The 4-1-1 on Simple 9-1-1 for Your Pet

Sometimes, dangerous situations arise  requiring emergency action for your animal’s sake. The first line of defense should always be to contact your veterinarian, however, preparedness and quick response can save your pet’s life!  And save a costly trip to the vet if all turns out well.

Here are some tips on simple first aid for your pet. This is in no way meant to replace veterinary care and should be used with veterinary permission or on the way to the vet, depending on the severity of the situation:

Ingesting something foreign: First, try to verify what the animal has eaten. This information may be critical for poisoning purposes.  Next, check the airway by feeling the throat and looking in the mouth (if safely permitted). For dogs: If there is no blockage, administer one teaspoon (5 ml or 5cc) of 3% hydrogen peroxide for every 10 pounds of dog’s weight. Rub the belly to mix contents. If the dog does not vomit in 10 – 15 minutes, it is safe to repeat once.  If dog does not vomit after second administration, go immediately to a veterinary emergency center. And take lots of towels. Sometimes the movement of a vehicle can help the peroxide! For cats, rule of thumb is 3 teaspoons of 3% peroxide. Wrap the cat firmly in a towel, burrito-style,  and administer via eyedropper. Repeat up to three times (at 10 -minute intervals) before taking him to the vet.

Bleeding from toenail: It’s easy to cut your pet’s toenail too short and cause bleeding, especially if your pet has black nails. Be sure to keep cornstarch on hand at it is an effective coagulant. Dip the affected toe in the cornstarch. Bleeding should stop within a minute or so. A styptic pencil also works great.

Small cut or laceration: For deep puncture wounds, seek immediate medical attention. For shallower surface wounds, try to limit the use of bacitracin, adhesive bandages, or anything that may cause the pet to lick or dig at the wound. Instead, try cleaning it with saline or water, and then wrap it in gauze with a non-adhesive bandage (Ace bandage or like). If bleeding does not stop, or the wound is deeper than suspected, contact your veterinarian or emergency center immediately.

If your pet gets hit by a vehicle: Sadly, this happens too often, but if s/he is still breathing, first muzzle the animal. Even the best pet may bite in defense when it is injured.  After assessing injury and administering any necessary immediate first aid, wrap your pet in a towel or blanket to minimize movement and lessen the chance of shock. Secure the blanketed animal to an improvised stretcher (based on size of animal – for example, a cat may only require cardboard which has been folded several times, whereas a larger dog may need more support, such as wrapping a blanket around two poles, like broom handles or shovel hands, spaced 2 feet apart). Call your vet from the car!

Your pet stops breathing: Check the diagram below for how to administer CPR to a pet. And be sure to go straight to the vet!

Recommended items for a pet first aid kit (we keep ours in a plastic bin as the cover doubles as a makeshift stretcher for our cats):

3% Hydrogen Peroxide
Latex gloves
Elastic, non-adhesive bandages (example: ACE)
Gauze pads & sterile ones
Towels
Blanket
Muzzle (cat and dog, if you have both pets)
Sterile saline solution
Eyedropper
Cornstarch or a styptic pencil
List of emergency phone numbers: Regular vet, Emergency vet center, and the National Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-426-4435). If you regularly have dogwalkers or petsitters, you may wish to include a nearby friend or family member’s number as well.

These are only a few tips to help Fido or Fluffy in an emergency. You are the most important resource to your pet. The hardest part of an emergency is staying calm, but do so for your pet’s sake. By preparing a few things ahead of time, you can be sure of yourself and keep your pet calm and well!

For more tips on pet first aid kits, visit http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/code/First_Aid_Kit_for_Pets.pdf

For more information on pet first aid in general, visit http://vetmed.illinois.edu/petcolumns/petcols_article_page.php?OLDPETCOLID=530

Summertime and the Livin' is . . . HOT!

Many years ago, my elderly grandmother and I spent a few days visiting my cousins, her grandchildren, down in Miami. Bear, my cousin’s Lab, kept getting in the way of my grandmother’s walker, licking her face when she was seated, and generally being a nuisance to a  poor soul who wasn’t used to indoor animals. Much as they hated to do it, my cousins put the dog outside.  He had water, trees for shade, and he was at least comfortable, if not happy.

As the nation’s temperatures set daily records this year, it’s time to think of ways to keep your doggy cool – that is if you absolutely MUST keep him or her outside for any length of time!  If allergic company is visiting, or small children (or Grandma!) who rambunctious Fido easily knocks over by mistake, your dog will appreciate these fun and easy tips to help keep cool in the summer heat!

Water: Make certain to have fresh, cool water available to your dog at all times.  Having a water dish is problematic as it is easily knocked over by a running dog or (if applicable) his chain.  A great tip is to dig a hole, put in a shallow bucket that holds sufficient water but won’t easily pop out of the hole, and fill it to the brim! Another great tip is to freeze smaller bowls of water, then pop the ice out of the bowl and into his dish. It keeps the water cool and your dog, too!

Shade: Make sure you provide shade for your dog while it’s outside. If your yard does not have trees or any form of shade available, an easy option may be to build Fido an open-sided fort – much like you made as a child. Make sure there are no cords or nails for him to catch on. A couple of lawnchairs, a little blanket, and some imagination, and Fido can stay cool all day! Just make sure it’s secure and he has easy access to it.

A Children’s Pool: A few inches of water is a whole lotta heaven for some dogs!

Frozen Treats: Some great treat ideas for Fido are cropping up all over! Kong recently released an ice-cube style tray – complete with packets of mix for broth-flavored ice cubes! Our dogs love them! Also a new favorite treat this year is the frozen yogurt/peanut butter treats shown in the picture. Easy to make, too!

CREAMY FROZEN DOG TREATS
18 oz of low fat, unflavored yogurt
1/2 cup peanut butter  (we use Krema – just peanuts and a little salt)
1 4oz. jar banana baby food (our dogs prefer meat-flavored. Just make sure there is no onion or garlic in it!)
1 tablespoon of honey

Combine all ingredients and blend well. Pour mixture into small paper cups and freeze. Bone appetit!

So, be sure to keep an outdoor dog cool this year! He will thank you for it!

(Oh, final word on my cousin’s dog: Bear got Grandma back later that night. . . when my cousins let him in the house for the evening, he quickly hunted down her suitcase, lifted his leg, and, well, I think you know the rest.)