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Don't give the pet patient anything to eat or drink unless the vet tells you to do so.
Life-threatening emergencies need speedy action, but, don't let 'heroism' interfere with common sense.
There are ways that you can prepare for emergencies, and first aid can often save life.
1. Keep the name, address and telephone number of your own vet next to the phone. Do not use the emergency telephone number you called in the past, as the practice may use a locum service, or be part of an emergency cover group.
2. Keep a working pen and paper by the phone to take down instructions if necessary.
3. Don't dash along to the practice without telephoning first. It may be that the emergencies are seen at a different site, or it may be vital for the vet to give advice, or get the operating theatre prepared.
4. Keep a Pet First Aid kit at home and with you when you are travelling.
43 hits
First aid kit
Picture of a dog
A good pet first aid kit will contain:
* Bandages
* Roll of 2.5cm adhesive
* 2 x rolls crepe bandage plus safety pins
* 2 x rolls of white open-weave/conforming
* Two x 100g boxes of cotton wool
* Clean pieces of sheeting
* One box of sterilised white absorbent gauze
* One 100g box of absorbent lint
* Emergency muzzle ties
* 2 x 1.5m lengths of strong tape
* Swabs
* Water wash bottle
* Tweezers
* 5" flat scissors with round ends
* Bicarbonate and Vinegar
* One tube of ointment
* Antihistamine cream
* Antibacterial cream
For larger animals it is also useful to have
* Access to a rug or blanket that can be used as a stretcher
For dogs in particular
* Heavy duty nail clippers specifically designed for using on dogs
* Strong dog lead
Fits
* If possible, leave the dog where it has collapsed, unless it is a dangerous situation, such as on a road
* Try to make sure the dog doesn't injure itself
* Turn off any electric or gas fires
* Move furniture and objects away from the dog
* Try and keep the dog as quiet and calm as possible
* Ask onlookers to leave
* Draw the curtains
* Switch off the TV, radio or hi-fi
* Cushions and rugs can be positioned around the dog to protect it
* Keep the dog's head down, not raised
* During the fit, interfere with the dog as little as possible
* If possible, check that the collar is not too tight. If outdoors, do not loosen too much, as the dog may need to be restrained afterwards
Foreign body (FB) in mouth or throat
* Need two people
* One holds the mouth open
* The other person removes the FB if possible. CARE
* Don't put anything down the dog's throat/in the mouth in the attempt to remove the object
* Stop if the FB is being pushed further down the throat. This will only make the obstruction worse
* Sometimes when dogs are running after a rubber ball, they may catch it at such a speed that it becomes lodged at the back of the throat. The dogs will be
* Very distressed
* Choking
* May even collapse because of lack of oxygen
* Try to grasp the ball and pull it forwards
* Sometimes the rubber ball can be forced back. In a life or death situation you can
* Lie the dog on its side on a firm surface
* Apply a sudden downward push on the abdomen with both hands, just behind the last rib
* The second person should open the dog's mouth and try to grab the ball before it goes back down the throat
Gastric torsion - major emergency
* Swollen stomach like a drum
* Contact the vet immediately, and be prepared to transport the dog to the veterinary practice
Heatstroke
* Dog will be panting and very distressed
* Remove the dog from the hot surroundings
* Lower the dog's body temperature
* Cover with wet sheets
* Place in a tepid bath, gradually cooling the water
* Place near a fan, taking care no electrical danger
* Gradually reduce the core temperature
* Don't throw a pail of water over the dog
* Dry the dog, and place in a cool environment
* Provide plenty of water to drink
Bleeding
* Bright red spurting blood is coming from an artery
* Apply a pressure bandage
* If the blood seeps through the bandage, do not remove it, as this will destroy any clots being formed. Put another one on top
* Do not use a tourniquet
Broken Bones
* Signs of a broken bone are
* Pain
* Swelling
* Unnatural movement
* Loss of function
* Deformity
* Grating noise
* Restrict the dog's movement, if possible
* Transfer it to a small area, such as a bathroom
* Try and persuade the dog to lie down, with the fracture uppermost
* Deal with any severe bleeding before attempting to deal with the fracture
* Don't attempt to 'set' or 'support' the bone, as you can cause the bone to puncture the skin
* Wash any piece of bone that has been sheared off and put in a clean container. Take it along to the vet with the dog
Birth Difficulties
* In general, bitches give birth without any problems
* If the pregnant dog does not produce a puppy within 4 hours of beginning labour, contact the vet immediately
* If the dog in labour produces a greenish discharge before any young have been produced, contact the vet immediately
* A greenish discharge after the young and afterbirth have been expelled is normal
* If a pup is not breathing, wipe the mouth and nostrils free of liquid, rub the pup vigorously with a dry towel until it begins to breathe
Burns and scalds
* If the dog is actually on fire, smother the flames with a fire blanket, coat or rug. The dog will be very frightened, and may bite
* Clean off what has caused the burn if you can, such as oil, barbecue embers
* Do not clip the hair or apply anything except water
* Remove any constriction around the burnt area, such as a collar, but do not try and pull away any burnt material from the skin
* Copiously douse the affected area in water for about ten minutes, ensure the animal is seen by a vet as soon as possible
Poisoning
* If possible, note down as many details as you can about the poison
* Don't try and make the dog sick unless the vet tells you to do so
Stings
* Gently pull out the bee sting with a pair of tweezers trying to avoid squeezing the poison sac and 'injecting' any further toxin
* Clean the area thoroughly, with copious water or a bicarbonate solution of one level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in a tumbler full of tepid water
* Apply a soothing cream from the First Aid Kit
* If the dog is stung in the throat or reacts severely, contact the vet
Tar on feet
* Clip the hair and remove as much tar as possible with fingers or tweezers
* Rub a mild detergent, such as washing-up liquid, over the skin
* Rinse copiously, as the tar may burn the pads
* Do not use a flammable cleaning agent, such as petrol
Wounds, cuts and grazes
* Clean well with water
* Dab gently with a pad of clean gauze, lint, cotton wool or paper towels soaked in tepid water
* Pick out any large piece of grit and dirt from the wound
* If these are difficult to remove, wash the wound with running water under a tap or from the washer bottle.
* Do not add household disinfectants or other antiseptic agents to the cleaning water. These may cause skin reactions
* Do not be too vigorous in cleaning, as this may cause further damage
* Apply a dressing
* Do not allow the dog to lick the area
Drowning
* Dogs are usually good swimmers, but drowning often occurs when the dog becomes too exhausted DO NOT PUT YOURSELF AT RISK
* Wipe away any material, such as thick oil or mud, from the dog's mouth and nose
* Grasp the dog's thighs, one in each hand, and lift the dog off the ground, upside down
* Put the dog on the ground after the water has drained from the airways, if possible with the head lower than the rest of the body
* Resuscitate if necessary
* Dry off and keep warm, but do not stop artificial respiration to do this
Electric Shock
* In the home
* Don't touch the dog until you've switched off the electricity
* Resuscitate if necessary
* Outside e.g. power lines
* Don't approach if the dog is still within 20 yards of the power source
* Keep bystanders at bay
* Call the police
* Only approach when fire brigade/police allow you to
Eye injuries
* The prolapsed eye is bulging from the socket
* This is more common in the short-nosed breeds
* Do not try and replace it
* Apply wet cold dressing to the eye to support the eyeball and to keep it moist and cool
* Foreign body in the eye
* Cover with a wet dressing
* Irritants
* Flush with water from eye bottle
* Collect details of the irritant
* Do not allow the dog to rub the eyeball with their paw or along the ground
