Add 'Pet First-Aid Kit' to the Top of Your List
Whether During the Holidays or Any Day...Be Prepared for Your Pet
Aug 24, 2009
Knowing what to do and having the necessary tools on hand can avert a minor injury or a major disaster. Make it a "now" resolution to learn Pet First-Aid & CPR, but even before, treat yourself and your dog or cat to a Pet First-Aid Kit so that when you need to bandage a wound, pull a tick or sooth an upset tummy, you have what you need at your fingertips.
The Most Basic Items to Include
- 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to induce vomiting
- Eye Wash or Saline Solution
- 4" X 4" Gauze Squares and Gauze Roll
- Adhesive Tape of Self-adhering Bandage
- Cold Pack
- Antiobiotic Ointment & Pure Aloe Vera Gel
- Needle-less Syringe or Eye Dropper
- Digital Thermometer (dogs & cats normally run 100.4°-102.5° F)
- Styptic Powder
- Scissors & Tweezer
- Antihistamine & Antacid Tablets
- Portable Water Bowl, Bottled Water & Electrolyte Replenisher
- Leash (to wrangle or muzzle a pet)
- Towel or Blanket (to wrap an unruly kitty or use as a stretcher)
- Phone Numbers/Addresses of your Veterinarian & Animal ER
You Have the Tools, Next Learn the Skills...Choking
Once you have your Pet First-Aid Kit together, learn what to do for your pet should an injury or illness occur. Your pet could swallow a bone or rawhide chew, maybe the stuffing or squeaker from a favorite new toy. Regardless, give him a few moments to cough it up. If that doesn’t work, try a careful sweep of his mouth with your fingers to dislodge the object, but only if you feel confident you can do this safely. Watch what you’re doing! Don’t blindly reach into your pet’s mouth and push the obstruction further down his throat, tear throat tissue by not seeing how the object (ie: sharp bone) is caught or get bitten yourself.
As a final resort, there are two basic techniques that can be learned through practice and demonstration in a classroom situation…a canine version of the Heimlich Maneuver and Chest Thrusts. Do realize pets can lose consciousness during a choking episode due to the obstruction of their airway. In the event their lungs stop working, you will need to begin Rescue Breathing and CPR – skills that can also be properly learned in a Pet First-Aid & CPR Class. Knowledge is power. Make getting trained a priority.
An important footnote to choking incidents is that if it’s a piece of ribbon or tinsel your dog swallows, do not pull on the object if you feel resistance! The intestines perform parastolic actions (muscle contractions), and if the long thread-like item has gone down your pet’s system, you can cause damage by pulling against these contractions. Cut off the string or ribbon so no more can be swallowed, and get your pet to your Veterinarian, monitoring his breathing on the way.
What if Your Pet Ingests Poison?
If Rover eats something toxic, you’ll need to react quickly:
- Read the label on the poison ingested;
- Call your Veterinarian or Poison Control and
- Do as instructed. To induce vomiting and get the poison out of your pet’s system, administer 3% Hydrogen Peroxide into your pet’s mouth with an eye dropper, needle-less syringe or turkey baster by dribbling the liquid onto the back of your pet’s tongue or into his cheek pocket until swallowed. Dosage is 1 tablespoon per each 15 lbs. of the pet’s body weight. Collect vomit and take it, the poison container and your pet to the Veterinarian ASAP. For a caustic or unknown substance, you may be instructed to dilute the poison by feeding your pet large quantities of water or milk; activated charcoal (or even burned toast) may be also be recommended to absorb the poison.
But if what your pet eats is too rich for canine or feline tummies, soothing his stomach may be more in order. Administer antacid according to body weight and withhold food for 24 hours, always making sure your pet has plenty of fresh water. If symptoms persist longer, take your pet to the Vet! Beware that bones, toothpicks from hors d’oeuvres, alcoholic beverages, gravies and bread dough (the yeast ferments in the stomach turning toxic) can cause problems ranging from piercing injuries, constipation, vomiting, diarrhea and pancreatitis to increased heart rate and death. Monitor your pets and make sure they don’t consume anything they shouldn’t.
Prevent Escapes
If company coming in and out your door accidentally lets your pet escape his secure surroundings, he could be hit by a car – the number one most preventable cause of injury to man and animal. Quickly get him to the closest Animal Emergency Center! Carefully muzzle a conscious animal so that you won’t be bitten due to aggression or fear caused by pain; then administer Rescue Breathing & CPR if appropriate. Stop any bleeding by applying direct pressure with clean gauze pads and carefully lift the pet (preferably with a board under him to prevent any further back or neck injuries), and get him the professional medical help he needs. If you can do these things, you may save your pet’s life!
Pets lower our blood pressure, give us unconditional love and enrich our lives in so many ways. Please make sure their Holidays are happy ones by providing a safe and loving environment for your dog or cat, and since you can’t keep them in a plastic bubble…get the tools and learn what to do for those inevitable times when an injury or major emergency happens.
 |
 |
