A happy grey dog sits on his hind legs in a field of green grass and wildflowers.

From unexplained limps to dry skin, dogs always seem to be finding ways to make you worried about their health and wellness. Any serious issues should be addressed by a vet, but is there anything you can do at home to help soothe more minor irritations or encourage healing?

Absolutely! Dogs were domesticated over 30,000 years ago, well before the advent of modern medicine, but our understanding of dog care has evolved greatly since those days, with some old-school remedies having withstood the test of time — and for good reason!

Many natural remedies offer indisputable healing powers, and some even form the basis of vet-approved medicines we use today.

So while a well-stocked pantry won’t help you out in a true emergency, it can help you deal with daily aches, stomach problems, and other trials dogs put us through. Below, we have listed some natural dog remedies to try next time you aren’t convinced a vet visit is in order but you do want to help your precious pup feel better after a minor ailment.

Common Dog Ailments With Natural Solutions to Try

Give the following treatments a shot next time you and your canine companion are struggling with a minor health issue.

NOTE: Review any home treatments with your regular vet, and always report new conditions or symptoms that seem to be affecting your dog’s normal routine.

Upset Stomach, Constipation, Poor Stool Quality — Canned Pumpkin, Plain Yogurt

We’re kicking this list off with a recommendation nearly every vet can get behind: adding canned pumpkin to a dog’s food to help soothe an upset digestive tract. This remedy can work for a wide range of symptoms, including trouble passing stool, overly soft or watery stool, indigestion, gas, and other forms of upset stomach.

“Canned pumpkin can help ease upset stomachs,” informs Pet Plate. “Pumpkin has a low glycemic index, which means the body absorbs it slowly in a way that can help soothe an irritated GI tract.”

Just as helpful, pumpkin has low calories and a high volume of insoluble and soluble fiber, which can help to bulk digestive materials in the tract and improve the quality of stool.

Make sure to start off with a small amount of pumpkin, about 1–2 teaspoons, and refer to your vet for guidance on the ideal amount. You may need to taper off the amount or adjust it based on your results.

Also, make sure to use canned, store-bought pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin has rough, prickly fibers that are hard to remove without professional processing equipment.

Even with a good food processor, you’ll never be able to get it as smooth and palatable as the canned version.

You can also try: Add a spoon of plain, unflavored low-fat yogurt to your dog’s diet to improve gut biome health. For persistent tummy issues, consider offering a bland diet of boiled, lean meat (chicken, preferably) along with unseasoned rice for a few days.

Fleas and Other Hitchhikers — Dish Soap Bath

Here’s another straightforward one: any time your dog has a bad infestation, and you don’t have access to the right prescription preventatives (including when the dog is too young/lightweight for them), you can temporarily relieve their itching while killing some of the parasites using a simple bath of diluted dish soap.

Make sure not to get any soap in the dog’s eyes, and thoroughly dry and brush their coat when you are done. You want to remove any lingering moisture so as to reduce the risk of a skin infection from the bites.

Also, remember that this is merely a temporary measure. You’ll never kill all the fleas, and they will quickly reinfest unless you have a more effective preventative, like Bravecto or Frontline Plus.

Persistent Hot Spots — Old T-Shirt or Cloth

Many dogs get “hot spots” during dry, hot times of the year, especially if they’ve been exposed to skin irritants like biting insects or certain plants. Resolving these hot spots can be a major challenge, especially if they become a favorite spot for your dog to chew and gnaw on.

You can reduce their ability to get good teething on their own tuchas by giving them a loose-fitting clean shirt to wear. If you have an e-collar, that can work even better, although they are more uncomfortable for the dog — and they don’t look nearly as cool!

Keep an eye out for how your dog wears their new threads, though. You may need to trim, cinch, or tie up the shirt to prevent them from tripping or getting tangled in it.

Other Skin Irritation — Colloidal Oatmeal

Colloidal oatmeal is a special type of oatmeal that’s been processed into a fine powder. It’s not nearly as tasty when eaten alone for breakfast, but it’s also able to maximize its ability to soothe skin irritation. Oatmeal’s skin-healing powers lie in its long, complex sugar (polysaccharide) chains. These gel-like materials bind easily to the skin without drying it out, locking in moisture. Oatmeal can also restore natural skin pH to improve healing while discouraging pathogen growth.

You can also try: Boil a bag of green tea, then set it aside to cool. This cooled teabag can act as a soothing poultice for irritated areas. A paste of baking soda can be useful for more-acute irritation, including certain bug bites. Just be sure not to use any of these remedies on broken skin!

Coat, Skin, or Joint Issues — Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplement

Omega-3 is a wondrous compound for both humans and their pets. These fatty acid chains are a natural part of the body’s cellular makeup and its system of natural moisturizers.

Pets (just like us) can struggle with dry skin, dry hair, or greasy and unkempt hair. Omega-3 will help restore natural oils and their ability to keep skin and hair well-moisturized. 

Even more promising, Omega-3 fish oils can improve your dog’s joint health as well as brain health. These oils show up in a surprising range of bodily functions, so providing a healthy regular dosage through their diet will pay huge dividends in the form of a healthy, shiny coat, more limber joints, and less risk of cognitive issues as they age.

Swallowed Something Small They Shouldn’t Have — Coconut Oil

Cat owners know the value of coconut oil when it comes to reducing hairballs — or embarrassing events where hair gets stuck trying to come out the other end. While coconut oil is much too fatty to be given as a regular supplement, adding it occasionally to food can work wonders for working things through that are otherwise hard to digest.

Now, with dogs, there’s always a concern that something they ate could get stuck somewhere and cause major issues. Always go to the vet if you see:

  • Repeated vomiting
  • Diarrhea that is bloody or that lasts for more than a day
  • Tenderness or pain in the abdomen
  • Straining while trying to go to the bathroom
  • Lethargy
  • Distress or other agitation at normal handling or activities

If, on the other hand, you just saw something disappear that was not what you typically think of as food but doesn’t seem to be affecting your dog much, such as bits of cloth, a little coconut oil can help it work its own way out.

Sore Paws or Joints — Epsom Soak

A good Epsom soak is a classic remedy for athletes and those with achy joints. While your dog may not appreciate a bath as much as you, it will appreciate the soothing power Epsom salts can have on sore limbs.

If your dog has had an intense play date or tends to suffer from chronic aches, a warm bath with diluted Epsom salts can provide quick relief.

 Car Sickness or General Nausea — Ginger

You may recall being offered ginger ale by a parent when you were homesick or having tummy issues on a car ride. That same general wisdom — ginger helps soothe nausea — can help for dogs with motion sickness or mild stomach issues.

Just make sure to offer a mild dose, and dilute it with something if you’re using pure ginger extract or dehydrated powder. They even now offer ginger treats for dogs, so keep a lookout if your furry travel companion has a tendency to go a little green around the jowls during long rides.

Natural Remedies That Do More Harm Than Good

Performing research on dog health natural treatments, you may come across a few remedies that your vet would strongly recommend against. A few of the common repeat offenders are listed below:

  • DON’T put vinegar or anything other than ear cleaner in their ear — Vet-approved ear cleaning solutions have mineral oils that help dry moisture after cleaning. Other solutions, like vinegar, olive oil, or rosemary water can leave moisture behind and promote the growth of yeast or bacteria, potentially leading to a nasty infection.
  • DON’T use hydrogen peroxide for wound treatment or to induce vomiting — Hydrogen peroxide should only be used as a wash and disinfectant on unbroken skin. Exposure to inner tissues will cause further damage, negating the disinfecting benefits. Also, never use peroxide to induce vomiting unless instructed to by a vet in the event of a dire emergency. Most often, you can get them to the vet and use safer products in a controlled setting.
  • DON’T Use human products or other unapproved products for bathing — Dogs’ coats and skin are actually quite sensitive. Certain chemicals can clog oil-secreting glands, causing them to dry out or mess up the delicate pH and moisture needed to maintain their health. Stick to dog-specific products, and look for ones tailored to your dog’s breed or skin condition.
  • DON’T treat hot spots with unapproved meds — Hot spots may seem like little more than an annoyance, but they can cause infection or long-term tissue damage if not properly treated. Some of the skin-soothing remedies recommended above can help but always refer to your vet for any spot that won’t heal or seems to be getting worse after 48 hours.
  • DON’T use essential oil aromatherapy around pets — Most essential oils are very toxic to pets in their pure form, but they can also cause irritation and even low-grade poisoning in pets when they are exposed to diffused oils in their living space over prolonged periods.

Come to Greenlin East in Middletown for Professional Bathing and a Play Date

Exercise is one of the best natural remedies for any pet, and what better way to work out the jitters or stiff joints than with others in your species? Greenlin Pet Resorts’ East location in Middletown, PA, offers outstanding dog daycare services in a safe, always-supervised setting.

Your dog can get the exercise and socialization it needs, rain or shine, thanks to our large outdoor play areas on 40 acres of land and a 3,000 sq ft indoor play gym.

You can even pick up your pooch feeling so fresh and so clean (so clean!) by opting to add our dog bathing services to your stay package. We use only vet-approved products and look out for skin, coat, and nail issues that could lead to bigger health problems down the road.

Dogs always leave Greenlin feeling their best! Find out why, and get more information on all our services, when you call Greenlin East in Middletown at (717) 944-9848, contact us online, or visit our expansive location at 600 Schoolhouse Rd.

Posted in Pet Health Category