In the Event of a Pet Emergency

By Dr. Margot Vahrenwald

Last month we discussed that home, while sweet, can be full of dangers for your pets. Now, what do you actually need to do in the event of a pet emergency?

First, stay calm and don’t panic – you can fall apart after it’s all over. Preparation is the next step. Keep the phone numbers of your vet and nearest veterinary emergency facility handy. Your vet can always provide information about emergency facilities in your area. Additionally, keep a phone numbers for a poison hotline handy as well. It never hurts to take a human or pet first aid course through the American Red Cross.

Add to your basic first aid kit a few extras for pets – if you don’t have a first aid kit, invest in one. The pet extras to add include a slip leash, a roll of soft gauze, a roll of medical tape and a large syringe – your veterinarian can likely help you with these small supplies.

Assess the situation and get an idea of what has happened – pet injured or pet got into something? I won’t go into the details of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) here, but there are informational resources with this article for more detail.

Injury – if your pet is injured, such as a cut paw or a possible broken limb, wrap the affected area with either bandaging material or a towel with some pressure to stop or slow bleeding and provide some stabilization. Make sure to consider using gauze or a soft slip leash to create a muzzle to prevent your pet biting – even a good pet may snap when in pain. Seek immediate veterinary care.

Burns – apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to help cool. If dry matter burn, brush away as best able. Do not apply as it can activate some dry chemicals. Seek immediate veterinary care.

Diarrhea – you can withhold food for 12 to 24 hours, but make sure to leave access to water. Contact your veterinarian for more assistance and avoid at-home treatments that could make things worse.

Vomiting – withhold food for 12-24 hours. Can give ice cubes or crushed ice in small volumes once vomiting subsides. Contact your veterinarian.

Poisoning – contact your veterinarian or poison control for the best advice. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed to do so.

Heatstroke – place cool water soaked  towels around your pet and seek immediate veterinary care.

Seizures – do not hold or restrain pet, but rather ensure safety by clearing area of objects or moving pet to a blanket. Keep calm and quiet and contact your veterinarian.

This is by no means a thoroughly detailed article on first aid, but I hope you noticed one consistent theme or words of advice. Don’t rely on Dr. Google for help other than phone numbers. Seek appropriate veterinary care for your pet with any degree of emergency.