FIRST AID For Dogs
knowing how to go about administering first aid to your pets, and having the items you need within your reach is an important aspect of health management. If an emergency situation arise, your knowledge of first aid would help to keep your pet going until you can get her to veterinary clinic.
Situation that may require first aid include:-
Bleeding
– Bleeding may occur due to cuts from sharp objects e.g the dog may run into a sharp protrusion, or attempting to pass through a hole in a wire fence etc.
Treatment Apply pressure over the area until bleeding stops, deep wounds will require stitching and the vet’s attention will have to be called upon.
Sores
– A dog may develop sores on its skin for several reasons. Some of which include flea bite, persistent itching, allergic reaction to an internal or external substance. Many times, sores are -inflicted due to the dog’s preoccupation with an itch.
Treatment : Eliminate cause. More often than not, flea are the cause of itching, and dog should be treated for fleas.
Bite wounds
Dog fights often result into one or both of the dogs sustaining severe injuries.
Treatment :- Because most dog bite wounds are deep ( puncture wounds), they are prone to infection, and the animal will require antibiotics shots. Clean the wound with saline or clean water. Apply pressure to stop aby bleeding, and get the animal to the veterinary clinic.
* Burns :
– could be cause by electrical shocks, chemical substances or heat. Symptoms include blistering, exudation, redness and swelling of the skin.
Treatment :- flush the area with copious amounts of cold water. If available, aplly ice wrapped in a towel over the burnt area for some minutes. Get the animal to the vet.
Seizures :-
seizures could be due to several reasons. Symptoms include violent muscle spasms, salivation, unconsciousness etc.
Treatment – place the animal in a safe area to prevent him from injury himself. Keep the area as quiet as possible to enable the animal remain calm, and call for the veterinary attention.
Vomiting :
-could be the result of several factors including obstructions.
Treatment :– withhold food for 12-24 hours. Allow it to take water after the vomiting stops if it shows interest. Call for the veterinary attention.
Shock :
your dog may go into shock after bien involved in an accident causing severe infury. Signs include irregular breathing and dilated pupils.
Treatment :- rinse lower body to allow blood flow to the brain, and keep animal quiet and warm. Call for immediate veterinary attention.
Fractures:
fractures would occur when your pet is involved in an automobile or domestic accident. Signs include limb spread out in an awkward fashion, favoring of limb, pain etc.
Treatment : control any bleeding that may occur, and give support to the point of fractures to prevent further complications.
* Do not attempt to set or repair fracture. Get the dog to the vet immediately.
Heat stroke or exhaustion
Dog become prone to heat stroke during very hot weather, more so, when ventilation is poor e.g leaving them inside a hot room or car during summer without air conditioning.
Signs include labored breathing, panting, high body temperature. Etc
Treatment
A case of heat stroke should be approached as an emergency and immediate resuscitation is required. Place animal in a bath tub containing cold water. Use your hand to work the water into its coat properly. Do not stop until the dog shows some sign of normal breathing.
Snake bite and insect bite:
dogs may get bitten when they attempt to attack or ‘play’ with snake e.g when they are roaming in the garden. It is usually for you to know if you are not present.
Signs and symptoms include;-
– swelling up of the dog’s face
– Breathing problems e.g panting.
Treatment locate the bite wound and thoroughly wash, before ‘hurrying’ the dog the vet. Do not attempt to ‘suck out’ the venom yourself. Insects such as the bee and wasp ,ay also sting your dog. Apply soothing cream or ointment to the spot. You may seek for veterinary assistance if it swells up and seems out of control.
Choking
Dogs are always picking thing up to chew them e. g toys, bones, sticks etc. they sometimes get there materials stick up in their throat, leading to choking etc.
Signs include blue tongue, difficult breathing etc.
Treatment
Open the mouth to view and see if you can locate the foreign object. Try removing it with tweezers if it is not lodge too deep into the throat. If deeply lodged, you may have to get the dog to the veterinary clinic for sedation and removal.
Poisoning
Your dog may get poisoned by picking up and eating some stuffs in the house meant for your use. E.g medicines (e.g aspirin), paint, detergents, chemicals (e.g fertilizer), rat poison, cigarette ends etc.
Signs and symptoms include vomiting, salivation, spasms or convulsion, weakness etc
Treatment ; obtain some samples of the ingested material if possible, and call on your vet immediately. The sample you go along with could assist the vet in knowing how exactly to treat your dog.
Content of a mini First Aid Box
- Cotton wool
- Bandage (both gauge and adhesive)
- Scissors
- Thermometer
- Syringes
- Antibiotics cream or ointment
- Soothing cream
- Forceps
- Eye drops etc
