Pet First Aid

Allergic Reactions

If your pet is having difficulty breathing or collapses, check their ABCs and perform CPR if needed.
Go to the vet immediately
A severe allergic reaction can lead to anaphylactic shock. This could occur immediately or progressively over several hours.
If your pet was stung, do not attempt to pick a stinger out, as that may release more of the toxin.A stinger is usually black and very small.
If your pet develops hives call your veterinarian. If the hives progress, bring your pet to the veterinarian for injectable medication.

Cuts and Tears

A laceration may have bleeding (a great deal if any artery was cut) and an open wound through which underlying structures may be visible. Your pet may also be licking at the area or limping.

Check the pet’s ABCS, and perform CPR as needed.
Stop the bleeding. Apply direct pressure. For a minor laceration, flush and wash the wound with warm water or saline solution.
Cover the area with a clean cloth.
Take your pet to a veterinary hospital, as many lacerations will require sutures/stitches.

Hypothermia

Signs of hypothermia include body temperature below 98.5″ F, decreased heart rate, pale or blue mucous membranes, dilated pupils, shivering, wobbliness, unconsciousness or coma, and weak pulse.

Remove your pet from the cold.
Check the pet’s ABCS, and perform CPR as needed.
Take your pet’s temperature; below 98.5’F indicates hypothermia. Normal body temperature for a pet is 99.5 to 102.5′ F.
Wrap your pet in a blanket. Place warm water bottles (wrapped in a towel) next to the pet.
Take your pet to a veterinary hospital immediately.

Poisoning

Signs include bleeding externally or internally, dilated pupils, drooling or foaming at the mouth, seizures, or other abnormal mental state or behavior, such as hyperexcitability, trembling, depression, drowsiness or coma, shock and/or collapse, swollen, red irritated skin or eyes, ulcers in the mouth or burned lips, mouth or skin, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Poisons can be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed topically.
Call your vet or veterinary emergency hospital immediately. lf your pet is already exhibiting signs of poisoning, take your pet to the veterinary hospital immediately. Be ready to tell the vet what was taken, when, how much, and give your pet’s vital signs and weight. Your vet may have you call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) before coming to the hospital.
For inhaled poison, get your pet into fresh air immediately.
For topical poison, ask the vet if you can wash the poison off. Some poison is activated by water.
For ingested poison, ask the vet if you should induce vomiting.

Snake Bites

Signs of a snake bite include a bleeding puncture wound (or two near each other), bruising and sloughing of the skin over the bitten area, bleeding that does not stop, pain, swelling of the bitten area, reddening, weakness, collapse, vomiting, paralysis, twitching, drooling, seizures, and signs of shock.

Attempt to identify the snake (color, patterns, size, if rattle) but DO NOT go too close, Do not attempt to kill the snake – be aware that the fangs of a decapitated snake’s head are still venomous.
Take your pet to the nearest veterinary hospital immediately!
Try to keep your pet as calm and immobile as possible carry them if possible.
DO NOT cut the bite wound area and DO NOT suck the venom out!

Bite Wounds

lf you did not see the bite, signs include a small wound in the skin, puncture marks, swelling, bleeding, and bruising. Systemic signs such as lethargy and anorexia can occur if left untreated.

Pets bitten by other animals need vet attention to prevent the wound (even if minor) from becoming infected. Also, a smaller pet that is shaken by a larger pet may have sustained internal injuries.
Check the pet’s ABCS and perform CPR if needed. Control any bleeding using direct pressure. Wear gloves
Even if it appears like a small wound, all bite wounds should be evaluated by a veterinarian. There may be substantial injury underneath the superficial wound.
Take your pet to the vet as soon as possible.

Falling

Signs and symptoms of “High Rise Syndrome” include broken teeth, difficulty breathing, fractures or dislocations, shock and internal injuries, and split in the roof of the mouth.

lf the pet is not visible, check the entire area around the fall site. Check under cars, in bushes and brush.
Approach the pet cautiously and check the pet’s ABCS. Perform CPR if needed.
lf you do not need to perform CPR, always muzzle yout pet that has sustained injuries because he may bite if painful or scared.
Control any bleeding.
Always muzzle a pet that has sustained injuries if it will not impair breathing.
Carefully take the pet to a veterinary hospital immediately. lnternal injuries can occur and can take hours to become evident.

Overheating

Signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion include collapse, body temperature of 104″ F or above, bloody diarrhea or vomiting, wobbliness, excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, mucous membranes very red, and increased salivation.

Heat stroke (hyperthermia) and heat exhaustion occur when a pet severely overheats.
Get your pet out of direct heat.
Take your pet’s temperature. Normal body temperature for a pet is 99.5 to 102.5′ F. 4. lf your pet’s temperature is above 104′ F cool your pet down. Spray with cool water. Place cool, water-soaked towels on the pet’s head, neck, feet, chest and abdomen. Use fans. The goal is to decrease the body temperature to about 103’F. DO NOT immerse the pet in ice water.
Take your pet to a veterinary hospital immediately.

Smoke Inhalation

Signs of smoke inhalation include cherry red gums (carbon monoxide poisoning), eye, mouth or nasal discharge, labored breathing, coughing, singed hair with a smoke odor on the coat.
immediately remove pet from smoke and into fresh air.
Check the pet’s ABCs, and perform CPR as needed.
Take your pet to a veterinary hospital immediately. This is a life threatening emergency. Complication of smoke inhalation can occur 24-48 hours after the incident.

Ticks

lf you find a tick:

Put on non-latex, powder free gloves.
Part the fur around the tick.
Using blunt end tweezers, or tweezers made for tick removal, gently grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
Using a slow, steady motion, pull the tick out.
You should identify what type of tick it was and contact your veterinarian if you have any questions. After you pulled the tick off, you can put it in a piece of tape or a sealed container and dispose of it, or flush it down the toilet- You can also put it in alcohol.
Monitor the area for signs of redness, swelling, pain, or discharge.