Important Dog First Aid Tips

Your dog deserves the best love and care from you as an owner. However many owners are stumped when it comes to emergencies that concerns their pets. In the event of a physical accident or your dog consuming unwanted material, youll want to know exactly what to do. Having first aid knowledge for your dog could come in handy at the right time. Here are some important dog first aid tips to keep in mind.

Wounds

A bandage and disinfectant kit could prevent your dogs wounds from becoming infected. Keeping the wound dry and cool will also prevent it from getting worse.

Choking

If your dog has consumed a foreign object and is causing obstruction in the throat, it is best to check the mouth and throat first. Pulling out the dogs tongue might dislodge the object regardless of whether the dog is conscious or not. Remove the object if possible by lifting the dog and giving it a Heimlich maneuver similar to what is given to humans (pushing under the last rib to force out unwanted object). If the object is still stuck, suspending the dog upside down might further help displace it. Repeat the process until your pets throat is clear.

Animal bites and poisoning

Signs your dog has been bitten by a snake are puncture marks, bleeding and bruising, and swelling. Nausea, vomiting, and depressed respiration are also symptoms of a snake bite depending on which species of snake attacked your pet.

In any case of poisoning by animal venom, it is best to identify what poisoned your dog and call your veterinarian as soon as possible. Also it is preferable to immobilize the part that was bitten to prevent the spread of the venom into the body. It is also unnecessary to apply ice to the area or incise the wound to bleed the venom out.

CPR for dogs

If your pet is unconscious, you might have to perform emergency CPR. Symptoms would include bluish gums and your dog not breathing.

CPR for your pet is similar to CPR given to humans. The only difference is to make sure the muzzle of the dog is shut. Once the dog is placed on its side, blow gently into the dogs nose with 20 breaths per minute until the dog is breathing on its own.

Dogs cant administer first aid themselves, so if they were to get injured would you know how to? Dogs depend on their owners to take good care of them.If they were to get injured and you were a considerable distance from the veterinarian, you could be the difference between life and death. Dog injuries can occur at any time you must be prepared to help your dog if the need arises.