First Aid

When it comes to emergencies, prevention is always best.

If your dog has been injured and has a wound that is bleeding, the first thing to do is stop the bleeding and keep the area from becoming infected if possible. If a wound isn’t bleeding because it has clotted, leave it alone and get to a vet.  However, if the wound is oozing or spurting blood, apply pressure.

If your dog is hit by a car, he could sustain broken bones, a damaged spinal cord, wounds and bleeding, shock, even a brain injury causing coma or seizures. Or, he might shake himself off and walk away. No matter how bad or how mild his injuries appear, take any dog hit by a car to a vet or emergency care clinic immediately.

If your dog isn’t breathing or if his heart has stopped, as could happen in the case of a heart attack, electrocution, drowning, or other accident or injury, you may have to perform emergency resuscitation and/or CPR on your dog. A dog that isn’t breathing has no time to travel to a vet, although you can practice these steps while en route when someone else is able to drive you and your dog.

A dog’s world is filled with potential poisons:  pest poisons, antifreeze, human medications, overdoses of pet medications, garbage, chocolate, household cleaners and chemicals, even poisonous plants in your home or garden. Treatment for poisoning is much more effective if your vet knows the kind of poison your dog ingested. Always bring the bottle, box, or container of any poison your dog has ingested with you to the vet, if possible. 

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

Emergencies come in all forms: automobile accidents, hit-by-car injuries, bite wounds, burns, heatstroke, poisoning, seizures, and more.

If you take your dog to the dog park, follow these safety tips.

Keeping your dog safe and healthy this summer means keeping him cool, hydrated and away from the barbecued food.