First Aid For Pets: Be Prepared
You probably have a first aid kit at home for your family - but what about your family pets?
You need to be ready if your furry friend faces an emergency at home, The Early Show's resident veterinarian, Dr. Debbye Turner, pointed out Saturday.
What's more, she notes, as the weather gets warmer, more pet owners take their pets with them when they leave the house - on vacations, to the park, jogging, hiking, even swimming. That can be fun for you and your pet, but there's a chance your pet will get hurt there, as well.
So, it's important to know some of the basics of first aid for your pet, to give you peace of mind and your pet fast help if necessary.
Her words of wisdom:
First of all, find out if your veterinarian accepts emergency and after-hours calls. Get that phone number if it's different from the regular clinic phone number. If your vet doesn't take emergencies, find the emergency veterinary clinic closest to you. Always have the emergency phone number on hand, in case you need it. Once an emergency happens, it's too late to go searching through the phone book.
Also, in general, these basic first aid tips are meant to help you help your pet until you can get her or him to a veterinarian. These steps should never take the place of seeing a veterinary professional when an emergency, or even a seemingly minor problem arises.
BITES & CUTS
The first thing to do is muzzle your pet to protect yourself from getting bitten. Even the friendliest pet will bite when afraid or in pain. If you don't have a muzzle for your dog, it's easy to make one. Take a long piece of gauze bandage, a scarf, nylon stocking, necktie, or even a sock, and tie it in a loose loop. Carefully place the loop around the dog's snout. Let it slide as far back (toward the head) as possible. Tighten the loop until it's snug, but not too tight. Then, bring the loose ends under the dog's ears and tie them together behind the dog's head. Don't muzzle an animal that's having difficulty breathing or is unconscious. It's difficult to muzzle a cat. Try wrapping her in a towel to help control her movements and protect you from her claws.
Once the mouth is secured shut, inspect the wound. Remove any debris, dirt, or foreign objects. Gently rinse the abrasion with saline or regular water and a mild soap. It's OK to apply an antibiotic cream or spray; just be sure to bandage the wound so your pet doesn't ingest the cream or spray. If there's a gaping wound, once it's cleaned, cover it with a gauze bandage and wrap it with a roll of gauze or a clean towel. Then, the bandage should be held in place by adhesive tape. The bandage should be snug, but shouldn't cut off circulation to the wounded area or cause further damage. If there's bleeding, use an old towel or gauze bandage to apply firm pressure to the wound to help stop or slow the bleeding. Hold with constant pressure for several minutes. Checking the wound repeatedly will slow or impede the clotting process and cause the bleeding to continue. Then, take the animal directly to the veterinarian.
INSECT STINGS
If your pet is stung by a bee or wasp, use tweezers to remove the stinger. Be careful not to press on the venom sac. That only injects more venom into the wound. Apply a cool compress on the sting or bite, such as a towel soaked in cold water, or an ice pack (ice in a plastic bag, wrapped in a cloth or towel) Cortisone cream can be applied to the bite; just be sure the pet can't ingest the cream. You'll need to put on an Elizabethan collar or bandage the wound. Call your veterinarian for further treatment.
BURNS
Rinse the burned area with a gentle stream of cool water. Apply an ice pack to the area. The ice shouldn't be placed directly on the skin. Put it in a plastic bag or wrap and cover it with a cloth or thin towel. Then take the animal directly to the veterinarian. Note: DON'T use any ointments, gels, Vaseline, butter, or other oily substance on the burned area. That may cause further damage.
And yes, it's possible for your pet to get sunburned, especially animals with white fur, thin hair (as young or old animals are more likely to have), or in areas that have no hair. The best idea is to prevent sunburn by putting sun block on the exposed skin of your pet, such as the nose, tips of ears, and hairless part of the abdomen. If these areas do get sunburned, applying a cool, wet towel will provide immediate relief for the pet. And applying aloe vera gel to the burns will help with the healing process.
HYPERTHERMIA
If your pet is exposed to prolonged periods of heat and sunlight, her or she will be susceptible to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Signs of heat exhaustion are excessive panting, anxiousness, dry gums, redden skin (most easily seen on the ears). The signs of heat stroke are lethargy, wobbly walking, and loss of consciousness.
If either of these occur, cool the pet right away and, as always, get him or her to the veterinarian. Put the animal in a shaded or air conditioned area, wet the body with cool (not cold) water. Rubbing isopropyl alcohol on the belly and fanning the area will help dissipate the heat. If a pet is suffering from heat stroke, don't try to give water. Get him or her to the vet immediately.
HIT BY CAR
If you see an animal that's been hit by a car, or you hit the animal accidentally, first be cautious of all oncoming traffic before trying to reach the animal. Approach cautiously. Even a severely injured pet can bite you.
As someone helps with directing traffic, cover the pet with a blanket or towel. Apply a muzzle (using the technique described above) before handling the animal. If the animal cannot stand on its own, there's a good chance that there are neck, back or head injuries, so try to gently transfer the animal to a flat surface. Then transport on that flat surface to the nearest veterinarian. Picking up or hand-carrying the animal may worsen the injuries.