|
If you have a dog at home, many of the supplies in your regular first aid kit will come in handy. However, the best thing is to have a separate kit for your pets so you don’t get medications confused or spread infection. Your doggy first aid kit should contain the following:
- Gauze sponges/bandages
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Eye drops
- Tweezers
- Small pair of scissors
- Instant ice pack
- Self-adhesive bandage
- Medical Tape
- Ace wrap
- Petroleum Jelly
- Rectal thermometer
- Pepto Bismol tablets
- Generic antihistamine tablets (25mg)
- Hydrocortisone cream (1% active ingredient)
- Hydrogen Peroxide
Additionally, keep a copy of your dog’s medical records in or near your first aid kit. The oral medications in the kit (Pepto Bismol, antihistamine) should only be used after consulting a vet—he’ll need to know how much your dog weighs to advise the right dose. Basic First Aid The most important thing to remember when treating an injured dog is to never put yourself in danger. If the dog is biting or in the middle of a busy street, call animal control of the local police department and let them handle the dog. Otherwise, remove the dog from danger and take whatever immediate first aid steps are necessary to preserve the dog’s life. Send someone else to call a veterinarian or do so yourself as soon as you can. Canine First Aid ABC’s Much like people, there are a few vital things to check when treating an injured dog. The easiest way to remember what to check first is ABC: airway, breathing, and circulation. If a dog is injured, first make sure it has a clear airway by clearing out and fluid or debris from its mouth. Pull the dog’s tongue forward gently. Check that the dog is breathing. If not, you can attempt artificial respiration. Consult your veterinarian or a reliable publication to learn how to give a dog CPR. Last, maintain the dog’s circulation be stopping or slowing and heavy bleeding. Serious Injury The following conditions require immediate attention from a vet, but there are a few things you can do initially that may improve your dog’s chances of survival and recovery. Bleeding The best way to stop bleeding is with firm pressure. Use sterile gauze from your dog first aid kit to pad the injury and firmly apply a bandage to slow blood flow. Don’t bother taping or securing the bandage too tightly since the vet will have to remove it once you arrive at her office. If your dog is bleeding in conjunction with a broken bone, it is best not to bandage the wound as it may cause further damage. Burns Treat the burns with cool water, but do not apply ice packs. Wrap the burned area in cool, wet towels while transporting your dog to the vet. If your dog has chemical burns, call poison control immediately and follow their instructions. Prevent your dog from licking a chemical burn at all costs. Choking If your dog is making noise, she can probably get the object out on her own. If she chokes for more than a minute, look into her mouth and see if you can locate the object she’s choking on. If possible, you can try to pull it out with your fingers or some tweezers. If you can get the object out on your own and your dog is still breathing, take her to the vet immediately. If your dog becomes unconscious, lay her on her side, gently pull her tongue forward, and carefully remove any visible blockage from her throat. If your dog remains unconscious, call your vet immediately and ask for instructions on how to perform canine rescue breathing. Drowning Never attempt to rescue a drowning dog by swimming out to it. Even small dogs can pull you under with them and endanger your own life. Instead, offer something for the dog to climb or hold onto like a board, pool skimmer, or branch. If the dog becomes unconscious, pull it from the water and (if it’s small enough) hand it upside down and gently swing it back and forth. This motion should help remove water from the dog’s lungs. Even if your dog recovers from a near drowning, take him into the vet because pneumonia may develop from water left in the lungs. Seizures Most dog seizures occur only once and have no lasting effects. Sometimes seizures occur because of a high fever or in response to an infection. If your dog has a seizure, do not attempt to restrain her. Clear everyone out of the room and dim the lights. After a dog has a seizure it is often disoriented and may become aggressive, so it’s important to give it a safe, quiet place to recover. If the seizure happens after your vet’s regular hours, you can watch your dog carefully and take her in the next day. However, if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes or several occur in rapid succession, you need to seek emergency veterinarian attention. Broken Bones, Sprains, Dislocations If your dog has an obviously broken bone or dislocated joint, take her to the vet immediately. Do not attempt to bandage or splint the break because the struggle may make it worse. Don’t give your dog any painkillers unless under the direction as a vet. Many human painkillers can be poisonous to dogs. If your dog is limping slightly or seems to have a sprain, you can try to treat it at home by keeping the dog quiet and applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the affected area. Your dog will soothe herself by licking the wound, which is fine and may even help increase circulation to the area. If the limp lasts more than 48 hours, take your dog to the vet to make sure there isn’t a more serious problem. Your vet can also prescribe painkillers that are safe for dogs. Cuts, Gashes, Bites Minor cuts and scrapes can be treated at home with warm water, hydrogen peroxide, and triple antibiotic ointment. Be sure to bandage the wound so your dog does not lick it. Bites should always be treated by a vet since they often become infected. Wounds that are large, gaping, or near a vital area like the chest or belly should be seen by a vet. Also seek veterinarian attention if the wound become smelly, inflamed, discharges puss, or your dog refuses to eat. Poisoning Poisoning is one of the leading causes of pet death, so the most important step you can take to protect your dog is to store all potentially poisonous substances out of his reach. Invest in some child-proof locks for the cabinets that hold household chemicals and install high shelves in the garage to hold antifreeze, fertilizer, and other dangerous products. If you suspect your dog has eaten something poisonous, call poison control or your vet right away. Keep the packaging from the poison handy so you can identify it for poison control. Your vet may suggest making your dog vomit and can tell you how to accomplish this. Depending on what your dog ate, he may or may not need to go into the vet’s office to have his stomach pumped.
|
