In a first-aid emergency situation the best thing to do is to remain calm so that you can provide care for your pet. Have a list of all the emergency veterinary clinics in your area with you at all times when outdoors and traveling with your pets.
Bug Bites, Hives/Facial Swelling from Allergic Reactions:
1. If your pet also develops vomiting, collapse, breathing difficulty please get them to a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.
2. Give Benadryl 25mg tablet(s), then take your pet to the veterinarian. Benadryl dosing:
Cuts/Scrapes:
1. Fit a basket muzzle on any pet who is scared and trying to bite from fear and pain.
2. Rinse contamination from the cut.
3. Soak the cut in diluted Betadine for 5-10 minutes, then dry it.
4. Apply a non-stick Telfa pad with ointment to the cut and bandage with gauze and vet wrap. Medical tape can be used to help secure bandages but must not be too tight
5. Apply a dog bootie (Mutt Luk) to feet that are cut or have scraped paw pads to protect the wound and keep the dog more comfortable.
6. Have your veterinarian evaluate the cut as soon as possible.
7. Remember: bandages that are left on too long or are too tight can cause severe damage to tissue, and if they are wet or dirty can cause infection.
**DEEP and LARGE cuts especially from bite wounds or punctures should be addressed by a veterinarian RIGHT AWAY due to risk of infection and sepsis**
Torn nails:
1. Fit a basket muzzle on any pet who is scared and trying to bite from fear and pain.
2. Trim the nails back, if the pet allows.
3. Soak the broken nail quick in diluted betadine and dry it.
4. If the quick is bleeding actively then just apply a bandage with gauze and vet wrap and take your pet to a veterinarian.
Burns:
1. Fit a basket muzzle on any pet who is scared and trying to bite from fear and pain.
2. Immediately run room temperature water over the burn to remove debris and cool.
3. Apply non-stick (Telfa) pads with ointment to burns and wrap – do not wrap too tightly!
4. Take your pet to a veterinarian for treatment. If the paw pads are burned please carry your animal or use some sort of stretcher for transport.
Sprains/Strains:
1. Fit a basket muzzle on a pet who is scared and trying to bite from fear and pain.
2. Ice or cool pack the injured area.
3. Keep the pet quiet and rested until your veterinarian can evaluate the injury.
4. Sometimes a perceived sprain can actually be a torn ligament or tendon so please be sure to have your veterinarian evaluate even “minor” sprains.
**DO NOT give aspirin or other pain medication without checking with your veterinarian first. Naproxen and Ibuprofen (as well as many other human medications) are TOXIC to dogs!**
Overheating:
1. Immediately put your pet in a shady and cool safe place.
2. Pour cool/room temperature water on your pet and, if available, make sure that there is a fan on him/her and make sure all paws are wet.
3. Give the pet cool water to drink.
4. Get your pet to a veterinarian immediately! Hyperthermia can cause severe and life threatening damage to the lungs, heart, gastrointestinal tract, etc. An incident of possible heat stroke or heat exhaustion should not be taken lightly. **Short faced dogs, overweight pets, and dark coated dogs are at highest risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Make sure your pet has access to shade and clean fresh water at all times in warm weather.**
***NEVER EVER EVER LEAVE YOUR DOG UNATTENDED IN THE CAR IN WARM WEATHER!***
Poison Substance or Plant Ingestion:
If your pet ingests any of the known toxins below, or another item you think may be toxic, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Line at (888) 426-4435 and then take your pet to the veterinarian immediately. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is staffed by toxicology veterinarians, and the call only costs $65 and may save your pet’s life.
1. Plants and wild mushrooms
2. Bleach: Immediately give your pet milk, then call ASPCA Poison Control
3. Prescription medications, including medical marijuana.
**Prescription medications for people and animals are potent and some ingestions pose an immediate life threat!**
4. Anti-Freeze or other coolants
5. People food/beverages: grapes, raisins, chocolate, garlic/onion, macadamia nuts, xylitol (in sugar-free gum and candies), alcoholic beverages.
6. Rat/gopher bait (brodificoumb, bromethalin) – get your pet to a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY!
Choking:
1. Safely open your pet's mouth to fully view the back of the throat.
2. If you see something back there then have another person hold open the mouth and CAREFULLY insert your index finger past the obstruction then hook the object and gently pull out. **Please be careful as there is a risk of pushing an object further down.**
3. If the obstruction is still stuck then you may try a Heimlich-like maneuver: hug your pet's chest and swiftly compress with your arms. For a small animal you can gently compress the chest while the pet is on their side.
4. Often a pet will vomit after an obstruction is removed. This is ok, just make sure to point their head and neck down until they are done and then recheck the throat to make sure there is not anything else lodged there.
5. GET TO A VETERINARIAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
Drowning:
1. Carefully pull your dog to safety. Dogs can panic when they are drowning so make sure that you have help pulling your dog to safety to minimize your risk.
2. Aim the pet's head down at a 45 degree angle to help fluid flow out and down from the nose and mouth.
3. Assess alertness: if patient is alert and breathing then just make sure they are in a safe, warm place. Watch for coughing and take your pet to their veterinarian as soon ass possible.
4. If your pet is non-responsive: quickly listen with your ear up to the chest for breathing and heartbeat and look in the mouth to make sure there is not an obstruction in the throat. If there is no heartbeat then start chest compressions while your pet is lying on their side and get them to an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible.
5. Chest compressions:
***Epileptic patients and seizure disorder patients should NEVER go swimming!***
Bug Bites, Hives/Facial Swelling from Allergic Reactions:
1. If your pet also develops vomiting, collapse, breathing difficulty please get them to a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.
2. Give Benadryl 25mg tablet(s), then take your pet to the veterinarian. Benadryl dosing:
Cuts/Scrapes:
1. Fit a basket muzzle on any pet who is scared and trying to bite from fear and pain.
2. Rinse contamination from the cut.
3. Soak the cut in diluted Betadine for 5-10 minutes, then dry it.
4. Apply a non-stick Telfa pad with ointment to the cut and bandage with gauze and vet wrap. Medical tape can be used to help secure bandages but must not be too tight
5. Apply a dog bootie (Mutt Luk) to feet that are cut or have scraped paw pads to protect the wound and keep the dog more comfortable.
6. Have your veterinarian evaluate the cut as soon as possible.
7. Remember: bandages that are left on too long or are too tight can cause severe damage to tissue, and if they are wet or dirty can cause infection.
**DEEP and LARGE cuts especially from bite wounds or punctures should be addressed by a veterinarian RIGHT AWAY due to risk of infection and sepsis**
Torn nails:
1. Fit a basket muzzle on any pet who is scared and trying to bite from fear and pain.
2. Trim the nails back, if the pet allows.
3. Soak the broken nail quick in diluted betadine and dry it.
4. If the quick is bleeding actively then just apply a bandage with gauze and vet wrap and take your pet to a veterinarian.
- Medical tape can be used to help secure bandages but must not be too tight.
- Apply a dog bootie (Mutt Luk) if you cannot put a bandage on.
Burns:
1. Fit a basket muzzle on any pet who is scared and trying to bite from fear and pain.
2. Immediately run room temperature water over the burn to remove debris and cool.
3. Apply non-stick (Telfa) pads with ointment to burns and wrap – do not wrap too tightly!
4. Take your pet to a veterinarian for treatment. If the paw pads are burned please carry your animal or use some sort of stretcher for transport.
Sprains/Strains:
1. Fit a basket muzzle on a pet who is scared and trying to bite from fear and pain.
2. Ice or cool pack the injured area.
3. Keep the pet quiet and rested until your veterinarian can evaluate the injury.
4. Sometimes a perceived sprain can actually be a torn ligament or tendon so please be sure to have your veterinarian evaluate even “minor” sprains.
**DO NOT give aspirin or other pain medication without checking with your veterinarian first. Naproxen and Ibuprofen (as well as many other human medications) are TOXIC to dogs!**
Overheating:
1. Immediately put your pet in a shady and cool safe place.
2. Pour cool/room temperature water on your pet and, if available, make sure that there is a fan on him/her and make sure all paws are wet.
3. Give the pet cool water to drink.
4. Get your pet to a veterinarian immediately! Hyperthermia can cause severe and life threatening damage to the lungs, heart, gastrointestinal tract, etc. An incident of possible heat stroke or heat exhaustion should not be taken lightly. **Short faced dogs, overweight pets, and dark coated dogs are at highest risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Make sure your pet has access to shade and clean fresh water at all times in warm weather.**
***NEVER EVER EVER LEAVE YOUR DOG UNATTENDED IN THE CAR IN WARM WEATHER!***
Poison Substance or Plant Ingestion:
If your pet ingests any of the known toxins below, or another item you think may be toxic, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Line at (888) 426-4435 and then take your pet to the veterinarian immediately. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is staffed by toxicology veterinarians, and the call only costs $65 and may save your pet’s life.
1. Plants and wild mushrooms
2. Bleach: Immediately give your pet milk, then call ASPCA Poison Control
3. Prescription medications, including medical marijuana.
**Prescription medications for people and animals are potent and some ingestions pose an immediate life threat!**
4. Anti-Freeze or other coolants
5. People food/beverages: grapes, raisins, chocolate, garlic/onion, macadamia nuts, xylitol (in sugar-free gum and candies), alcoholic beverages.
6. Rat/gopher bait (brodificoumb, bromethalin) – get your pet to a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY!
Choking:
1. Safely open your pet's mouth to fully view the back of the throat.
2. If you see something back there then have another person hold open the mouth and CAREFULLY insert your index finger past the obstruction then hook the object and gently pull out. **Please be careful as there is a risk of pushing an object further down.**
3. If the obstruction is still stuck then you may try a Heimlich-like maneuver: hug your pet's chest and swiftly compress with your arms. For a small animal you can gently compress the chest while the pet is on their side.
4. Often a pet will vomit after an obstruction is removed. This is ok, just make sure to point their head and neck down until they are done and then recheck the throat to make sure there is not anything else lodged there.
5. GET TO A VETERINARIAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
Drowning:
1. Carefully pull your dog to safety. Dogs can panic when they are drowning so make sure that you have help pulling your dog to safety to minimize your risk.
2. Aim the pet's head down at a 45 degree angle to help fluid flow out and down from the nose and mouth.
3. Assess alertness: if patient is alert and breathing then just make sure they are in a safe, warm place. Watch for coughing and take your pet to their veterinarian as soon ass possible.
4. If your pet is non-responsive: quickly listen with your ear up to the chest for breathing and heartbeat and look in the mouth to make sure there is not an obstruction in the throat. If there is no heartbeat then start chest compressions while your pet is lying on their side and get them to an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible.
5. Chest compressions:
- Lie your pet on their side
- For a small animal, cup hands on either side of chest and firmly compress and repeat.
- For a large dog, kneel beside them and use both hands together to compress the chest and repeat.
- Chest compressions should be done to the tune of the Beegee's song "Staying Alive," any faster is not beneficial to the heart.
- Every 15-20 compressions listen for a heart beat and breathing/moving; as soon as you make it to a veterinarian they can take over and asses the patient.
***Epileptic patients and seizure disorder patients should NEVER go swimming!***