How to Make Your Sick Pet Comfy at Home
Wondering how to take care of a sick dog at home? These tips will keep your best friend happy and help her heal faster [7 pet-friendly steps included!]
Having a pet that’s sick is disheartening. It’s hard that you can’t make your dog feel better right away. And you wish she could talk to you and tell you how she’s doing.
Even though your dog can’t verbally talk to you, she can show you through her actions how she feels.
For example, if she still is lethargic and is having a hard time eating, she’s not entirely on the mend yet.
Always talk to your vet before closely monitoring your pet at home. And while your dog is recovering, there are some things you can do to make her comfortable.
Your fur baby will get better in no time with your constant care and love!
1. Make Sure She’s Close to You
If your dog likes to be near you, it’s normal if she’s acting more attached to you when she’s sick.
She isn’t feeling her best, so naturally, she wants to be near her best friend to help her feel better!
To make it easier for her to recover, set up a nice area where she can rest near you.
Try not to get up too often so she can sleep without being worried about you.
By going the extra mile to keep her right by your side, she’ll likely recover quicker.
2. Create a Cozy Retreat
Since your pet is going to be relaxing by you while you’re at home, make sure her resting area is comfortable. Providing her with different resting areas while she’s recovering is ideal.
Follow these simple ideas for creating a cozy retreat:
Put her favorite bed on a rug to add extra cushioning under the bed. Placing a blanket inside the bed can provide additional more as well.
If you’re going to be in a few places during the day, set up different resting areas for her. For example, you could set up a bed for her in your bedroom and your work area.
Multiple rest areas will make it that much easier for her to be by your side and rest too!
3. Give Your Dog Food That’ll Help Her Feel Better
If your dog has trouble eating right now, it’s best to stick with the basics.
Dog food might be hard on her stomach, so instead, give her some chicken and rice.
Has your dog had bone broth before? Bone broth is a liquid meal that most dogs love, and it’s also very gentle on the stomach.
It’s an excellent meal to feed your pooch, especially if she doesn’t have that much appetite.
Pumpkin is another food you can give your pet if her stomach is upset. It’s high in vitamins, which can hurry her recovery and help her tummy feel better.
If you’re unsure of what to give your dog to eat while recovering, check with your vet. He or she may have some ideas depending on your dog’s weight and what breed she is.
4. Give Her Plenty of Time to Rest
Just like a human needs rest, so does a dog, especially while she’s sick!
So if a significant other is being loud, suggest that they tone it down while your dog’s getting better.
It’s more than okay to baby her even more than you usually do. So work on keeping the noise levels down and keep her in a quiet spot.
The more your pup rests, the quicker her recovery time will be.
5. Try Going on Walks
When your furry friend starts to feel better, try taking her on a few short walks.
Slowly ease into it so you can monitor how she does. For starters, you could take her to one of her favorite grassy areas outside your apartment.
She’ll likely love smelling the grass and catching up on some dog scents from her furry pals.
If she has a hard time walking, she may not be up for a walk yet. If that’s the case, try again later to see how she does then.
When she is up to walking, it’ll be good for her to stretch her legs. Plus, walking will help her feel better, as long as she doesn’t overdo it.
6. Keep Favorite Toys Nearby
When your dog starts to perk up, she’ll want to play with some toys.
Consider getting her some new toys or put a few favorite ones near her.
Dogs always love getting new toys, and she’ll feel extra appreciated if you take the time to get her some!
Having the toys right by her resting spot is the perfect place for them to be.
As she gets better, having easy access to her favorite pals will make it easy for her to grab them and play!
7. Leave Your T-Shirt in a Bed While You’re Away
If you have to leave your dog due to work, there’s something you can do to comfort her: Leave one of your T-shirts in her bed.
It’s a simple technique that brings a lot of comfort to dogs, especially if they suffer from anxiety.
Even if your fur child doesn’t have anxiety, she might struggle when she’s sick.
Being able to smell your scent on a shirt should help her feel better until you return.
Right before you leave, put a recently worn T-shirt near or in her bed. She’ll likely curl up in her bed on your shirt while you’re gone.
In Conclusion
Now that you know how to make your pet comfortable while she’s sick, she should be well on her way to recovering.
Don’t feel discouraged if it takes time for her to get better. You know what to do to nurse her back to health!
By spending extra time with her and making her as comfortable as possible, she’s bound to get better soon.
And once your pet’s back to her old self, you better be ready to take her on a lot of walks. She’s going to have a lot of energy to burn off!
Author bio:
Dominique Daniels has 5 years of Property Management experience working primarily in high-end apartment community living. Her ability to consistently deliver white-glove service to her residents and prospects has propelled her in a successful career that now finds her leading the team at Haven Dell.
