This is a super random post amongst an array of delicious vegan recipes, but I feel compelled to share the miracle working solution I created for Kimmie's ear last night that's left her ear smelling like bruschetta, but has given her immediate pain relief for an infection that was starting to brew. I also include a few tid-bits here on a homemade dog ear cleaner and some miracle workers that cure an unlimited list of ailments in dog AND humans.
Let me start off by saying I am NOT a vet or doctor, I am NOT a professional, and I DO NOT suggest or advice you to take my advice over a your vet or doctor. I am offering a suggestion for people who feel comfortable experimenting with natural remedies that I have found to work in clearing up infection, but please use your best judgement when treating your pets or yourself. As someone who takes many science-based holistic supplements for myself and provides home remedies and such to my pets regularly, I have a couple tricks that will be effective for treating a minor infection at home if you are used to and experienced with treating your pets and yourself. If you in any way find that you or your dog's condition is an emergency PLEASE see a medical professional immediately.
As a regular routine, I clean out my dogs' ears, trim their nails, clean their coats, and even give them special treats of turmeric, coconut oil, garlic and other supplements in their food. Whenever we bathe them, I follow up with an ear cleaning with a home-made ear cleaner made of natural ingredients. I create a tonic of 1 part apple cider vinegar (unfiltered is best), 1 part hydrogen peroxide, and 1 part filtered water. I mix well and put a few drops into each of my dogs' ears after a bath, gently massage it in and let them shake the excess out. This helps dry up extra water in their inner ear after they've been swimming or have had a bath, kills of bacteria and early stages of ear infections, and clears out that gross gunk and whatever dust and dirt may have gotten in there. The key is to apply gently, massage gently, and let your dog shake afterwards. Do not ever insert anything into their inner ear, and avoid contact with the eyes. Give this a try if you feel your dog's ears could use a cleaning and if you have all of the ingredients on hand. Only mix as much as you'll use at once and discard the rest.
This remedy usually does the trick in preventing any ear infections from brewing in my dogs. However, it's been a couple months since I've done it and Kimmie, my big girl, had a really itchy and red inflamed ear last night. I didn't want to use the regular vinegar wash as the inside of her ear was raw and I didn't want the acidity to sting or hurt her. I knew it was getting infected because the inner parts were very dry and flaky, extremely red and warm to the touch, and she kept scratching with her foot and causing it to bleed. Since I would have had to wait to get her to a vet anyway, I wanted to try a holistic approach first.
Unrefined coconut oil is a miracle worker that kills bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, yeasts, protozoa and more. It's effective enough that I even use it to make my own toothpaste and mouthwash. Raw garlic, another magic ingredient, contains allicin which kills off all the same harmful invaders in your body as coconut oil, in addition to providing additional vitamins and minerals. Both, in appropriate dosages are safe to feed or use topically with dogs. Basically, coconut oil OR garlic can work wonders, but together they're invincible. I incorporate both into my regular diet and even ingest raw garlic daily to boost my immune system and help me take on the day. Since doing so, I haven't gotten sick at all, and if taken when I already had a cold coming on, it reduced the symptoms almost immediately.
This being said, both super foods can make a great addition to your dog's meals each day. 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with 1 minced/crushed clove of garlic per 30 lb. of body weight is enough for a human or dog to eat regularly. Cut the clove in half or less for smaller dogs. Only fresh raw garlic should be used, not powder or any other form. Chop and serve immediately as the allicin (all the magic in the garlic) is effective immediately upon the garlic being cut. If your dog doesn't like it, mix with the oil and disperse amongst their food.
Anyway.. ear infections! For a human OR a dog with chronic ear infections, or just that one time where you don't have meds on hand or can't get to the vet right away, try this. Grind up/crush a clove of garlic and mix with a tablespoon of coconut oil in a small bowl. Use a cotton swap or folded piece of paper towel to gently massage the solution into your dog's ear. If they have a bad infection, be extremely slow and gentle to not irritate or hurt them. Let some of the oil melt and ooze it's way into the ear canal, do not push or force it in there. Your dog will shake to get out any excess solution, and the oil will soak it's way into the irritated areas to soothe immediately. Right after treating, Kimmie stopped scratching at her ear. The next morning I checked her ear and it was no longer red or flaky. It went back to being a pale pink, and besides smelling a little garlicky, didn't seem to bother her anymore. I did another dose today but all the major signs of infection seemed to go away. A similar method can be used for humans too.
Use garlic and/or coconut oil regularly for treatment of many ailments, or ingest regularly as a preventative to many illnesses (flu, cold, etc.) and a great immune booster.
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