Accidents and illnesses happen, and seeing your furry friend in pain or in critical condition can be traumatizing. In such a stressful situation, you need to know how to help them: .springing into action and managing the emergency could save your pet’s life.
The most effective thing to do as a responsible pet owner is to learn basic pet first aid techniques and warning signs of common emergencies.
Note: Always follow up with a vet after getting your pet stable. The following instructions will help get your pet out of immediate danger, but you need to get them to an animal hospital as soon as possible.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency. Common signs include panting, heavy breathing, and fainting or collapse. In such a situation, it’s essential to act fast. The first thing you should do is remain calm: being agitated will stress your pet. Instead, you should use a low, gentle voice to soothe them.
Proceed by moving your pet out of direct sunlight. Place them on top of a cool (but not freezing) wet towel and cool the air around them with a fan or air conditioner. Next, let your pet drink water, while also using a wet washcloth or cup to slowly wet their ears, fur, and feet.
ice or very cold water because the sudden change could cause shock Once your pet is beginning to cool down and drink, immediately call the vet and get them checked out.
Poisoning and Exposure to Toxins
Pets love to explore the world and partially use their taste buds to do so. This can lead to dangerous accidents: they might eat something that’s toxic to them. It’s important to remember that sometimes it can take hours or days for your pet to show signs of poisoning/toxicity. These symptoms can include: vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation (drooling a lot), nausea, not eating, etc. If your pet displays any of these signs, you need to act fast!
First, remove the toxic substance from your pet’s mouth or fur, and then immediately call and take them to the vet. If you have a dog, you can try to induce vomiting at home: the American Kennel Club has instructions online for how to do this safely. This technique is only safe for dogs, not cats.
Check out The Humane Society of the United States’ list of the most common people foods that can be toxic for household pets.
Choking
Your pet loves to chew, and that can lead to choking on balls, rawhide chews, small toys… even plants! If your pet is choking, they’ll have difficulty breathing, make choking sounds, and their gums, lips and tongue might turn blue.
It’s essential to act quickly, but remember to be careful: pets will be scared when choking, so they may bite.
- Keep your pet calm and ask a friend or good Samaritan to hold them
- Try to see the object stuck in the pet’s throat or mouth, and do a finger sweep to try and dislodge it. If your pet is too scared and might bite, use tweezers, tongs, or needle-nose pliers to grip the object and remove it. Make sure not to push it further down
If you can’t remove the object, you need to lay your pet on its side and put your hands on the side of your pet’s rib cage. At this point, firmly press down four times to push air in and force the object out of the airway. Keep checking to see if it’s still lodged, and repeat this maneuver until the object comes out.
If you cannot remove the object, contact and get to your vet right away: this is a serious emergency!
Conclusion
Knowing some basic first aid is an excellent way to be prepared in the event that your pet experiences a sudden health issue. It might save your lovely furry friend from a tragic death, and it makes you an amazing pet owner!
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