Sure, you may be a master of human First Aid. But do you know what to do in a dog health
emergency?
Approaching Dog Health Emergencies: Two Steps
In any dog health emergency, stay calm and think. Approach the dog cautiously. The dog may
become aggressive because of fear or pain. You can't help the dog if you're hurt yourself.
Dog Emergency 1: Traffic Accident:
If possible, do not to move the dog. Call the nearest Humane Society or ASPCA office. If the
animal workers can't or won't come and you must move the dog, slide a blanket under the
animal. Lift the animal to safety with the help of another person. Check for a heartbeat and
bleeding. Try to stop the excessive loss of blood by holding a clean cloth or pad over the wound
and securing it tightly with a makeshift bandage. Take the dog to the nearest vet, calling ahead
to prepare them for the emergency.
Dog Healthcare Emergency 2: Burns:
1. Immerse the burned body part in cold running water for as long as possible. 2. If the burn is
from a caustic substance, wash it off. 3. Call the vet.
Canine Health Emergency 3: Heat stroke
Warning signs: The dog is overheated and without sufficient air. The dog might be panting,
vomiting, frothing at the mouth, or already collapsed. 1. Remove the froth, 2. Place or douse the
dog with cold water to lower body temperature. 3. Take the dog immediately to the veterinarian
for treatment. Treatment usually consists of more cold water, drugs and observation.
Emergency 4: Dog Poisoning
Warning signs: Look for muscular twitching, vomiting, bleeding, convulsion or collapse. 1. Have
someone call the vet. 2. Follow the vet's advice. Different poisoning cases sometimes have to
be treated differently. 3. If you cannot reach the vet, try to induce vomiting. Salt and mustard in
water usually will do the trick. 4. If you know what the poison is, take some of it with you to the
vet's office.
Emergency 5: Dog Choking
Open the dog's mouth carefully and try to see what is causing the problem. It could be anything:
a small ball, bone, stick, meat wrapping. Pump the chest by pressing down on the ribs and
releasing immediately at 5-second intervals. If this doesn't dislodge the object within a few
moments, rush the dog to the nearest animal hospital to have the foreign object removed under
anesthetic.
Dog Emergency 6: Drowning
Remove the dog from the water. Try to get the water out of the dog's lungs as soon as possible
by pumping the chest as for choking (see above). Take the dog to the vet to be checked out.
Hopefully, you will never have to handle any of these emergencies. But if you do, you have the
dog health advice that you need.
emergency?
Approaching Dog Health Emergencies: Two Steps
In any dog health emergency, stay calm and think. Approach the dog cautiously. The dog may
become aggressive because of fear or pain. You can't help the dog if you're hurt yourself.
Dog Emergency 1: Traffic Accident:
If possible, do not to move the dog. Call the nearest Humane Society or ASPCA office. If the
animal workers can't or won't come and you must move the dog, slide a blanket under the
animal. Lift the animal to safety with the help of another person. Check for a heartbeat and
bleeding. Try to stop the excessive loss of blood by holding a clean cloth or pad over the wound
and securing it tightly with a makeshift bandage. Take the dog to the nearest vet, calling ahead
to prepare them for the emergency.
Dog Healthcare Emergency 2: Burns:
1. Immerse the burned body part in cold running water for as long as possible. 2. If the burn is
from a caustic substance, wash it off. 3. Call the vet.
Canine Health Emergency 3: Heat stroke
Warning signs: The dog is overheated and without sufficient air. The dog might be panting,
vomiting, frothing at the mouth, or already collapsed. 1. Remove the froth, 2. Place or douse the
dog with cold water to lower body temperature. 3. Take the dog immediately to the veterinarian
for treatment. Treatment usually consists of more cold water, drugs and observation.
Emergency 4: Dog Poisoning
Warning signs: Look for muscular twitching, vomiting, bleeding, convulsion or collapse. 1. Have
someone call the vet. 2. Follow the vet's advice. Different poisoning cases sometimes have to
be treated differently. 3. If you cannot reach the vet, try to induce vomiting. Salt and mustard in
water usually will do the trick. 4. If you know what the poison is, take some of it with you to the
vet's office.
Emergency 5: Dog Choking
Open the dog's mouth carefully and try to see what is causing the problem. It could be anything:
a small ball, bone, stick, meat wrapping. Pump the chest by pressing down on the ribs and
releasing immediately at 5-second intervals. If this doesn't dislodge the object within a few
moments, rush the dog to the nearest animal hospital to have the foreign object removed under
anesthetic.
Dog Emergency 6: Drowning
Remove the dog from the water. Try to get the water out of the dog's lungs as soon as possible
by pumping the chest as for choking (see above). Take the dog to the vet to be checked out.
Hopefully, you will never have to handle any of these emergencies. But if you do, you have the
dog health advice that you need.
| 6 Common Dog Emergencies |
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Dog Article courtesy of I-Love-Dogs.com