Guest Author: Dr. Gregory Todd, Animal Hospital of Dunedin
One of the most stressful experiences any pet owner will encounter is a medical emergency with their pet. Staying calm during such a crisis can greatly improve the outcomes for both the pet and the family. This article will discuss some basic concerns about pet first aid. It is important to know how to stay safe while you help, what types of emergencies can arise, what goes into a first aid kit, and where you can learn more.
When you set out to help your pet in an emergency, be sure that you take the proper precautions to protect yourself from injury. Don’t allow one emergency to become two emergencies. Our pets love us unconditionally but a pet in pain or afraid is capable of seriously biting or scratching family members. Please use good judgment when attempting to help your pet. If the pet is painful or afraid, it may be wise to use a towel or some gauze to create a muzzle to prevent a bite to those attempting aid. Never muzzle a vomiting pet!
All first aid should be administered with the goal of helping your pet while transporting them to receive proper veterinary care. Emergent diseases severe enough to cause concern should be addressed with speed. Always seek proper veterinary care when an emergency arises. If you have any concerns that the crisis may not be handled completely, it is better to have the pet checked than to allow the situation to become more serious.
Some of the most common emergencies include bites, bleeding, burns, choking, fractures, heat stroke, seizures, shock, and trauma. Each of these has different concerns and handles.
Bite wounds: If your pet is bitten and there are no fractures or excess bleeding, transport your pet for veterinary care. Often there will be more trauma to the tissues than is readily apparent. The wound will need to be irrigated and cleaned. Debridement may be necessary as well as antibiotics.
Bleeding: Bleeding can be from either internal or external sources. If the bleeding is readily apparent externally, the key is to apply direct pressure. In some cases you may need to muzzle your pet before they will allow you to do so. Never take chances. Always muzzle your pet if the pet seems to painful. Then apply direct pressure to the wound with a thick, clean cloth and transport your pet immediately for veterinary care to your family veterinarian or a local veterinary emergency clinic. Internal bleeding can be the result of poisons, tumors, or trauma. The signs include bleeding from the nose, mouth, or anus. Pets may cough up blood or pass blood in the urine or stool. With severe blood loss the pet may collapse, have pale gums, or a thready and weak pulse. Keep your pet warm and seek immediate veterinary care.
Burns: Burns can occur from chemicals, fire, or electric devices. Always remove your pet from the vicinity of the accident. With burns it is generally wise to wash the area with large amounts of cool water. If there are chemicals, this will help to remove any remaining residue. With thermal or electrical burns the cool water will help to prevent further damage to the tissues. Remember burns are very painful. A muzzle may need to be applied before attempting to care for these wounds.
After cleaning the wound please seek veterinary care. Burns easily become infected and frequently need follow up care to remove dying tissue or debridement.
Choking: This can be one of the scariest emergencies at home. Time is of the essence, but it is important not to panic. The symptoms of choking for pets include difficulty breathing, pawing at the mouth, excessive salivation, increased or choking breathing sounds, or blue tinged tongue or lips. If your pet can still breathe, keep them calm and take them to the vet immediately. Try to look into the pet’s mouth, but remember, pets will bite due to panic. If you see the object, use pliers or tweezers to attempt to GENTLY dislodge it from the mouth. If you can’t remove the object, you can attempt to dislodge it by applying quick pressure to both sides of your pet’s chest. This may best be done with your pet lying on its side.
When attempting to remove foreign objects, be careful not to push them further down the airway and don’t spend a lot of time trying to remove the object yourself. Time is of the essence and the best way to handle this emergency is with the help of a trained veterinary team.
Fractures: If your pet suffers a traumatic fracture, it is best to not attempt to splint the limb yourself. If there is bleeding or exposed bone, muzzle your pet and gently cover the area with a clean cloth. Place your pet on a firm surface if possible and then seek immediate veterinary care.
Heat Stroke: Heat stroke is a common emergency here in Florida. If your pet becomes over heated or collapses from heat exposure, place a towel moistened with cool water along the ventrum or abdomen of your pet. Replace the towel frequently and seek immediate veterinary care. Frequently people want to submerge the pet in an ice bath. This can cause severe problems and should not be done. The best way to handle this situation is to seek veterinary care while cooling the body gently with cool towels.
Poisoning: A good rule of thumb to safe guard your pet is anything that can hurt you can hurt your pet. Common poisons include drugs, pesticides, cleaning products, antifreeze and rodenticides. If your pet is exposed to any of these substances, contact your local veterinarian or veterinary emergency clinic immediately. Take any packaging that the substance came in and any remaining toxin with you and your pet immediately to the doctor for treatment. The internet is a great tool, but it isn’t the best way to handle a possible poisoning during the crisis. To learn more about what may pose a potential threat before exposure check out the ASPCA Poison Control Website.
Seizures: Pets can have seizures from a number of problems. Commonly seizures will last 2-3 minutes. Do not attempt to restrain your pet. Keep the pet away from objects which might cause trauma such as furniture and wait for the seizure to stop. Then immediately take your pet for veterinary care.
Shock: Shock can result from electric shock, sepsis or infection, heart disease, or trauma. Pets may appear dull or mentally unaware. They may shiver as if cold or afraid, or possibly even collapse.
If any of these signs occur, keep your pet warm and seek immediate veterinary care.
Trauma: Falls, hit by car, or injuries during play can all lead to significant physical trauma for our pets. Frequently, these types of accidents will result in one of the conditions discussed above. After any significant trauma the safest plan is to have your pet examined by a veterinarian.
A good pet first aid kit contains information as well as supplies. Perhaps the most important things in your first aid kit are phone numbers. The phone number of your family veterinarian should be the first thing on your list. Also include the telephone number of the veterinary emergency clinic recommended by your family practitioner. Then consider having on hand the following supplies. Learn more on the AVMA website.
Learn more about Pet Wellness at the Animal Hospital of Dunedin.
