How to provide first aid for your pet
Every year many pets have accidents at home. Providing first aid for your pet can be very helpful and might save lives. Knowing what to do and how to stabilize your pet for transport to the vet is crucial in preventing any further damage from happening.
Firstly, be very careful when approaching your pet, if they are injured. Pets who are in pain or afraid might be aggressive, even towards you as the owner. It is advisable to throw a blanket or a towel over its head before trying to lift it up, and if you have a cat or a small dog put it in a box or a cage before transport.
First aid for your pet is primarily a matter of securing that the heart is beating and your pet is breathing. A vet must immediately oversee bleedings that do not stop within 5-10 minutes. Before you have been in contact with your vet, do NOT give your pet any type of medicine intended for human use. Some types of human medicine are very toxic for dogs and cats, so you might end up making things even worse than they already are.
Traffic accidents or falls
If your pet has been involved in a traffic accident or has fallen down from great height, it might have suffered damage to internal organs. These can be very serious and in some cases even life threatening. Animals in chock might not show signs of pain right away, so it is very important to take your pet straight to the vet, and if possible keep it warm during the transport.
Bleedings
The most important thing is to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible. Open wounds should be bandaged. You can use anything as a bandage, e.g. gauze, cloth a handkerchief, a towel etc. as long as the fabric is clean. Wrap the wound as good as possible, but not too tight, because that might compromise the general blood circulation and can be potentially life threatening. If the animal has suffered multiple injuries tend to the larger wounds first. In case of serious bleedings there might be a risk of the animal going into chock, so once the wounds have been bandaged as well as possible it is very important to take the animal to the vet.
Broken bones
To prevent any further damage in case of broken bones make sure the animal cannot touch the limb and try to restrict its movements if possible. If you have doubts as to whether or not a limb is broken it is better to be safe than sorry, so you should take the necessary precautions just in case. Be very careful when moving the animal for transport to the vet – if possible use a towel or a blanket as a stretcher – and try to keep the affected limb elevated to reduce swelling and pain. Suspicion of broken bones should always result in a visit to the vet sooner rather than later.
Burns/Electric shock
There are two different kinds of burns - heat/fire or chemical. If your pet has been burned by heat/fire you need to cool it down as quickly as possible. Place your pet in the shower and keep the water running for at least 10 minutes. Gradually reduce the temperature of the water to prevent the body temperature from dropping to fast, and do NOT use ice cold water. Almost the same applies to chemical burns, but most importantly, you must prevent the animal from licking the area. Hose the animal with cool water for at least 10 minutes, and if possible cover the affected area with a towel or something similar during transport to the vet.
Electrification will often result in burns, but most importantly, make sure the animal is breathing normally before you start examining it for any further injuries. Also, make sure the power is off before you touch the animal.
Poisoning
If you are suspecting poisoning, try to find out which substance your pet has eaten. Most chemical products contain safety information on the packaging explaining what to do in case of ingestion. It is very important that you do not try to induce vomiting unless the packaging specifically says so. Many of the compounds that pets can come into contact with are very corrosive and will cause even more damage to the esophagus and mouth if thrown up.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke can be life threatening to pets, and in most cases require you to act quickly. If possible, hose the animal in lukewarm water or wrap it in a wet towel or blanket. The first symptoms of heatstroke is the animal acting stressed or restless. Drooling or breathlessness are symptoms that are more serious and will most often require you to take the animal to see the vet.
Checklist
In the case of an accident happening, this checklist can be very helpful to follow. In cases of injuries to your pet, it helps to keep you calm, which will often aid in making the situation much less stressful for your pet.
- Assess the situation and keep calm
- Keep your own safety in mind
- Examine the pet
- Try to treat/stabilize the injuries as well as possible
- Make sure your pet cannot make its situation worse
- If you suspect damage to internal organs keep the animal warm
- In case of heatstroke/burns cool the animal down
- Contact your vet as soon as the situation is under control
By Therese G. Hosbjerg, DVM and Technical manager at Bacterfield GMBH
