Hello Friends.
I am not a Dogtor or Doctor,
butt for purpose of this Safety Week post I will play one today.
I
am here to tell you about Pet First Aid.
Let me tell you it is a whole lot more than just a Scooby Do band
aid. It’s important that your mom or dad
read this. So I will wait while you go
get them…… OK everyone here? Good, let’s
begin. Oh before we begin I will tell you that this is a bit longer post than I normally do, butt it is VERY important.
Knowing
Dog First Aid can reduce your pet's pain, suffering and perhaps even save his
or her life. First Aid for pets, just
like first aid for humans, is a combination of knowledge, supplies and skills.
Before
an emergency happens it is important to know what to do. Of course prevention is an important key to
the health and well being of your pet.
Pet proof your home! We dog, and I am told cats, are inquisitive. We like to know what is going on, what stuff
is around, and we WILL check any and everything out. We can be poisoned by all sorts of things
including cleaning products, household and garden plants. Or there is the stuff we find interesting and
chew on (just ask my buddy Bert, he has had to have surgery several times to
remove tennis balls and rocks from his stomach.) We chew, especially young pets. So safe guard your house.
There is so
much I could tell you. So I am going
to touch on some common things and hope that you pick up a Pet First Aid book.
I
know seeing one’s own pet in distress is painful to you mom’s and dad’s too.
But we pets depend on you to help us out when we are injured and you must be calm and ready to act wisely.
Number
1 rule of
caring for your pet in an emergency is do not panic! If something
happens to your pet, you're going to be very distressed, but you're no use to
him/her like this. Take deep breaths and think, and you'll be able to do so
much more to help him/her.
Number
2 rule is
use a soft muzzle on your dog. Although your pet knows you, and you know
he/she is a gentle pet who would never bite, he/she is hurting and he/she is
frightened. The last thing you need is both of you injured. You can use a slip
leash or a soft stocking, gauze or panty hose around his/her muzzle to
prevent him/her snapping at you in pain.
Pet Wounds and Bleeding
Pets
cut and scratch their skin often, and even though the wound may not be deep, it
can still bleed. The initial first aid for pets when they have a bleeding wound
is pressure. Fold a clean cloth or handkerchief into a pad and press it
over the wound.
If
the wound hasn't gone through the full thickness of skin, you can usually treat
it at home. When the bleeding has stopped, gently clean the wound with a gentle
antiseptic such as iodine solution. If the wound is going to weep, or if
your pet looks like he/she may lick it or irritate it, wrap a clean bandage
around it for 24 hours, then have another look. If you're concerned at all,
have the wound checked by your vet; it's worth it for your peace of mind.
More
serious wounds and full thickness skin cuts need to be examined by your vet, as
they may need sutures. Keep the pressure on the wound as you drive to
the clinic. If the pad becomes soaked with blood, don't take it off, or you'll
disturb the clot. Just put another pad on top, and keep pressing down.
You
may have heard about using a tourniquet to stop bleeding. This involves tying a
tight strip or cloth or piece of cord around the leg above the source of the
bleeding, and pulling it tight. It does work to stop bleeding but it also cuts
off the blood supply to healthy tissues in the leg. Because that can cause
quite severe damage to the leg, you should only use a tourniquet if your pet's
bleeding is life threatening. That means only if there is red arterial blood
pumping from a wound. You'll need to release the tourniquet every 20
minutes, only for around 15 seconds, just to allow blood flow to the rest of
the leg. In spite of this, using a tourniquet may result in permanent damage to
his/her leg.
Penetrating Injuries
This
type of injury results in a deep hole in the skin or even into a body cavity.
Common causes include playing with sticks and bite wounds.
If
your pet has been bitten by another pet, his/her wounds may bleed quite a lot.
Although the puncture wounds are usually small, there is often very painful
muscle damage underneath the skin, and your pet really does need pain
relief and antibiotics.
First
aid involves muzzling your pet, and trying to keep the injured area as still as
possible while you transport him/her to your vet. If there is a stick or other
foreign body sticking out of your pet's skin, don't ever try and pull it out
yourself. You can trim it until it's only about five inches long, but leave
it up to your vet to remove it.
Treating Pet Fractures
Pets
with fractures are also frequently presented to emergency vets. There are many
causes, but one of the most common would be a motor vehicle accident where a
pet has been hit by a car. A pet with a broken bone in a limb won't use the leg
at all, and will carry it all the time. He/she may cry when the leg is moved,
but many pets are very stoic and tolerate quite a lot of pain in
silence.
If
you are worried your pet has a broken leg, don't try to splint it.
He/she will be in a lot of pain and moving the broken bones will hurt even
more. Don't try to wash any wounds either, just cover them with a clean cloth
and use a blanket or board to carry your pet to the car for the trip to your
vet.
Pet Heat Stroke
This
dangerous condition can occur if a pet is left in a hot car, or if he/she
exercises too much in hot weather conditions. Recent research has shown that cars
can become hot death traps even on a cool day.
If
your pet has a temperature over 105 degrees F, it means he/she is in
serious trouble. A high body temperature can affect every organ in the body and
it can be fatal.
Symptoms
of heat stroke
are easy to recognize. Your pet will pant heavily, and will want to lie down
all the time. He/she may even appear to be dizzy. These symptoms, plus a warm
environment, will usually lead you to the right diagnosis.
The
first thing to do is to get your pet away from the source of heat. That means
move him/her out of the car, or if you're playing outdoors, take him/her under
a shady tree. It's very important that you take immediate steps to get your pet's
body temperature down as quickly as possible.
The
most logical first aid for pets suffering from heat stroke isn't necessarily
the right one. Most people think that if they wash their pet down with iced
water, it's better because it will cool them quicker. In fact, the opposite is
true. Iced water will cause the blood vessels in your pet's skin to contract,
and slow the circulation of cooled blood around his/her body. It's much more
effective to use tepid or tap water. You can hose his/her body, and put cool
wet towels in his/her armpit, groin and on his/her neck. That's where the
body's largest veins are closest to the surface. Take your pet to your vet
immediately for care. Even if your dog looks okay, there can be damage to
internal organs that needs further treatment.
Eye and Nose Injuries
Pets
get nose bleeds just like humans do, often after a bump to the face. Treatment
is very straightforward; keep your pet as calm as you can so his/her heart rate
eases and the bleeding slows. Then put an icepack on the top of his/her nose.
Don't try and stick cotton balls or anything similar up his/her nose because it
will probably make him/her sneeze and will dislodge any clot that has formed.
This
treatment is usually very effective but if the bleeding happens regularly, have
your dog checked by your vet.
It's
important to treat eye emergencies quickly to give your pet the best chance of
making a full recovery. Some breeds of dogs, such as Pekingese and Chihuahuas
have very shallow eye sockets, and their eye may pop out if there is any
tension on the fur over their head and neck! If this happens, keep the eye
moist with water and go immediately to your vet.
If
you're concerned about a splinter in your pet's eye, or if he/she is constantly
squinting and pawing at his/her eye, place a moist cloth over his/her eye
and take him/her to your vet to have it checked.
First Aid for Choking
It's terrifying to see a pet choke. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often.
Many pets who appear to be choking actually have a respiratory infection
that is making them gag and retch. If you're not sure, make an appointment with
your vet to have your dog checked out, just for your peace of mind.
If
your pet really does have something stuck in his/her throat, you can try what
is called a finger sweep. This is when you use a finger and slide it
along the inside of his/her cheek to the back of his/her mouth. Move it towards
the center of his throat, and try to dislodge anything that is stuck there.
This isn't hard to do if your pet is unconscious but may be dangerous if he/she
is awake. Don't ever try a finger
sweep if there is any chance your dog could bite you.
You
can also compress his/her chest to try and use the air in his/her lungs
to force the object out of his/her windpipe. Depending on the size of your pet,
you can press firmly on his/her chest, or you can perform the Heimlich maneuver
if you have a larger pet. This involves putting both fists together just
underneath his/her breastbone and suddenly pushing upwards towards his/her
chest.
If
neither of these are successful, start artificial respiration and race him/her
to your veterinarian.
Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation
It's
a great idea to learn how to give your pet cardiopulmonary resuscitation, also
known as artificial breathing. Yes, it means you have to put your mouth to
your pet's nose, but it may save his/her life.
It's
much easier if you have help from a second person; they can perform chest
compressions while you breathe into your pet's nose.
Stretch
out your pet's neck until it is straight, and pull his/her tongue forward. Cup
your hands around his/her mouth so they seal his/her lips, and make sure the
corners of his/her mouth are tightly closed. Blow into his/her nose until you
see his/her chest expand. You can continue this at a rate of around 20 breaths
per minute.
If
your pet doesn't have a pulse, you'll have to perform chest compressions to
keep blood circulating around his/her body. Use the flat of your hand on the
widest part of your pet's chest, and press firmly down until the chest wall
compresses by a few inches. If you have a tiny pet, wrap both hands around
his/her chest and squeeze. You'll need to do this around 80 to 100 times per
minute. Ideally, give your pet two breaths after every 12 compressions
of his/her chest.
You
can see that performing CPR on a pet can be physically tiring. It's important
that you keep going until your pet shows signs of responding, or until you get
him/her to your veterinarian.
Transporting Your Injured Pet
If
your pet is injured, you will need to be very careful in transporting him/her
to your veterinarian to avoid making the injuries worse. Unless you need to
perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation or you need to stem excessive bleeding,
it's more important to get your dog to the clinic quickly rather than
splint legs or check for other injuries.
If
he/she is unable to walk, a blanket or large flat piece of cardboard will make
it easy to lift him/her. Slide him/her carefully onto it, and try as best you
can to keep his/her back straight and his/her head in a normal position as you
lift him/her into your car. Cover him/her with a blanket and keep the heater on
as you drive to the clinic; pets with shock often feel very cold.
Do you have a Pet First Aid
Kit?
You
should. Here is what a well stocked Pet
First Aid Kit would include (butt not limited to) because accidents will
happen. And it will
give your pet a fighting chance until you get him/her to the vet.
My MOM has two types of kits: 1 for our few
hours’ adventure and one for when we are gone for several days on a trip. Don't forget two very important items. A book
on pet first aid is vital. You can't know everything that can happen to
your pet, or how to treat it. Make sure
the First Aid book you get is small enough to fit in your kit. And read it, Before you need
it!
The second important item to have with
your dog first aid supplies is
clean water. Your pet will need fluids to help him/her survive.
First Aid
Cleaning products: Saline eye wash to flush injured eyes.
Sterile saline to bathe
skin wounds. Antiseptic skin cleanser e.g. iodine or chlorhexidine scrub.
Dressings: Conforming bandage in case
of snake bite. Gauze pads. Adhesive tape to hold swabs in place. Self-adhering
bandage such as vet wrap to put pressure on bleeding wounds on legs or tail. Sterile
non-stick pads Ace bandage (self adhering) New Skin liquid bandage or
"Mole Skin" (to quickly repair splits in pads) Cotton balls and swabs
Small bottle of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.
Dog Medications: Benadryl - an antihistamine
- used for allergic reactions to insect stings. Speak to your vet about dosage,
but guideline is 0.5 to 2 mg per pound (1 to 4 mg/kg) given by mouth two to
three times daily.
Antiseptic
wound dressing ointment such as iodine for abrasions and wounds.
3%
Hydrogen Peroxide - if your pet eats something toxic, giving one teaspoon (5ml)
per 10 pounds of body weight which will make him/her vomit it up. do not use if your dog has ingested acids, alkalis, or
petroleum products.
And
a supply of your pets prescriptions (make sure you rotate these out).
(Even MOM's need first aid. I am her Dogtor and she will be just fine)
Other Items for Your Pet
First Aid Kit: Your
dog's medical history in case you need to visit an emergency vet. Vet's phone
number, emergency clinic phone number, poisons information phone number. Small
blunt end scissors Oral syringe (3 cc) for administering liquid oral medicines,
or for getting an ear drying solution into your dog's ears. Eye dropper
(instead of the syringe). Oral syringe (10 cc) for cleaning and flushing wounds.
Safety pins in several sizes. Small empty containers for pain pills and
medications. Rubber gloves. Instant ice compress. Washcloth. Small jar of
Vaseline. Styptic Powder. Anti-gas tablets (for digestive problems). Imodium
tablets or generic brand (for diarrhea). Pepto Bismol tablets or liquid (for
digestive trouble). Tweezers
to remove splinters or other foreign bodies. Blanket to keep your dog warm, or
could be used as a stretcher. Disposable gloves. Flashlight - accidents happen
in the dark too. Syringes to flush wounds. A towel and a blanket or "Space"
blanket or other heat-reflective blanket.
These
items will help you relieve your dog's pain or allergy symptoms.
Buffered aspirin or ascriptin (5 grain, use a
child's dose). Benadryl 25 mg tabs or generic brand (for
allergic reactions; use a child's dose).
Use only aspirin for
relieving your dog's pain. Aspirin can cause stomach ulcers in your pet, so
watch him/her closely for signs of stomach upset. Use buffered aspirin or
ascriptin to minimize these stomach problems.
Keep safe out there friends.
And please check out all the other venues available to you during Safety
Week. Remember a safe pup, kit kat,
goat, lama, snail, or whatever is a happy pet.
Blessings,
Goose
PS- I'll be gone for awhile. Well I'll be around butt my MOM is taking the youth at our church on their annual Summer retreat. Their going to Idaho, I'll be kicking it with Bert. I'll be back in Blogville on Monday.
SAFETY WEEK 2014 -SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Daily Transportation – Aug 12-16 – Sidebite – susieandsidebite.blogspotDOTCOM
Blog Hop – Oz – www.oztheterrierDOTCOM
Smilebox – Mona – justustexasdachsies.blogspotDOTCOM
Aug 11: Opening Ceremony – Sidebite – susieandsidebite.blogspotDOTCOM
Opening Speech – Madi – downhomeinnc.blogspotDOTCOM
Parade – Sarge – sargespeaksout.blogspotDOTCOM
Aug 12: Poop Bags/Flashlights – Lassie & Benji – lassiterchase.blogspotDOTCOM
Plant Dangers – Reilly& Denny – cowspotdogs.blogspotDOTCOM
Wild Animal Encounters – Lee & Phod - kten-haileychronicles.blogspotDOTCOM
Travel Safety – Oz – www.oztheterrierDOTCOM
Traffic Safety – Frank – theadventuresofthetank.blogspotDOTCOM
Aug 13: HGE Illness – Sidebite – susieandsidebite.blogspotDOTCOM
Food Safety – Sasha – chicamom85-sassysasha.blogspotDOTCOM
Stranger Danger – Angus – stellaroselong.blogspotDOTCOM
TreeRat Hunting Safety – Ruby – www.rubytheairedalepupDOTCOM
Water Safety – Fudge – theportuguesewaterblog.blogspotDOTCOM
There’s an App for That – Duncan – www.whitedogblogDOTCOM
Aug 14: Pet Fire Safety – FiveSibes – fivesibes.blogspotDOTCOM
First Aid Tips – Goose – gospelofgoose.blogspotDOTCOM
Hot Weather Safety – Idaho Pugs – idahopugranch.blogspotDOTCOM
Pet Insurance – Bunk – www.bunkblogDOTNET
Microchipping – Wallace& Samuel – www.wallaceandsamuel.wordpressDOTCOM
School Supply Dangers – Bentley & Pierre – www.mkclintonDOTCOM
Aug 15: Search& Rescue – Bert – bertdidit.blogspotDOTCOM
Zoomie Safety – Millie & Walter – www.birdbrainsanddogtales.wordpressDOTCOM
Stormy Weather Safety – Casey & Cinderella savetheboxers.blogspotDOTCOM
Water Safety – Lily & Edward - www.twofrenchbulldogsDOTCOM
Pickpocket Protection – Easy – www.easyweimaraner.wordpressDOTCOM
Aug 16: Picnic – Sasha & Ruby – chicamom85-sassysasha.blogspotDOTCOM and www.rubytheairedalepupDOTCOM
DJ Rockin’ Wills Music Set– Sweet William – sweetwilliamthescot.blogspotDOTCOM
Bad Dawg Agency concert – baddawgagency.blogspotDOTCOM
Surf Jammers concert – sargespeaksout.blogspotDOTCOM
ADTR Fundraiser Kissing Booth – Mona & Prissy - justustexasdachsies.blogspotDOTCOM
Bounce House – Frankie & Ernie - frankiefurterprice.blogspotDOTCOM
Sand Box – Daisy – dailydaisydog.blogspotDOTCOM
