There are three keys to managing any emergency: don't panic, protect yourself from injury, and prepare in advance.
When faced with an injured or severely ill pet, it is important that you spend a moment to assess the situation. Determine if the pet needs to be moved immediately. Decide if there is a danger of further injury to the pet or to first aid givers. For example, great care must be used before assisting a pet injured on a busy roadway. It may be safest to call for help so that traffic can be diverted before anyone provides first aid. You must insure that you won't be injured yourself – either by the surroundings or by the injured animal. Prepare in advance by knowing the location and numbers of emergency animal care facilities. These guidelines should help.
1. Behavior Knowledge. Understanding how to approach an injured pet safely is critical. Animals may respond to fear and pain instinctively, even if they know you well. You cannot assume that your own pet won't bite you, because pain or fear may provoke even a docile animal to aggression. Preventing a bite to yourself or other assistants must be your first goal.
How to Approach an Injured Pet Safely
If you encounter a dog in need or injured in some way, your first reaction may be to run to help. That’s a common reaction – most people don’t want to see an animal in pain. But without taking the proper precautions, you could get injured. And being injured along with the animal won’t help the situation.
It is important to remember that even the sweetest dog may bite if she is frightened or in pain. Here are some guidelines for approaching an injured pet.
Assess the Situation
Use common sense: Remember that your safety comes first.
If the animal is in the middle of the road, watch for traffic before going to assist.
If there is a house fire, do not enter the house until the fire department has eliminated the danger – very likely firefighters will rescue the pet.
If your pet has fallen, make sure no more items are ready to fall on you.
If your pet is covered in a toxic substance, do not touch the animal unless you are wearing protective gloves or can cover him with plastic (or some other protective material).
If your pet is covered in blood, do not touch the animal without protective gloves. Even though there are few diseases you can get from animal blood, there is no guarantee that human blood is not mixed in from someone else. That person’s blood may have spilled onto the animal, and with the threat of HIV, hepatitis or other illnesses, exposure to any blood is not recommended.
Determine if the Dog is Aggressive
If the animal shows signs of fear or aggression, muzzling him is essential before helping. As you approach the animal, pay attention to his body language and any sounds he is making. Use a soft, gentle, calming voice. Avoid direct eye contact with an injured pet since some will perceive this as a confrontation or threat. A wagging tail is irrelevant. Some dogs with wag their tails throughout an attack.
Here are some body language signals to look out for:
Growling
Snarling with teeth exposed
Hair along back standing on end
Ears straight back and flat against head
Tail tucked between legs
Lunging toward you with snapping jaws
Intense staring
Submissive behavior such as lying on ground with belly exposed (these dogs can quickly become fear-biters)
Remember, keeping yourself safe and uninjured is just as important as helping the injured animal. You cannot be much help if you also need medical assistance. If the animal you are trying to help is aggressive and there is a risk that you may get injured, do not try to administer treatment. Call a local animal shelter, humane society, veterinary clinic, animal control officer or police department. Try to stay nearby to watch where the animal goes and to assist when help arrives. If necessary, direct traffic away from the injured animal until further help arrives.
How to Make and Place a Muzzle
Injured animals are usually in pain, and an animal in pain may lash out. One of the most important thing you need to do before helping an injured animal is to place a muzzle on the mouth. Even your own sweet dog may bite if frightened or in severe pain. There are several methods to muzzle an animal but never muzzle one that is vomiting, has difficulty breathing or is coughing.
Muzzles can be purchased from pet stores or veterinary clinics. These muzzles come in a variety of sizes. Having a muzzle to fit your own pet should be included in your pet's first-aid kit.
If you do not have a manufactured muzzle, you can make a temporary muzzle out of tape, nylon stocking, neckties, thick string, belts or strips of fabric.
Tie a knot in the middle of the material. If you're using tape, fold the tape lengthwise, so there are no sticky edges.
Make a large loop in the material.
While standing behind or alongside the animal, slip the loop over the animal’s nose.
Once the loop is over the nose, quickly and snugly tie the loop on top of the nose.
Take the 2 material ends alongside the nose and twist one time underneath the nose.
Take the 2 ends and pass each behind an ear and tie behind the head.
For breeds with short noses, you may need to take an extra piece of material and tie a connection between the loop over the nose and the tie behind the head.
Make sure the muzzle is snug. Be prepared for the animal to struggle against the muzzle. Some animals will even be able to get out of the muzzle. If the animal develops breathing problems or appears to be trying to vomit, remove the muzzle immediately.
2. Veterinary Telephone Number and Address. Keep the name and phone number of your family veterinarian and local veterinary emergency facility handy. This simple guideline can help save the life of your pet. Most veterinarians are open during normal business hours – 8 am to 5 pm. Determine how your veterinarian handles emergency calls. Some have emergency pagers, and in larger metropolitan cities, many contribute to or use an emergency facility for after-hour emergency calls. Calling first can often answer simple questions or prevent a trip in the wrong direction. Even in situations that are not apparently life-threatening, your questions or concerns may be best considered by a professional who can advise you whether or not to come in.
3. Name and Telephone Number of a Friend. If possible, have a friend assist you, especially if your pet needs to be hospitalized. In the car, it is best to have one person keep the pet calm or settled while the other drives to the emergency clinic or veterinary hospital.
4. CPR. Be familiar with animal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. There are classes offered in pet CPR and this knowledge can be important when faced with a life-threatening situation. (I recently took a pet CPR class with Sunny-dog Ink.
5. Heimlich Maneuver. Though not a commonly used or needed skill, knowing how to perform the Heimlich maneuver for your dog can be a life-saving skill. Only perform the Heimlich if you are absolutely certain your pet is choking on a solid object (such as a toy), and you have been properly trained in the technique. Improperly used, the Heimlich can cause injury to your pet.
Many people confuse difficulty breathing with choking. If you witness your pet ingesting an item and then immediately begin pawing at the face, the throat, acting frantic, trying to cough and having difficulty breathing, only then should the Heimlich maneuver be considered. If your pet is not really choking, the Heimlich can cause serious injury.
After determining that your pet is choking, remove any item that may be constricting the neck. Examine inside the mouth and remove any foreign object you see. Do not blindly place your hand down your pet’s throat and pull any object you feel. Dogs have small bones that support the base of their tongues. Owners probing the throat for a foreign object have mistaken these for chicken bones. Do not attempt to remove an object unless you can see and identify it.
If your pet is small and you cannot easily remove the object, lift and suspend him with the head pointed down. For larger animals, lift the rear legs so the head is tilted down. This can help dislodge an item stuck in the throat.
Another method is to administer a sharp blow with the palm of your hand between the shoulder blades. This can sometimes dislodge an object. If this does not work, a modified Heimlich maneuver can be attempted.
Grasp the animal around the waist so that the rear is nearest to you, similar to a bear hug.
Place a fist just behind the ribs.
Compress the abdomen several times (usually 3-5 times) with quick pushes.
Check the mouth to see if the foreign object has been removed.
This maneuver can be repeated one to two times but if not successful on the first attempt, make arrangements to immediately take your pet to the nearest veterinary hospital.
Even if you are successful in removing a foreign object, veterinary examination is recommended. Internal injury could have occurred that you may not realize.
6. Bandaging. A bandage helps to cover or apply pressure to a wound to protect or control hemorrhage. Bandages can be fabricated from towels, washcloths, paper towels, or just about any piece of fabric.
You and your pet are far from help (perhaps camping or hiking), and your pet hurts himself. Would you know how to stabilize him until you could reach a veterinarian? This article provides some guidance in case of such an emergency, but it does not replace the skill and expertise of your veterinarian. If possible, it is better to let a trained expert treat your pet than yourself.
Head
The most common reason a head wrap is applied is to stop bleeding from the ears.
Use long strips of gauze or torn sections of sheet.
Wrap completely around the head, pinning the ears to the side of the head.
Be very careful not to wrap too tightly - you could cut off the airway.
Do not cover the animal’s eyes with the head bandage. This can increase fear and anxiety in the pet.
Once the bandage is in place, apply tape to the front edges of the bandage. Make sure that the hair is included in the tape. This will help keep the bandage in place and reduce the risk of slipping.
Once the bandage is in place, test the tightness: Try to place two fingers under the bandage. If you can do this, the bandage is not too tight.
After the bandage is applied, frequently check the animal for facial swelling or difficulty breathing. If either is detected, remove the bandage immediately.
Leg Bandage
Leg bandages are typically applied to help temporarily stabilize a fracture or to help reduce bleeding from a wound.
If a wound is present, try to cover with a gauze pad or Telfa® pad.
Begin wrapping several layers of cotton (roll cotton) around the leg. If the bandage is being used to stabilize a fracture, the joint above and below the fracture must be included in the bandage. If the fracture is in the humerus or femur, bandaging is not helpful and can make the fracture worse.
After several layers of cotton have been applied, next place several layers of stretch gauze over the roll cotton. This should be snug and compress the cotton. Having a snug bandage is crucial in stabilization and reducing pain. Be careful not too make the bandage so tight that circulation is disrupted.
Finish the bandage by applying an elastic bandage such as VetRap®, Ace® bandage or adhesive tape.
Secure the top of the bandage to the animal by applying one layer of sticky tape. Make sure the animal’s hair and the bandage are included in the tape. This will prevent the bandage from sliding off.
After the bandage is applied, frequently check the toes for swelling or coldness. If either is detected, remove the bandage.
Splint
Splints are used to add extra support to fractures of the bones below the elbow. Be very careful if you apply a splint to the rear leg. Due to the natural position of the rear legs, bandaging these bones in a straight alignment can be detrimental. Splints are best used only in the front legs.
Follow the instruction for leg bandage.
After the cotton and stretch gauze have been applied, place a flat stick or straight piece of metal on either side of the leg and tape in place.
If no sticks or metal are available, rolled up newspaper or a magazine can be used. Place it next to the injured leg and tape in place.
Cover the bandage and splint with elastic bandage such as VetRap® or Ace® bandage.
Secure the top of the bandage to the animal by applying one layer of sticky tape. Make sure the dog’s hair and the bandage are included in the tape. This will prevent the bandage from sliding off.
Bandages and splints do not help fractures of the humerus (upper arm bone) or femur (thigh bone). They can even cause more damage. If you suspect that your pet has a fractured upper thigh bone or upper arm bone, do not use a bandage or splint. Try to keep your pet as quiet and confined as possible and contact your veterinarian.
7. Stopping Bleeding. If there is an obvious source of bleeding, apply pressure to control the hemorrhage. Pressure is best applied with a clean cloth or towel applied directly to the wound.
8. Towels or Blankets. Blankets and towels can aid in picking up an injured pet or to control bleeding. You can use a towel to wrap a frightened pet or cover a wound. Frightened pets are often relieved by the dark calm enclosure of a blanket.
9. Board, Stretcher or Strong Blanket. Strong sturdy instruments are important to help move or transport severely injured pets that are unable to walk. A small board, a sturdy wool blanket, a piece of canvas or a hammock can be used. Gently roll or move the pet onto the device. Typically, two people are needed to pick up and move the pet when using a stretcher. Be careful as this procedure may cause pain to an injured pet, and exposes the helpers to the risk of bite injury.
10. Finances. Probably the last thing people think about during an emergency is how to pay the bill. Emergency clinics and veterinary practices are no different than other small businesses, and they need to pay their own bills to survive. Expect to leave a deposit when admitting a pet and be prepared to pay for services rendered. Veterinary insurance can be most beneficial in these situations; however, often the veterinary clinic will require that you pay the bill and the insurance company will reimburse you after the invoice is submitted. Most veterinary clinics do accept major credit cards, and there are some veterinary clinics that offer other financial alternatives through banks.
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