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Pet Health - First Aid
Abrasions
Artificial Respiration
Birth
Bite wounds
Bloat
Broken toenail
Burns
Choking
CPR
Cuts
Diarrhea
Eye injuries
Fractures
Frostbite
Heat exhaustion/ Heatstroke
Hit by car
Hot Spots
Insect bites
Punctures
Poisoning
Seizures
Urination blockage (inability to urinate)
Vomiting
Pet First Aid Kit
Abrasions:
An abrasion does not fully penetrate and only involves the outer layer of skin.
Small, uninfected wounds can be attended to at home. Large, infected, or multiple
abrasions should be treated by a veterinarian. Use warm water or saline to flush
out the wound. Flush enough to remove all dirt and debris from the area. Keep the
wound clean and dry, and discourage your pet from licking at it (you may need to
pick up an Elizabethan collar from your veterinarian). Monitor the wound for increasing
pain, redness, or a pus-like discharge. If any of these occur, the animal should
be seen by a veterinarian.
Artificial respiration:
If your animal stops breathing, you may need to start artificial respirations. Please
refer to the information under “CPR”.
Birth (Whelping and Queening):
Dogs and cats have gestation periods of approximately 58 to 64 days. After 45 days,
you could have an x-ray taken to see how many puppies or kittens to expect. By this
time the skeletal tissues have calcified enough to be seen on a radiograph. At the
time of birth, the animal will usually nest and will seek an isolated, quiet and
private area. Expect one pup every 45-60 minutes with 10-30 minutes of hard straining.
If she is seen straining hard for over one hour or if she takes longer than a four-hour
break and you know more pups or kittens are present, a veterinarian should be consulted.
Cats tend to queen a little faster, although they can occasionally take up to 24
hours to birth the entire litter, especially if the queen is young or nervous. Help
clean the airways of the new puppies and kittens and place them back with their
mother to start nursing.
Seek veterinary attention immediately if:
- The mother appears to be in pain
- 30-60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no newborn being produced
- Greater than four hours pass between newborns and you expect more
- A fetus seems to be stuck in the birth canal
- More than 65 days of gestation (since the last breeding) have passed
- The mother passes a green-colored or foul smelling vaginal discharge
Bite wounds:
Your animal may be frightened and hurt, so approach with caution. Use a muzzle if
needed. Flush out the wound with saline or warm water. Apply pressure if it there
is active bleeding. A light bandage may be applied to a limb if there is extensive
bleeding, but take care to not wrap the limb too tight, cutting off circulation.
Any bite wound to the chest or abdomen has potential to be penetrating into the
body cavity. Cover chest and abdominal wounds with a clean cloth or bandage material
and have your pet seen by a veterinarian immediately. Be sure to have your pet examined
if there has been any bite wound inflicted. Often what you see at the surface, such
as a few small punctures or bruising, will have extensive deeper tissue damage that
you cannot see. Bite wounds can become infected, so it is necessary to have your
pet started on appropriate antibiotic therapy.
Bloat:
What is Bloat?
Bloat, or gastric dilatation and volvulus, is a condition in which the stomach rotates
on its own axis. Once the stomach flips, the entrance and exits to the stomach become
pinched off, and it becomes greatly distended with gas that has no outlet. The stomach
becomes greatly dilated and painful, and circulation to the stomach and other major
organs becomes severely compromised, leading to shock and eventual death.
Bloat can occur rapidly; a dog can be dead within hours of the stomach distention. Bloat is most prevalent in large breeds with deep chests and seems to occur more commonly in dogs who have a tendency to be easily agitated or nervous, and in dogs who exercise after a large meal. Any time bloat occurs, it is very serious. Symptoms include attempts at vomiting with no production (occasionally they may get up small amounts of foamy fluid); a hard, distended abdomen; and severe abdominal pain. If you observe any of these symptoms in your dog, it must be transported to a veterinarian immediately. This is a true emergency.
Broken toenail:
To stop the bleeding, you may pack the nail with styptic powder, cornstarch, or
white ivory soap. You or your veterinarian may need to trim the rest of the nail
off to prevent further pain or bleeding. Occasionally a nail that breaks off very
close to the nail bed may create an infection in the toe that will require antibiotic
treatment so watch for any limping that persists longer than two days.
Burns:
Flush the injury immediately with cool running water. Gently apply an ice pack wrapped
in a soft towel to the area. Seek veterinary attention immediately.
Choking:
Check to see if your animal is choking on a foreign object. If so, be careful not
to get bitten, or push the object further down the throat. If the animal can still
pass some breath, it is best to take it to a veterinarian immediately, so the object
can be removed under sedation with the proper instrumentation. If the animal cannot
pass any air, you can try to remove or dislodge the object carefully. If possible,
use a second person to hold the mouth open while the first person attempts to remove
the object. Pliers or tweezers may be used to grasp the object if the animal is
calm and the object is visible in the back of the throat. If the object is not visible
or cannot be dislodged, you may also use quick chest compressions by standing behind
the animal and balling the fists under the sternum and use gentle but firm upward
thrusts to force air from the lungs to dislodge the object. Even if you are able
to dislodge the object yourself, always seek veterinary care after the incident
to make sure there are no complications.
CPR:
Check to see if your animal is choking on a foreign object. If so, see “Choking.”
If the animal is not breathing and the airway and mouth are free of objects, lay
it down on its right side. Check for a heartbeat by listening to the chest where
the elbow touches the ribs. If there is no heartbeat, you can start chest compressions
with the flat of your hand. If the animal is a medium-sized or large dog, kneel
over the animal and place one hand over the top of the other on the center of the
chest. Then compress downward, moving the chest in and out rapidly (approximately
one compression per second). Alternatively, if the animal is a cat or a small dog,
you can place one or both hands on either side of the chest and compress inwards.
To breathe for the animal extend the neck so that there is a straight airway, close
its mouth; place your mouth around its nose and mouth (or just its nose if it is
a large dog) and blow air into the nose until the chest expands. Be sure to keep
the neck out straight, not flexed. You should be able to see the chest expand with
each breath... don't over-do forcing air into the lungs. This should be performed
every 5 seconds. If chest compressions are required to stimulate heart contractions,
alternate this with the breathing procedure after 10 heart compressions. Seek veterinary
attention immediately. Unfortunately, this procedure, because the patient may already
be dead, is extremely unsuccessful in animals.
Cuts:
Use warm water or saline to flush out the wound. Flush enough to remove all dirt
and debris from the area. Apply direct pressure with a cloth or towel if the wound
is bleeding. A bandage can be applied to a wound on a limb if the bleeding will
not stop. Take care not to apply the bandage too tightly, cutting off circulation
to the limb. Cuts should always be treated by a veterinarian to prevent infection
and to assess for damage to the deeper tissues.
Diarrhea:
Your judgment regarding the health status of a pet with diarrhea is critical. A
pet with diarrhea and also weakness, pain, vomiting, or agitation may be in real
trouble; whereas a pet with diarrhea but few other signs of distress may sometimes
be treated at home. Always inform your veterinarian about the situation and have
a fecal sample checked just in case worms or other parasites such as Giardia are
a factor. Withhold food only for 12-24 hours to give the intestines a rest. Water
should still be given frequently but in small amounts. Call your veterinarian for
advice. You may be required to bring your animal in for medical attention if it
persists for more than 24-48 hours or if there are concurrent symptoms (vomiting,
weakness, lethargy, appetite loss, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea). Chronic or
frequent episodes of loose stool may be a sign of Inflammatory Bowel Disease which
often requires veterinary attention.
Eye injuries:
Any injury to the eye can lead to permanent scarring or blindness. You can use any
commercial saline flush to clean foreign objects from the eye and to visualize the
extent of the damage. If your animal is squinting, hiding its eyes from the light,
has a raised third eyelid or has any blood within or around the eye, seek veterinary
attention immediately. Home treatment of eye injuries is not recommended without
a veterinarian's exam and recommendation. Even a simple scratch on the cornea from
a thorn or cinder could lead to severe damage to the eye.
Fractures:
Your animal may be frightened and hurt, so approach with caution. Use a muzzle and
look for bleeding. Apply a clean cloth or bandage material gently to bleeding areas
for protection and mild pressure. Do not pull on the fractured leg. Transport your
pet as quickly as possible to your veterinarian, using a board or large blanket
as a stretcher. Give careful support to any fractured limbs. Simple support may
be better than trying to splint a fractured limb yourself. If the limb is severely
unstable, or if the fracture is open, and there is a lot of movement of the fracture
site, a temporary splint can be applied. Wrap a newspaper or magazine around the
limb, and tape it in place, or tape a thin board to the limb, preventing movement
of the fractured edges. Immobilization of the fractured limb is the key, as any
movement of the fractured bones can lead to further tissue damage and pain.
Frostbite:
Frostbite is uncommon in animals and usually affects the ear tips, paws (mostly
the footpads), tail, and scrotum. Hypothermia (low body temperature less than 98*F)
may accompany frostbite. Signs of frostbite may be difficult to detect on pigmented
skin. Typically the affected skin is pale or bluish in color early on in frostbite
(will not detect on the footpads). There is a loss of sensation to the affected
areas. With time if the frostbite is severe blisters may appear or the skin may
develop dark scabs and the tissue may slough off. Signs of hypothermia are related
to the degree of severity and may include shivering (not if temperature below 90°F),
dullness, weakness or collapse, low heart rate, pale gums, shallow or slow breathing
and coma. Treatment for frostbite and hypothermia includes removing the animal from
the cold and checking for low body temperature. If hypothermia is present wrap the
animal in blankets. If frostbite is present apply warm, moist compresses to the
affected areas. If the feet or a large area of the body have frostbite, submerge
these areas in water warmed to 102 - 103°F for 10 – 15 minutes. Gently
dry the areas. DO NOT RUB THE AFFECTED AREAS as this will cause more tissue damage.
Do not use dry heat such as hairdryers or electric heating pads for re-warming as
further damage may occur. Seek veterinary attention immediately.
Heat exhaustion/ Heatstroke:
Heat exhaustion or heatstroke (more severe form of overheating) occurs when an animal
cannot keep its core body temperature within a safe range (< 106°F). Environmental
(temperature, humidity, shelter, lack of water), physical (breed, age, weight, exercise),
and medical (medications, pre-existing illness) factors contribute to the development
of heatstroke. Pets left in warm cars for even a few minutes are at high risk of
developing heatstroke. Severity of signs depends on how severely the body temperature
is elevated, duration of exposure to adverse conditions, and any pre-existing conditions.
Signs may include: restlessness, excessive panting, brick red gums, lethargy, weakness,
wobbly gait, vomiting and diarrhea. Progression to blindness, seizures, collapse,
coma and death may occur. Treatment must start immediately. Remove the animal from
the heat and continuously wet down the animal thoroughly by spraying or pouring
cool water over the animal. Make sure there is complete penetration of the hair
coat and that the belly and groin areas are wetted down as well. Avoid complete
immersion in water because heat cannot leave the body as effectively. If available
use a fan to help cool the animal while it is wet. If possible take the rectal temperature
and stop cooling measures when the temperature is 103°F. Once you begin cooling
measures take your pet to a veterinarian immediately and continue cooling (air conditioning)
enroute if needed.
Hit by car:
Before administering first aid, make sure the animal and you are not in danger of
further injury from oncoming traffic. Apply a muzzle on dogs and put a blanket over
cats before attempting to touch the animal to decrease the chance of being bitten
or scratched. Check the animal’s level of alertness as well as its breathing
rate and effort. If the animal is unconscious and not breathing check for a heartbeat.
See the section on CPR if there is no breathing or heartbeat. If possible check
the color of the gums (do not attempt on a dog who is not muzzled or on an alert,
fearful cat). Pale gums may indicate shock or bleeding. Check for external bleeding
and open wounds. If external bleeding is severe especially if the blood is spurting
instead of oozing, apply direct pressure over the wound using a clean gauze or cloth.
If severe bleeding is present and the wound is on a leg, the chest, or the belly
place a clean wrap over the sight. Do not use tourniquets to stop bleeding. IF the
animal bleeds through a bandage do not remove the bandage but place a new one over
it. Check for any abnormal position of the limbs but do not attempt to straighten
or re-position the leg. If bone is visible through a wound rinse the area with clean
water and place a clean bandage over the exposed bone. Transport dogs to the veterinarian
immediately on a board, stretcher, or a blanket used as a stretcher. Make sure the
legs of the animal are supported on the board or stretcher and that the animal can
not fall off .Cats and small dogs may be placed in a small box or carrier. All animals
hit by a car should be examined by a veterinarian regardless of how mild the signs
may appear to be.
Hot Spots:
Hot spots (acute moist dermatitis) are seen more frequently in dogs than cats. These
lesions are due to self inflicted trauma (licking, scratching, biting) that is set
off by a skin irritant. Causes of irritation include fleas, allergies, insect and
tick bites, skin infections and grooming complications. Typically, the lesions are
moist, red, very tender and itchy, and have a foul odor. Hair loss may or may not
be present and often the extent of the lesion is not seen if the pet has a thick
hair coat. Lesions can be in multiple areas and grow rapidly in size. Treatment
includes stopping the irritation and itching, controlling infection and removing
the inciting cause when possible. For initial home care clean the area with tepid
water and a mild veterinary approved solution and prevent the animal from scratching
or chewing at the area. Cool compresses may temporarily relieve the irritation but
usually an oral or topical mediation prescribed by your veterinarian is needed.
Drying agents as well as antibiotics may be recommended by your veterinarian.
Insect bites:
Allergic reactions to bees, hornets, yellow jackets, wasps, and spiders are common
in dogs and cats. Most of the bites/stings occur on the face, ears and paws. Typical
signs of an allergic reaction are swelling and redness around the eyes, eyelids,
muzzle, nose, and ears. If the bite/sting occurs on the paw it will be swollen.
Trouble breathing may occur in severe allergic reactions. If an animal has these
signs, look for a stinger and remove it with tweezers if it is present. Most animals
will need to see a veterinarian to receive the initial allergy medications by injection
but call your veterinarian for advice regarding home vs. clinic treatment. Your
veterinarian may advise to have antihistamines available at home for any future
incidents.
Punctures:
Puncture wounds may occur from fights with other animals or trauma from sharp objects.
Before attempting to touch the wound muzzle a dog or place a blanket over a cat
to decrease the chance of being bitten or scratched. Clean the area with clean tepid
water or saline solution. Puncture wounds often are deeper than they appear and
infection can be a serious problem. Do not attempt to probe the extent of the puncture
but bring the animal into a veterinarian as soon as possible. If the object that
caused the puncture is still imbedded in the wound do not attempt to remove it because
this could cause further damage. Rather, bring the animal to the veterinarian immediately.
Any deep puncture on the chest or belly should be covered with a clean cloth or
gauze and a light applied wrap applied.
Poisoning:
Have the number of an animal poison control center always readily available. Signs
of poisoning are varied and often non-specific and may be delayed depending on the
type of toxin ingested. Some common sources of poisoning are: medications, household
cleaners, insecticides/pesticides, chemicals and plants. If you know an animal ingested
something that might be toxic call poison control immediately and bring the animal
to the veterinarian. NEVER INDUCE VOMITING WITHOUT THE ADVICE OF A VETERINARIAN.
Certain toxins can cause more damage or complications if vomiting occurs. Whenever
possible bring the container or label of the product ingested or if it was plant
material such as mushrooms bring a sample with you to the veterinarian.
Seizures:
If an animal is having a seizure, do not move it unless the animal is in an unsafe
area such as near stairs, furniture or dangerous objects. If the animal is at risk
of falling, set up a barricade with pillows and blankets. The majority of seizures
in pets are the “grand mal” type. The animal is usually on its side
and the legs are paddling. There may be vocalizing, drooling, abnormal facial movements
and loss of bladder and bowel control. The animal will not be aware of its surroundings.
Accurately time and record the length and severity of the seizure. Keep the environment
quiet. All animals should be evaluated by a veterinarian if the seizure was a first
time occurrence. Even if your pet has a history of seizures immediate veterinary
care is needed if a seizure lasts more than 2 minutes or the animal is having several
seizures in a day. If an animal is being treated for diabetes and experiences a
seizure rub a small amount of Kayro syrup or sugar water on the gums in case the
cause of the seizure is low blood sugar. Do not attempt to make the animal swallow.
Bring your pet to the veterinarian immediately.
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Urination blockage (inability to urinate):
This can occur in any cat or dog but it is most commonly seen in male cats and male
dogs. Some breeds of dogs such as Dalmatians are at higher risk of developing an
obstruction. The obstruction is usually caused by mineral plugs or stones that block
the urinary outflow tract (urethra). Early signs of a possible urinary blockage
may include straining to urinate but producing little to no urine, crying when urinating,
small drops of blood, excessive licking at the prepuce or vulva, frequent trips
in and out of the litter box (cats) or frequent need to go outdoors (dogs). As the
time since blocked increases waste products build up in the blood and the animal
may exhibit vomiting, weakness, lethargy, disorientation, collapse and death. In
ability to urinate is a life threatening emergency that must be dealt with quickly.
If you notice any abnormalities when your pet is urinating go the veterinarian immediately.
Vomiting:
Vomiting can occur for many reasons and may be of little consequence or it may be
life threatening. Only you can decide how distress your pet is and when immediate
veterinary care is indicated. If your pet is alert, active, not distressed and vomits
only a couple of times conservative management at home may be sufficient. Do not
offer anything by mouth for 4 – 6 hours and then offer small amounts of water
or ice chips. If there is no vomiting offer a small amount of bland food 12 hours
after vomiting has stopped. If vomiting persists see your veterinarian. Vomiting
is an emergency and the pet should go to the veterinarian immediately if any of
the following signs are present: the animal is distressed; there is blood in the
vomit; the pet ingested medication ,a foreign object, toxic material, or toxic plants;
there is non-productive retching and/or vomiting; there is a swollen belly; there
is weakness, lethargy or collapse; if the gums are pale, bluish or dark red; if
the pet has a preexisting disease; or if there is a fever ( >103°F) or a
low body temperature (<100°F).
- Board or blanket to use as a stretcher
- Soft cloth to use as a muzzle (do not use if vomiting)
- Penlight
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Towels or cloth to control bleeding
- Gauze and bandage material for wrapping wounds
- Adhesive tape
- Saline eye flush
- Syringe or eyedropper for medicating
- Non-stick (Telfa) bandages
- Instant ice pack
- Tweezers
- Bandage scissors
- Thermometer
- Disposable gloves
- Artificial tears eye ointment
- Medical tape
- List of Emergency Phone Numbers
By DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital:
Medical Director Andrea Oncken, DVM, DACVECC
Critical Care Director Alicia Faggella, DVM, DACVECC
Many thanks for allowing us to reprint this article.
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