adria.richards, Flickr
We asked Dr. Elisa Mazzaferro, Director of Emergency Services at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital in Colorado, and the official veterinarian of Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl VI what she recommends you do in these five common situations:
1. Treating A Cut or Scratched Paw
"One of the most important things clients can do if injury is on the animal's paw is to put pressure on it with a clean towel and bring the pet into the nearest veterinary hospital," Dr. Mazzaferro tells Paw Nation. Don't apply a tourniquet because it can decrease blood supply to the injured limb and be dangerous. And you should probably avoid rinsing a wounded paw in water. "Sometimes that will release a blood clot that's formed." says Dr. Mazzaferro.
2. Evaluating Vomiting and Diarrhea
"If your pet's vomiting or diarrhea occurs more than just a couple of times, or if there is blood in it, or any suspicion of the dog or cat having gotten into a toxin, the pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away," says Dr. Mazzaferro. Otherwise, if vomiting occurs just a couple of times, withhold food and water for at least six hours and see if the condition subsides. "If they continue to vomit or become lethargic, or if they're a puppy or a very small, toy breed dog, I would bring them into a vet because they can dehydrate quickly," says Dr. Mazzaferro
3. Dealing With Heatstroke
Heatstroke is especially a risk during summer months. Signs include panting, increased respiratory sounds, collapse, seizure, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. "Get the animal away from the heat immediately," says Dr. Mazzaferro. "Soak towels in room temperature or tepid water -- not cold water or ice – and place the wet towels over the dog and put a fan in the room to allow ambient cooling." Put the towels over the dog's torso, over their back, chest and abdomen. "The mistake people make is dousing the animal in ice-cold water, and that can actually cause the blood vessels in the skin to constrict and it could cause the animal's core temperature to rise and make the temperature worse," says Dr. Mazzaferro. "The most important thing is to get the animal to the vet. They may need intravenous fluids if they're severely dehydrated."
4. Handling Household Toxins
"Chocolates, onions, raisins, grapes, various plants, as well as household chemicals are commonly ingested by animals, or people give their pets over the counter medications, such as Tylenol or Advil or Aleve, and all of these can be very, very toxic or fatal to pets," says Dr. Mazzaferro. If you suspect your pet may have ingested something toxic, the best thing to do is to call the ASPCA National Poison Control Center, a 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435 and take your pet immediately to a veterinary hospital. (FYI, a $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card for the ASPCA Poison Control service.) Don't try to induce vomiting without professional advice, it can be dangerous.
5. Responding If Your Pet Is Hit By a Car
Quick thinking and knowing what to do can help save your pet after an accident. "If the injured animal is not able to move," says Dr. Mazzaferro, "put them on an immobile surface, like a flat board or big, giant piece of plywood and strap them down so that if they have a spine injury or neck injury, they won't further injure themselves." Then get the pet to the nearest veterinary facility. "Even the nicest pet can lash out when they are injured and in pain," says Dr. Mazzaferro. "People can use a towel over the animal's head or use a pair of nylons to put around the animal's muzzle and tie it shut, so that the person helping the pet keeps from getting bitten."
In general, one of the best things you can do, says Dr. Mazzaferro, is to take a basic pet first-aid course. "I think every pet owner should know the Heimlech maneuver and that's something you would learn in a first aid class," she says. The American Red Cross offers Pet First Aid classes at their locations across the country, so check their Web site to find your local Red Cross chapter.
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Although I appreciate and support and information when it comes to first aid for any animals; why is it always geared towards dogs? I have cats, and would really like to read first aid tips about cats too, not just dogs.
I was thinking the same thing, it seems to be mostly referring to dogs. SInce cat owners outnumber dog owners, you would think there would be more articles and info about them. On the positive side, I did just email my local Red Cross chapter about the pet first-aid class.
I agree; re; cats. I wish they would concentrate on what "can" safely be done as well as what should not. I have been a nurse for 25 years, but one thing that I have learned regarding pets after doing PAWS Pet Rescue for a couple of decades (pre-1998), is that there are cases where knowledge is the power that may save a dog. I agree on the pet first aide class. Kudos on letting people know that "Dogs can not take Tylenol,Advil etc. What dogs "can" take, is K9 aspirin that can be bought at PETCO and probably other pet supply stores. We need to have basic emergency supplies onhand for emergency's, when you can't get a dog or cat to a vet. Also,please address "BLOAT" in dogs! I grew up on a farm part of my life, and my husband that passed away and I had a small farm. My "people skills, and even knowing pet first aide, did not prepare me to imagine that "any dog, small or large", can get bloat. Know the signs and what to do. Also make certain that your private vet, doesn't care more about going out to dinner at 5PM,than seeing your precious dog! Imagine, your pets, and this one inparticular have gone to this vet only five minutes from your home. Imagine that you have described the symptoms, and are "NOT" told what it could be, just to get the dog to the emergency clinic "45 minutes away, incase he codes,because the ER clinic has a defibiblerator'! Imagine racing up the highway at trafic time, with your 17 yaer old son in teh back seat holding the pet on his lap and keeping his airway clear, as your poor beloved pet is moaning in unbearable pain. As you get to the ER entrance, one load painful maon and your beloved 1 1/2 year old pet codes! Your Son whom was giving him CPR, hands over the care to the techs that came back outside with me ! As he lays him on the stretcher; runing along next to it until they are taking your pet into the back,my Son says, you'll be okay buddy, we got you here! Forty five long minutes later, and a young doctor appears in tears, sobbing, we did all we could, for $250.00 we'll ""Dispose of teh dog"! My Son and I are both crying as my Son walks in the back and picks up our 165 LB lifeless pet (Tank), and cradles him in his arms, and asks;sobbing"why couldn't you save him,did you use the paddles on him?"! To our horror, the ER vet informed us that ""No Emergency pet hospitals have a difibralator, only University teaching hospitals have them"!
I got on my cell phone, and called our regular vets office! The tech that answered told me that ;"Thereason the doctor said to take Tank to the ER Clinic was because, the doctor was going out to dinner with his family"! I could barely get the words out, "I told her tell him that ""his"" dinner cost us a family member, Tank is dead, and the vet here said that ""there was no reason for any respectable doctor to send a dog with BLOAT all 45 minutes away, when minutes count, and Tank's vet was only 5 minutes away"! The tech started crying;"oh my God, Tank is dead'! I am so sorry! I told her that from what the ER VET told me, "Dr.Hicks may have well have put a bullet through Tanks head, because he murdered him, rather than let us come in at 445 PM so he could go to dinner"! Shame on him! Had he told me that Tank had Bloat, ""I"" possinly could have stablized him, before leaving to the ER vet! I have saved farm animals with bloat! I had no idea that dogs can get BLOAT. After researching this I have learned that it isn't only large breed dogs like Tank that can get Bloat, but dogs even as small as beagles were treated and saved by the new vet we went to! Sorry that this is so long, but as you can see, I am still heartbroken, 11 yaers later, that a vet we trust was responsible for us loosing our big ole happy go lucky sweet Tank! If even one person is spared the loss and the horror of watching their pet die so painfully, and "UNnecessarily", Tank will not have died in vain. Thank You and God Bless!
k das great but wat if u have other animals besides dogs n cats then wat?
Then maybe you should look up cat info. The reason why there seems to be more info about dogs is a lot more pet owners own dogs as opposed to cats. Also the dogs peronality makes people want one and know more about them. So sorry about your luck
is it just me or do all 5 tips basically say do nothing and take them to the vet?
CAN YOU PEOPLE READ? IT CLEARLY SAYS DOGS AND CATS!
5 things every Dog and "CAT" owner should know. Maybe you missed the CAT part. Some of the paragraphs say Dog and some say animal. It all comes to the samething. Animal Dog or Cat. I swear some people will find anything to cry about.
The best thing is prevention, which is much easier than dealing with any of these problems.
that is why things are called /termed as accident /accidential and not ooppsss was busy doing somethiing else .... like taking care of the other kids.. going to the bathroom.. handling another emergency....etc...etc...etc
WOW!!! Glad to learn that grapes are bad for dogs. I have a 19 year old Australian Shepard that's been eating them for the last 19 years.... He loves them.... gee. Do you think I'm killing him?
What is Bloat?
I just lost my best friend Boy 3 weeks ago to low sugar level. Have your dog or cats sugar level checked. Boy missed his 10th birthday by 47 days. He was with me from the time he was 49 days old. What a great friend I lost. I will miss him greatly.
Elliot, I am sorry to hear of your loss. I too lost my little girl, Sadie, to what was called an insulinoma. She was perfectly fine one day and then the next she was not. With intravenous fluids and glucose, her blood sugar level would not rise and she went into seizures and could not be saved. She was just under 6 1/2 and was my best friend. I too would encourage everyone to keep an eye on their pet's blood sugar, ask the vet for signs and symptoms, keep honey around, it helps and also high protein snacks for those times.
Once again, so sorry for your loss.
i'm so sorry for your loss. i know the pain personally. hopefully with time you will feel better. i will keep you in my thoughts.
bob
So sorry about your loss. He was blessed to have you. It may get a little easier but it never goes away. Lost our little Maltese 6/17/2007. Still can't get over it. May the wonder memories you have of him console you on a daily basis.
Dear Elliot,
I'm so sorry for your loss my "Heart Breaks" for you!
I have a little one who is 13yrs old and is now blind, deaf.
But he has the best care by his Drs, and I had to learn how
to bend down to his level which was so hard for me. He has learned
to adapt yet I have not! He has "Taught me so Much" their are no words
to decribe! Elliot, yes you missed his B-Day but your in his "Heart"
as he is in your own "Heart."
****
From your response, it sounds like your pet is suffering with hypoglucema. Your pet may develope type II diabetes later in its life. It's not said enough that diabetes is not limited to humans. Many of the animal world can have it, including dogs and cats. Treatment and control is for the most part the same as with human diabetics. Even the blood glucose monitors for humans can provide different test strips for checking your pet's glucose level. By the way, the healthy blood sugar range for dogs is exactly the same as for humans-between 80 to 120.
I am sorry you lost your pet. I lost my little girl Easter Sunday and it hurts. She died of congestive heart failure. I hope your heart heals soon.
I am so sorry. It is really hard losing a best friend. I lost my Sheba after 18 years,, she was getting sick and blind, bad shape so I held her in my arms at the vets and told her I loved her while the vet sent her to doggie heaven. The toughest thing I ever did. All I can say is Remember the good times, and say hello to him in your dreams. Good luck, and God Bless