Gwinganna Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I have seen a few posts and know of lots of situations where people have a dog with minor ailments (a bit of a smelly ear with a mild infection, skin complaints etc) and need to make a trip to a vet that probably has better things to do, just to get an obvious diagnosis a big bill and some over the counter stuff to fix the problem, like, to stay with the example, eardrops. Problem is the only way to the right stuff is through the vet, even though often you know exactly what you'll be told and what you'll get. Is there a better way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Your not making alot of sence. Im guessing your dog has a ear infection, you want something to fix it. Last time you went to the vet and got a product, you have run out of product and you want some more, but don't want to go to the vet and get it from them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Problem with things like mild ear infections is that unless your dog's had them b4 you might make the wrong assumptions. They could have mites instead and the treatments are different, for example. My vet's really good and does not overcharge. He/ she (husband-wife, both are excellent) and will suggest the most economical options e.g. human medications if you have access to them and its suitable for the dog's problem. I little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwinganna Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 (edited) Your not making alot of sence. Im guessing your dog has a ear infection, you want something to fix it. Last time you went to the vet and got a product, you have run out of product and you want some more, but don't want to go to the vet and get it from them? No, if that was the situation, I would have said that. You have made up a whole story about me with no information whatsoever. I was asking a general question. If one of my kids gets a cold I don't drag them off to a doctor every time (well when we had our first I did, but I have calmed down a bit since then) - I have informed myself, and I go to a chemist and/or use some alternative remedies first. I used ears as an example because there is a recent post on here about a GSD with smelly ears, and it seemed like a good illustrative example. Problem with things like mild ear infections is that unless your dog's had them b4 you might make the wrong assumptions. They could have mites instead and the treatments are different, for example. My vet's really good and does not overcharge. He/ she (husband-wife, both are excellent) and will suggest the most economical options e.g. human medications if you have access to them and its suitable for the dog's problem. I little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing . Yes it is! I agree, and I would draw the line pretty conservatively, but I wish there was like a Pet Chemist where there were eardrops, eye drops, creams and general medications like there is in a Human Chemist. Or maybe there is and I am unaware of it for some reason. I haven't really scoured the shelves on Pet Stores (I tend to know what I am buying when I go in and avoid browsing, I'd spend a fortune otherwise) and have never seen stuff like this in Vets other than direct from the vet. Apart from wormers, and flea and tick stuff of course. Most of these antibiotic type treatments are pretty generic arn't they? Like Amoxcillin for humans? Edited July 31, 2007 by Gwinganna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 but I wish there was like a Pet Chemist where there were eardrops, eye drops, creams and general medications like there is in a Human Chemist. Or maybe there is and I am unaware of it for some reason There is a few of them Here is one i use often. http://www.thevetshed.com/index.php/cPath/...13b22b56833add0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 You can purchase a surprisingly large number of dog medicines online or through warehouse-type pet stores. Self-diagnosis can be risky . . . but if your dog has a recurring problem with something, eg hot spots, and you're confident of your judgement, I see no problem with skipping the vet. Many vets overmedicate. Eg, the first time I went to a vet with a dog with hotspots, the affected area was shaved and the dog was given salve AND antibiotics. Next time I went to another vet and they were strongly against using antibiotics . . . and just gave me a walsh. Thereafter, I treated hot spots myself. My relatively folksy vet tells me you can treat them with lots of things . . . the important part is drying the area out and killing the bacteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwinganna Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 Thanks for the links and tips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Yes it is! I agree, and I would draw the line pretty conservatively, but I wish there was like a Pet Chemist where there were eardrops, eye drops, creams and general medications like there is in a Human Chemist. Or maybe there is and I am unaware of it for some reason. I haven't really scoured the shelves on Pet Stores (I tend to know what I am buying when I go in and avoid browsing, I'd spend a fortune otherwise) and have never seen stuff like this in Vets other than direct from the vet. Apart from wormers, and flea and tick stuff of course. Most of these antibiotic type treatments are pretty generic arn't they? Like Amoxcillin for humans? An economical ear cleaner is Malaseb (an anti-fungal, antibacterial shampoo) diluted 1:50 with water. A few threads on it here if you do a search. Not sure about Amoxycillin, but Keflex and Augmentin have been prescribed for my dog and vet said that the human variety was fine to use. Both are normally on prescription from your GP. Leftovers in the drug cupboard are only OK if you have enough for a proper 5-7 day course, otherwise, you'll do more harm than good (superinfection). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) Not sure about Amoxycillin, but Keflex and Augmentin have been prescribed for my dog and vet said that the human variety was fine to use. Both are normally on prescription from your GP. Leftovers in the drug cupboard are only OK if you have enough for a proper 5-7 day course, otherwise, you'll do more harm than good (superinfection). Although in many cases human and pet medicines have the same active ingredients, the dosages are often quite different. If you are not confident about the required animal dose and able to cut pills or whatever to deliver the correct dose, I would be very cautious of using leftovers from the drug cupboard . . . my vet is happy to give advice on such things, and I always consult the vet first. Edited August 2, 2007 by sandgrubber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wynnlake Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 There is a book you can get from your average book shop that lists remedies and treatments for minor problems with your pets. I cant remember the name of it, but have heard its good. you can pick it up in most book stores in the pet/dog section. Might be worth having a look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormie Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 If you have a problem, and you go to the vet and they give you a treatment to use that is successful, then in most cases, the vets will happily dispense the medication to you again should the problem come up. IMO, this is a much safer idea than trying to self diagnose. Sometimes problems reccur due to an underlying problem, and your vet will want to know if the problem keeps coming back incase there is something else going on that they want/need to investigate. For eg, ear problems can be secondary to issues such as atopy (allergy to pollens) or even food allergies. So if you have a problem that keeps coming back, rather than trying to treat the symptoms on your own, best to head back for a recheck so your vet knows and can make the appropriate decision about what needs to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyking Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 (edited) www.herbal-treatments.com.au Edited August 4, 2007 by curlyking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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