First Aid for Dogs
What you need to know about Dog First Aid
One thing dog owners hope they will never need is a first aid kit for a dog. If anything ever does happen to your dog remember do not panic, assess the situation carefully and try to ascertain how serious the injury might be.
A quick and speedy response is then needed if the injury appears serious. Your objectives are to preserve life, prevent or ease suffering and stop the situation getting worse. With these points in mind you need to:
- Make sure there are no further dangers to you and the dog – do not try to treat a dog in the middle of the road, you should move to somewhere safer.
- Check responses from the dog, can it move, does it respond if you touch it, can it open and close it’s eyes?
- Check the airways – is there a blockage in the throat, has it swallowed it’s tongue if yes try to unblock the airway.
- Can you feel or see the dog is breathing? Artificial respiration will be necessary if you can not see it is breathing.
- Can you check the pulse and gums to find out if blood is circulating. CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) will be needed if no evidence of blood circulating.
These points, in dogs and for that matter any animal, are commonly refered to as DR ABC.
D Danger
R Response
A Airway
B Breathing
C Circulation
With speed being of the essence, you need to get a seriously injured dog to the vet as quickly as possible.
Minor incidents, you should be able to deal with yourself with a suitable dog first aid kit. These incidents could include such things as bites, stings and small wounds. Most dog first aid will be simple and common sense, if you are unsure get the dog to the vet as soon as possible.
You should have a simple dog first aid kit at home and in the car when your dog travels with you. Items included in the kit should be a muzzle. An injured dog, however gentle in normal circumstances, maybe in pain and frightened and could attack, even the hand that comes to help. Nail clippers, water, tweezers and scissors are needed for trimming fur and removing any small items such as gravel from a cut or a graze. Savlon, dressings, vet wrap, retention bandages, micro porous tape, sterile swabs, cleaning wipes and stretch bandage may be needed after you have cleaned up the injury. Other items that will be useful are emergency foil blanket, gloves, cotton wool and a thermometer.
In any first aid incident with your dog you must remain calm, act confidently and be quiet. Always consult a vet if there has been any trauma or if you are in any doubt.
