| Sure, you may be a master of human First Aid. But do | | | | body temperature. |
| you know what to do in a dog health emergency? | | | | 11. Take the dog immediately to the veterinarian for |
| Approaching Dog Health Emergencies: Two Steps | | | | treatment. Treatment usually consists of more cold |
| | | | water, drugs and observation. |
| 1. In any dog health emergency, stay calm and think. | | | | Emergency 4: Dog Poisoning |
| 2. Approach the dog cautiously. The dog may become | | | | Warning signs: Look for muscular twitching, vomiting, |
| aggressive because of fear or pain. You can't help the | | | | bleeding, convulsion or collapse. |
| dog if you're hurt yourself. | | | | |
| Dog Emergency 1: Traffic Accident: | | | | 1. Have someone call the vet. |
| | | | 2. Follow the vet's advice. Different poisoning cases |
| 1. If possible, do not to move the dog. | | | | sometimes have to be treated differently. |
| 2. Call the nearest Humane Society or ASPCA office. | | | | 3. |
| 3. If the animal workers can't or won't come and you | | | | 4. If you know what the poison is, take some of it with |
| must move the dog, slide a blanket under the animal. | | | | you to the vet's office. |
| Lift the animal to safety with the help of another | | | | Emergency 5: Dog Choking |
| person. | | | | |
| 4. Check for a heartbeat and bleeding. Try to stop the | | | | 1. Open the dog's mouth carefully and try to see what |
| excessive loss of blood by holding a clean cloth or pad | | | | is causing the problem. It could be anything: a small ball, |
| over the wound and securing it tightly with a makeshift | | | | bone, stick, meat wrapping. |
| bandage. | | | | 2. Pump the chest by pressing down on the ribs and |
| 5. Take the dog to the nearest vet, calling ahead to | | | | releasing immediately at 5-second intervals. |
| prepare them for the emergency. | | | | 3. If this doesn't dislodge the object within a few |
| Dog Heathcare Emergency 2: Burns | | | | moments, rush the dog to the nearest animal hospital |
| | | | to have the foreign object removed under anesthetic. |
| 6. Immerse the burned body part in cold running water | | | | Dog Emergency 6: Drowning |
| for as long as possible. | | | | |
| 7. If the burn is from a caustic substance, wash it off. | | | | 4. |
| 8. Call the vet. | | | | Remove the dog from the water. |
| Canine Health Emergency 3: Heat stroke | | | | 5. Try to get the water out of the dog's lungs as soon |
| Warning signs: The dog is overheated and without | | | | as possible by pumping the chest as for choking (see |
| sufficient air. The dog might be panting, vomiting, | | | | above). |
| frothing at the mouth, or already collapsed. | | | | 6. Take the dog to the vet to be checked out. |
| | | | Hopefully, you will never have to handle any of these |
| 9. Remove the froth, | | | | emergencies. But if you do, you have the dog health |
| 10. Place or douse the dog with cold water to lower | | | | advice that you need. |