Are You Prepared To Help Your Pet?
By Denise Fleck
Spring 2008
Has your four-legged friend’s tail ever been closed in a door, or have you discovered ticks on your gorgeous long-haired pup? What would you do if you found a dog left in a parked car or your pooch was bitten by a rattlesnake or stung by a bee? Bandaging, removing parasites and treating heat stroke and stings are basic pet first aid skills every dog parent should possess.
Pet first aid is the immediate care given to a pet that is injured or suddenly becomes ill. It is the first and often most critical step to getting him well again. April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, so let it motivate you to learn the skills and acquire the tools (in the form of a pet first aid kit) you need to help your dog should trouble arise. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, 25 percent more pets can be saved if just one pet first aid technique is applied prior to getting veterinary care. In other words, knowing what to do during those first few moments after injury or sudden illness can mean the difference between life and death, or temporary and permanent disability for your dog.
The most competent veterinarian cannot bring your furry friend back to life once his heart and lungs have stopped, but by knowing rescue breathing and CPR, you can keep your dog alive until professional medical help is available; by knowing how to stop bleeding and bandaging a wound, you can prevent your pet from great blood loss and keep infection at bay; and if you can reduce your dog’s body temperature, you can prevent brain damage and death. Keep in mind that pet first aid is not a replacement for veterinary care. You and your veterinarian should work as a team for the well being of your pet.
Pet sitters, groomers and boarding attendants should also know these life-saving skills since they’re your dog’s guardians when you’re away. “After learning pet first aid, I saved a little dog from choking,” asserts pet sitter Tina Kenny. Dog Mom Sid Shapiro from Long Beach, California came to the rescue of a dog that had been hit by a car only weeks after taking a pet first aid class. Many pet parents, including Animal Communicator Terri Steuben, have used Heimlich-like thrusts taught in class to save dogs that have choked on food or toys.
By providing people with knowledge and practice, pet first aid classes also help provide them with enough confidence to react quickly when a pet needs help. In fact, pet mom Heidi Fielding attests that the biggest benefit of taking a pet CPR class is that the hands-on practice time on canine and feline mannequins gave her “confidence to deal with any situation,” regardless of whether it’s an upset stomach, a bleeding wound or even needing to perform rescue breathing and CPR.
Pet first aid classes are readily available throughout Southern California. Visit www.redcross.org, www.sunnydogink.com, www.pettech.net or www.petsamerica.org to find a class near you near you. In the words of Dog Mom Kate Ahrens, “Don’t wish you had learned pet first aid.” Your dogs are counting on you!
SPRINGTIME SAFETY TIPS
• Treat dogs for fleas and ticks, which can cause skin allergies as well as disease.
• Observe your pet for bee stings and spider bites. If you notice swelling, redness or breathing difficulties, seek prompt medical attention.
• Don’t feed human foods to pets. Many foods that are safe for us are poisonous to animals, including some fruits and vegetables (i.e.: grapes, raisins, peach pits, apple and cherry seeds, onions, and tomato leaves and stems).
• Keep dogs well hydrated and provide them with shade when outdoors. Outside food bowls should be placed in a pan containing a few inches of water to keep ants out of the food.
• Keep fertilizers, insecticides, cleaners, garbage and yard trimmings out of reach, as ingestion could prove fatal. Snail and slug bait pellets can cause seizures. Have phone numbers accessible for the ASPCA’s Poison Control Hotline (888) 426-4435 and the nearest animal emergency center.
• Don’t assume your dog can swim! Many pets drown each year, so install a fence or pool alarm around the pool area. Teach your dog how to get out of your pool by gently guiding him to the steps or ramp; review the lesson each year. If you take your pet to the lake or on a boat, suit him with a life vest and watch for fishhooks, sharp rocks and other dangers to the paws.
• Buckle up your dog when you go for a car ride. An unrestrained pet can be thrown from a vehicle when brakes are applied or cars collide, so dogs must be fastened with seat belts or ride in crates that are secured. Never let your pet sit in the front passenger seat where a deployed air bag could prove deadly, and never leave your pet alone in a parked car.
Denise Fleck is a freelance writer and animal care instructor specializing in pet first aid and CPR. She is an advocate of adopting senior pets, has developed her own line of pet first aid kits and is a member of the Surf City Animal Response Team. Denise resides in Southern California with her husband and their three rescue dogs…a loving Black Labrador and two energetic Akitas. For a class schedule, visit her website at www.sunnydogink.com.
