By Dr. Karen Halligan
What should you do in any emergency?
It can happen in a second. A bone lodges in your dog's throat or your cat darts into traffic. What should you do? In any emergency, the best thing is to be prepared, stay calm, and make quick decisions. But act cautiously--animals in severe pain or fear may bite. Be sure that you have a fully stocked pet first-aid kit and that you know where the nearest 24-hour clinic is. Knowledge is power, so take the steps right now to learn how to handle an emergency. It could mean the difference between life and death.
Car Accidents
A pet that has been hit by a car needs to see a vet immediately. Internal bleeding is common, and outward signs of distress may not show for several hours. Also, puncture wounds that close rapidly can cause life threatening infections later on. Enlist someone's help in moving the animal by sliding a heavy towel beneath it. To avoid being bitten, tie a strip of cloth over your dog's nose, or cover your cat's face with a coat.
Bleeding
Using direct pressure, apply a clean, dry cloth to the wound. If blood soaks through the first layer of fabric, add more so you don't disrupt any clots that may be forming. Use a tourniquet only as a last resort, and make it just tight enough to significantly reduce the flow of blood. Loosen it every five minutes, and don't keep it on for longer than 20 minutes. Transport your pet to the vet as soon as possible.
Choking
Dogs or cats that are choking may breathe loudly, drool, paw at their mouth, cough, gag, become anxious, or faint. If this happens, gently open your pets mouth to locate and manually remove the object. If your pet isn't breathing and you can't find what is obstructing its windpipe, perform a modified Heimlick manueuver. With your pet facing away from you, clasp your hands around its waist, just beneath the rib cage. Compress the abdomen three to five times with quick upward thrusts. Repeat as necessary. If that doesn't work, take your pet to the vet.
Loss of consicousness
If your pet exhibits signs of cardiopulmonary arrest, unconsciousness--a weak or irregular pulse, no heatbeat, and no obvious signs of breathing--begin CPR. The techniques used on humans can be modified easily to work on animals. If possible, enlist someone else's help-it's best to perform CPR on our way to the hospital, so that resuscitation can be continued there. Do not attempt it on a conscious animal.
Poisoning
Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, excitability, difficulty breathing, disorientation, poor coordination, twitching, convulsions, and collapse. Common sources are medications, household cleaning products, rat poison, antifreeze, insecticides, and plants. Not all poisons are treated alike, so if you think your pet may have ingested something dangerous, head to the vet immediately. Try to bring any plant material, vomit, or toxic substances with you.
As you transport your pet to the hospital, provide a cover for warmth and talk ina soothing voice. That way, it'll know it's in good hands.
First-Aid Kit
Here are just a few of the items you should have on hand for your pet:
- Phone number and directions for the closest 24-hour clinic
- Tweezers, to remove ticks burrs, and splinters
- Antibiotic ointment, for wounds
- Gauze bandage and bandage tape
- Wound disinfectant
- Heavy towel or blanket to use as a stretcher
- Diphenhydramine (Bendadryl), for allergic reactions
- Sterile saline, for flushing eyes
- Disposable latex gloves
- Muzzle
Article from: OC Register Parade
For more tips, visit Parade.com
No comments:
Post a Comment