3 tips for being prepared for emergencies with your Dog

Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog
- or another dog – ever suffer a serious, life-threatening
injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or
a bee sting? It’s great to know your vet’s phone number, but
what if something happens during off hours? What if you don’t
know where the closest emergency animal clinic is located?

Enough with the questions already, right? Any emergency is
stressful and scary, and one involving that furry little
four-legged member of your family is no exception. The toughest
of owners can be instantly reduced to helpless balls of mush if
something’s wrong with their dogs and they can’t figure out what
to do.

1. Preparation is key.

The key to getting through a veterinary emergency is
preparation. You may think you have that covered with a first
aid kit and having the phone number to your vet handy, but what
if there isn’t enough time to move your dog? You need to be
well-versed in some of the more common animal emergencies just
in case a situation ever arises. And hey, if a situation never
arises, you’ll still feel more confident knowing that you have
the ability to deal with one.

2. Know how to care for wounds.

Did you know that you shouldn’t use hydrogen peroxide on a
bleeding wound? Nope. It slows clotting to the area, which means
your dog could actually lose more blood than he would if you
didn’t use the peroxide at all. In fact, the best way to treat a
deep, severely bleeding wound is to apply a clean cloth and hold
it in place for five minutes, then tape the cloth to the wound.
That original cloth should never be removed – that also slows
clotting – and should instead be layered with more clean cloths
if blood soaks through.

3. Know what to do about poisoning.

Did you know that certain varieties of toads, salamanders,
newts, and other amphibians are poisonous if licked? Hey, guess
who loves to hold little woodland critters in his mouth! Your
dog. If you notice your pup drooling, whining, and wiping at his
mouth after a trip into the forest, get him to a clean water
source and rinse his mouth thoroughly. While the poison can be
fatal if left in the mouth, it’s fairly easy to cleanse from the
tongue and glands.

Make sure you are prepared for any emergencies for that friend!