First Aid For Your Dog
Most
people understand
or know a bit of first aid
for humans but many
dog owners
are not as familiar with the basic first aid for their dogs. While
several of
the techniques
are very similar it is
important to review
them and to keep basic first aid supplies for
dogs in your house or with
you when you are
on an outing.
A small first aid supply
kit kept
in your car can
be a live saver for your pet.
There are
several fairly common issues that can
arise when you are
out with your
dog that require first aid attention. As with all injuries it is important
to get
the dog to a vet
as soon as possible.
Heat
stroke many dogs,
especially those with short muzzles (brach cephalic)
dogs such as Pugs, Bulldogs, Shih Tzu,
Lhasa Apso,
Boxers and Pekingese can
suffer from heat stroke. This occurs
because the nasal passages are not
long enough to
allow proper cooling of
the air. If you notice your dog
begins to wheeze or even
stagger and cough
immediately discontinue the activity and get the dog
into the
shade or in a cool area.
Sponge the dog with cool water and encourage them to drink small
amounts. Burns burns are
relatively rare on
dogs but occasionally happen when camping and when there are
fires. Be sure to immediately apply a
wet, cold compress to the burn
area and apply gentle pressure.
Do not use a dry
cloth as it can cause problems if the area seals over with the cloth in the tissue. A moist cloth
will prevent this from happening as much as possible.
Never use butter or other fatty or oily substance on a
burn. Keep the area clean and free from debris until it can
be treated by a vet.
Cuts cuts to the body,
head and feet should immediately be covered with a sterile bandage or cloth and gentle pressure applied to stop the bleeding. The dog should be immobilized in a blanket or towel to prevent any movement. Wrapping a dog in a towel or blanket can be
difficult and it usually requires more than one person, especially if the dog is panicking or in pain.
Objects stuck in the mouth or
throat often dogs will find bit of bone or even
sticks that splinter and cause choking. If your dog is pawing
at its mouth, drooling or salivating
excessively or
constantly working its jaw there may well be something stuck in the back of the mouth or throat. Do not attempt to pull out the object, rather immobilize the dogs
muzzle using a strip of cloth or a muzzle. Never make the bandage too tight as this can cause breathing problems. Immobilize the dog and
take them to a vet immediately.
Eating Poisonous substances Locate the item the dog ate and bring it with you to the vet. Do not attempt to force the dog to vomit as this can burn the esophagus and stomach and cause further complications.
Immediately transport the dog to a vet. Calling ahead to let the vet know what the dog
has eaten helps the vet prepare for the emergency. In addition the vet may be able to give further instructions on what to do.
Frostbite dogs that are left too long in cold conditions can get frostbite, usually on their ears, tails and feet. Bring the dog immediately indoors and apply warm, not hot,
compresses to the area. Do not use a hair dryer or other direct heat
source. Immediately
take the dog to the vet to avoid tissue loss and permanent
damage. Many vets, colleges and grooming and training professionals offer courses in pet first aid.
Plan to
attend one and learn more about what you can do to help your dog in an emergency situation.
Kelly Marshall is a popular contributor at
http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com - where you can find dog beds, dog steps, pet
ramps, and more unique dog gear that you'll never find at your local pet store.