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Home » Dogs » First Aid: Emergency Care for Dogs and Cats
FIRST AID AND EMERGENCY CARE
By Roger W. Gfeller, DVM, DipACVECC, Michael W. Thomas, DVM, and Isaac Mayo
Authors
Preparing for a medical emergency involving your pet is always best accomplished before the event takes place. This series is designed to help guide you through the important decisions about first aid, as well as how and when to transport your pet quickly and safely to a veterinary hospital or emergency facility.
VeterinaryPartner.com has provided this complete reference book online for you to browse through, expanding your knowledge of dog and cat first aid; however, we encourage you to buy the book to keep in your home or car as a quick reference during an emergency.
This book is an emergency preparedness ready-reference for dogs and cats. Wise preventive measures, intelligent use of first aid principles, coupled with recognition of abnormal symptoms and treatment of disorders, diseases, and problems, lead to effective health care.
A working knowledge of this information will help you eliminate some potentially dangerous circumstances and help you prepare for emergency situations.
It includes information on what to do and what not to do in specific emergency situations.
The authors encourage careful reading and occasional rereading. We have tried to make this book easy to understand, avoiding technical terms as often as possible, but defining them in context when they are necessary.
*Introduction
VeterinaryPartner.com has provided this complete reference book online for you to browse through, expanding your knowledge of Dog & Cat First Aid.
About the Authors and the Illustrator
Dr. Gfeller has been chief of staff at Veterinary Emergency Service, Inc., a leading and long-standing veterinary emergency practice in Fresno, California, since 1976.
Abscess
A localized accumulation of pus, usually caused by an infection introduced from an animal bite or other penetrating wound.
An Introduction: What is First Aid?
First aid is the immediate care given to a pet who has been injured or is suddenly taken ill.
Bandaging
We use bandages for several reasons: to protect wounds from the environment, protect the environment from wounds, and to discourage the pet from licking or irritating a wound.
Bee Stings / Insect Bites
Any insect or spider can cause problems if they bite or sting your pet.
Bleeding
Pet owners should know how to stop hemorrhage (bleeding) if their pet is injured.
Bloat
A life-threatening condition in which the stomach fills with air (dilatation) and, or twists upon itself (volvulus).
Burns
Any injury of tissue caused by heat, flame, chemicals, or electricity.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the treatment required to save an animal (or human) life when he or she has suffered respiratory and/or cardiac arrest.
Chemical Injuries
Injury to tissue caused by contact with harmful chemicals such as lye, acids, and strong cleaning supplies.
Dehydration
Excess loss of water from the body or inappropriate intake of water into the body.
Diarrhea and Vomiting
Diarrhea is the frequent evacuation of watery stools. Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth.
Difficult Birth
If the contractions are frequent, regular, and strong, and no young is produced in 15 to 30 minutes, the pet should be taken to a veterinarian.
Electrocution
In order to avoid injury to yourself, it is imperative that you do not touch the pet until the electrical source has been turned off or moved.
Eye Injuries
Any condition that causes your pet to squint or protect his eye; any suspected trauma to the eye; any abnormal appearance of the eyeball; any time the eyelid cannot cover the eyeball.
Fainting/Dizziness (Syncope)
Fainting and dizziness may be associated with anything from low blood sugar to severe heart disease.
Fever
Fever is the elevation of body temperature in response to infection or inflammation.
First Aid for Choking
Choking is interference with breathing caused by foreign material in, or compression on, the trachea (windpipe).
First Aid for Poisoning
If you suspect that your pet has consumed a substance that is poisonous, look for evidence.
Fractures / Injuries
Fracture: a break or crack in a bone. Learn about the different types of fractures and what to do.
How to Move the Injured Pet
The first aid provider must not only identify and treat injury or illness, but must also safely transport the patient to the veterinary facility for treatment.
Hyperthermia (Heat Stroke, Heat Prostration)
The elevation of body temperature above normal. It is sometimes indicative of a fever, but it can also be associated with severe conditions such as heat stroke or heat prostration.
Hypothermia
Body temperature below 100.5 degrees, what to do?
Impalement Injuries
Dogs frequently carry sticks in their mouths and suffer impalements when an end of the stick jams into the ground.
Near Drowing
Suffocation caused by the filling of the lungs with water or other fluid. What to do?
Nosebleed
Bleeding or hemorrhage from the nose.
Paralysis
The inability to voluntarily move a part or parts of the body.
Pet Identification & Electrical Cord Safety in the Home
Remember to have ID on your animal; people will usually return your pet if your phone number is provided.
Physical Exam Checklist for Pets
In this section: Physical Exam, The Nose, The Eyes, The Ears, The Mouth, Neck & Chest, The Abdomen, Skin Turgor Test, Pulse & Heart, and Temperature.
Poisoning
Try to get in touch with a veterinarian or a poison control center, and follow their instructions.
Preventing a Health and Safety Crisis
Nutrition & Feeding, Safe Environment, Choking, Poisoning, Traveling, Regular Checkups, Vaccination Programs, and Dental Health.
Seizures / Convulsions
A seizure is any sudden and uncontrolled spastic type of movement of the animal's body caused by abnormal brain activity.
Shock
If signs of shock are recognized, or a serious injury has taken place, only supportive care can be given. The key to successful overall treatment is prompt professional care.
Shock
A recent veterinary textbook defines shock as "the clinical state resulting from an inadequate supply of oxygen to the tissues or an inability of the tissues to properly use oxygen."
Snakebite
When your pet is "struck" by a snake, it is best to assume it is a poisonous bite.
Splints
If it appears that your pet has an extra joint, the limb is likely broken (fractured).
Straining
A frequent and sometimes exaggerated effort to have a bowel movement or to urinate.
Sunburn
Damage to the tissues caused by exposure to the sun's rays.
The Book: First Aid: Emergency Care for Dogs & Cats
This book contains first aid and emergency information that may save your pet's life.
When Your Pet Cannot Breathe
Respiratory distress recognized by increased effort to breathe; noisy breathing; cyanosis (a bluish tinge to the lips and mucous membranes); inability to inhale or exhale.
Wounds
Any break in the continuity of the tissues of the body, either external or internal.
z: In Closure
If you have questions concerning symptoms your pet is exhibiting, seek advice from a veterinarian.
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