MORE TIPS & ARTICLES

(posted 4/25/12)

PRINCIPLES OF FIRST AID

DO NOT PANIC
Stay calm. The dog’s life may depend upon your common sense.

ASSESS THE SITUATION
What has happened?

ARE YOU IN DANGER?
Do not take foolish risks.

IS THE DOG IN FURTHER DANGER?
Carefully move the dog if it is safe to do so.

ASSESS THE DOG’S CONDITION
Is it conscious or unconscious? Do not waste time with a detailed examination or diagnosis until immediate problems are treated.

GIVE EMERGENCY FIRST AID
Give artificial respiration and heart massage if necessary.

GET HELP IF NECESSARY OR AVAILABLE
When possible, one person organizes equipment and transport while the other tends to the injured dog.

TRANSPORT THE DOG TO THE VET
Have your vet’s phone number programmed into your cell phone and call to alert the clinic of your pending arrival.

WATCH FOR SHOCK
Regardless of its specific cause, shock is the most likely life threatening emergency you will encounter.

SIGNS OF SHOCK: pale or white gums, rapid breathing, weak and rapid pulse, cold extremities, general weakness.

FIRST AID KITS

Despite our best precautions to keep our dogs safe, no matter how careful we are, accidents can happen.  Dog owners should have a first-aid kit, so that they’re prepared for emergencies and don’t lose their heads and forget what to do.  Many pet first-aid kits are on the market, although you can easily put one together.  If you’re buying individual items for a kit, these are the basics and their application:

• Bandaging materials:  gauze rolls, gauze pads, adhesive tape.
• Vet wrap, a self-clinging elastic wrap
• Scissors
• Styptic pencil or powder to stop nails from bleeding if they were cut too close
• Tweezers or forceps
• Eyewash
• Needle nose pliers
• Rectal thermometer – normal temperature for a dog is 99.5 to 102.5 F. You should take your dog’s temperature so you know what is normal for your dog.
• K-Y jelly
• Triple antibiotic ointment to help prevent infection
• Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine that is useful for bee stings that can cause swelling
• Cold pack to reduce swelling
• Hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting: one teaspoon for each 10 pounds of body weight (repeat dose in 20 minutes if it hasn’t worked).  If possible, check the label of the poison to see if this is appropriate; sometimes it can worsen poisoning.
• Antiseptic wipes to clean your hands or a cut on the dog
• Alcohol prep pads to clean scissors and tweezers before use.  They should not be used directly on a wound.
• Muzzle – Even the friendliest dog will bite when in pain.  You can use a piece of gauze, a belt or a leash for a muzzle.
• Instruction booklet - for most of us, seeing our dog bleeding can cause us to panic and forget any first aid we know.  If you create your own kit, buy a first-aid guide for it.
• Phone numbers of emergency providers/veterinarian, poison control, 24 hour ER.  

Some pet first-aid kits include skin staplers, but they require expertise beyond the average dog owner’s.  If you’re close to a vet, you’re probably better off just wrapping an injury rather than using the skin stapler.  Don’t use the tourniquet supplied in some kits unless you’ve been trained to do so.  If used improperly, it can shut off the blood supply and cause loss of a limb.  If you must use a splint, don’t straighten a broken limb.  Wrap it loosely in its current position or, again, you risk shutting off circulation.  If no splint is available, use a paper towel roll or rolled magazines.  After you’ve treated your dog, determine if you need to make an emergency visit.  It depends on the dog’s behavior.  If he acts normal he’s probably OK, but if he’s lethargic, not eating or not behaving normally, he should be seen.

Whether you buy or make your own kit, check it annually to make sure all products are intact.  Antiseptic wipes can dry out.  Extreme temperatures can ruin some products.  Also check products with expiration dates to make sure they’re current.