soaking hooves, and a large-animal thermometer.

Around The Barn

Drs. Davis and Andresen both stated that Pepto-Bismol was good to have around the barn, as well as medications that combat thrush, a hoof infection. Fly repellent ointments that are safe to put around wounds were also cited as extremely useful.

"Horse owners should also keep a pair of pliers around the barn, since they may have to remove a shoe that has come partially off," advised Dr. Andresen.

Though informed, hands-on pet owners can take charge of many minor health problems in their animals, it is important to remember that the best resource for the health of the animal is its veterinarian. Always consult with the vet before commencing treatment.