Piper's Newsletter (Second Edition)

Second Edition

July, 1997

First Aid For Dogs

By Jane Heritage
Jane.heritage@university-safety-office.oxford.ac.uk

In a crisis remember that the best treatment is veterinary care, the hints below may help to stabilize the condition before movement, but in all cases veterinary care should be sought as soon as possible.

Next a word of warning; a dog that is injured and in pain may bite so be prepared for this eventuality and providing the dog is conscious, has no difficulty in breathing or a broken jaw muzzle it. Even your own pet may bite so be prepared. If you are bitten seek medical advice.

To Muzzle a Dog

Using a piece of bandage, tie, tights etc about 2ft long, place the middle over the dogs muzzle, cross it under the muzzle and tie the ends behind the ears. The muzzle should not be too tight, but should prevent the mouth from opening.

ABC

In first aid to unconscious humans and dogs you should remember your ABCs, if you do this you will get the priorities in the correct order.

1. Airway
Clear the airway by pulling the tongue forward and lifting the chin to straighten the airway, foreign bodies should be removed from the mouth.
2. Breathing
Check for breathing, if there is no sign of this, (watch for chest movement or feel for air flow) then try Mouth to Nose Resuscitation, Heart Massage, or CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation).
Mouth to nose, heart massage or a combination of the two (CPR) should not be attempted unless:

Veterinary care is not available
It is obvious that your dog will not survive unless you do something.

If the dog cannot breathe properly because of a puncture wound to the chest, this should be sealed using a large piece of polythene held in place be either your hand or tape. Do not attempt to remove any objects from the wound.

If the chest is crushed try to identify which side is crushed and lie the dog on this side, this enables the dog to breathe more easily with the undamaged side.

3. Circulation
This is the control of any bleeding by applying pressure to the area. First apply a pad of clean gauze to the area and then apply pressure with your hand.
The dog should then be transported to the vet without too much movement. The dog should be supported on a plank or blanket and well covered to keep it warm so as to minimize the shock.

Broken Limbs, Sprains and Strains

If the fractured bone has pierced the skin a clean dressing should be placed over the protruding bone. In all cases the limb should be gently supported with a clean towel, blanket etc, cover the dog with a blanket to reduce shock and, moving the injured limb as little as possible, the dog should be transported immediately to a vet. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SPLINT THE LIMB.

Cuts, Abrasions, Contusions and Other Wounds

Closed wounds

If the skin is not broken an ice pack or cold compress should be applied to reduce the swelling. If the skin is grazed wash the wound with a solution of salt in water (1 teaspoon to 1 pint warm water)

Open wounds

If the wound is open and bleeding, stop the bleeding by applying pressure on to a gauze pad over the area, if the wound is minor wash with salt and water. Do not attempt to remove any foreign body from a wound.

Insect stings

Remove the sting with a pair of forceps taking care not to squeeze the venom sack, apply a cold compress.

Snake bites

Identify the type of snake if possible. Keep the dog as quiet and warm as possible. If you can see the fang marks, the snake was probably poisonous.

Burns

The first priority with a burn is to cool down the area as quickly as possible. If possible the area should be immersed in cold water or cooled with a stream of water; failing this the area can be cooled with wet swabs. Transport immediately to a vet. Do not put on any oils or lotions.

Electrocution

This can easily happen with puppies and young dogs who chew through electric cables. To prevent this all appliances should be switched off at the wall when not in use. If the dog is electrocuted do not touch it until the electric supply has been switched off, if you cannot isolate it from the supply you can try to move it with a non-conducting item e.g.. a wooden broom. The dog should be checked for vital signs (breathing and heartbeat), if none are present CPR should be attempted. The dog should be transported to the vet.

Heat stroke

This happens when a dog gets overheated, and can happen very quickly if a dog is shut in a car in the sun even with the windows open.

The first objective is to lower the temperature as quickly as possible. The quickest way to achieve this is to immerse the dog in water or to hose it down, care must be taken not to get the head immersed. The dog should be given water to drink and then transported to the vet.

Hypothermia and Frostbite

The dog that is most likely to suffer from extensive heat loss are the small breeds, those with short coats and elderly dogs; puppies can also be affected. During cold weather the amount of time outside should be restricted and coats should be worn by the above dogs. Frostbite will effect the extremities - tail tip, tip of ears and pads, it is extremely painful and the skin is very fragile so should be handled carefully.

The objective here is to warm the dog up slowly, it should be wrapped in a blanket or if small put inside your coat and cuddled. All dogs that have suffered from hypothermia or frostbite should receive veterinary care.

Choking

If a dog is choking first try to remove the object with your fingers. If this does not work and the dog is small enough, hold it upside down by grasping the thighs above the knees and swing it gently to and fro.

If this is not successful you can try the following: Lay the dog on it's side; for a small dog place one hand on the back and one below the ribs, for a large dog place the heel of both hands below the ribs, and using the hand(s) below the ribs, press in and upwards (do not use excessive force as this can damage internal organs). If the object is still stuck repeat rapidly several times. Transport immediately to a vet as there may be internal damage to the throat, which may swell up.

Poisons

Keep all cleaning materials, garden chemicals and other poisonous substances out of the reach of inquisitive dogs. If you suspect that a dog is poisoned contact the vet by telephone immediately, if possible get the dog to drink as much as possible as this will dilute the poison.

Drowning

This is uncommon among dogs as they are good swimmers, but can occur if they are trapped between deep sides.

Firstly make sure there is nothing blocking the airway, then attempt to remove the water from the lungs. With a small dog this can be achieved by holding the thighs above the knees and gently swinging the dog; for a large dog it should be grasped firmly around the middle and lifted with its head down. If it is not breathing mouth to nose resuscitation should be attempted.

Fits

The object of first aid here is to prevent the dog form hurting itself. Do not attempt to open the mouth. Place blankets or cushions around it and time the length of the seizure. If this is the first fit your dog has had then the vet should be informed immediately. After the fit the dog should be cleaned up and left in a darkened room to recover.

Transporting a sick or injured dog

Support the back - this may be injured. Keep injured limbs up and supported. Keep the crushed chest down - to help breathing. If there is both a crushed chest and broken limb the chest takes priority. Muzzle the dog if necessary. Keep the dog warm.

A seriously injured small dog can be supported firmly in the arms and lifted by one person. A larger dog will require more than one person. It is advisable to support the spine with something, a collapsed cardboard box can be used providing that there are several layers of cardboard with the corrugations running in different directions.

Conclusions

After any of these injuries, transport to a vet; all injuries, however minor you might consider them, should be seen by a vet. Much of the first aid given here will also apply to other animals (and humans); consideration must be taken of the size of animal being treated.

This advice is not meant to replace your veterinarian. Use this advice in an emergency and contact your vet right away. Why don't you create a dog emergency sheet right now. Make sure you have the vet's phone number; the name, location, and phone number for the closest 24 hour animal hospital/emergency care; and keep a list of all medications your dog is taking.

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