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Treatment

Your veterinarian will treat your dog according to how severely or mildly it is affected by the botulinum toxin. If it is a mild reaction, your dog may be temporarily hospitalized and treated with a urinary catheter and intravenous feeding. However, if your dog is severely affected and is having trouble breathing due to paralysis of the respiratory muscles, it will need close monitoring in an intensive care unit. Under these circumstances, your dog will have a stomach tube placed for feeding and will be hooked up to a ventilator to assist its breathing.

Regardless of the severity, however, a type C antitoxin will be given to your dog to neutralize the botulinum toxin and prevent further progression.Complete recovery usually takes place over 1 to 3 weeks.

Living and Management

Prevention of this disease is easier than treatment. Do not allow your dog to eat dead carcasses or spoiled raw meat. If you live in a rural area where this is a possibility, you will need to be on guard, as far as checking your property regularly for the presence of dead animals. In addition, you should always feed your dog food that has been thoroughly cooked.