Dog First Aid

Dog First Aid: Watch these serious dog health risks

Injuries often require immediate dog first aid, but when serious health risks arise, it might not be enough. This article reviews some of these conditions, what they mean, and how you should respond to help save your dog's life.

Dogs are susceptible to serious medical conditions that leave owners at a loss to know what to do. While the first response must be to seek emergency treatment right away, that's not always possible. For some people, veterinarian services are a considerable distance away. In other cases, even 10 minutes is too long.

Dogs who are at risk medically can't wait. They need some sort of life-saving treatment immediately. Dog first aid can help, if you know what to do.

Here are some of the dangerous conditions your dog might encounter.

Shock

When the dog's cardiovascular system breaks down, the dog goes into shock.

Dehydration and poisoning are two of the common reasons why a dog will go into shock. Dehydration can occur quickly, especially if your dog is kept in a car during hot weather for more than as little as five minutes. Even in that short time, your dog can go into shock and cling to death. Being hit by a car is the major cause of canine shock.

It is crucial that you seek medical treatment immediately.

Electric shock

Puppies are especially susceptible to this type of injury as they tend to chew things they shouldn't, like power cords. It can cause painful burns to the mouth, and even death. Lightning strikes are just as dangerous and can cause circulatory collapse and the dog's lungs can fill up with fluid. If he is unconscious and not breathing, the only dog first aid you can apply is artificial respiration. Seek veterinary help immediately.

How to apply Artificial Respiration to your dog

Check inside his mouth to be sure there are no foreign objects in his throat. If necessary, use the Heimlich manoeuver to eject any blockages. Next, lay the dog on his right side on a flat surface. Place your hands on his chest and sharply press down and release immediately. If the dog doesn't begin to breathe, apply mouth to nose resuscitation.

In this method, pull the dog's tongue forward and hold his lips closed with your hand. Place your mouth over the dog's nose and blow a steady stream of air into his nose for about 3 seconds. Release to let the air out and to see if the dog takes a breath. If he isn't breathing, continue this treatment until his heart beats and he begins breathing.

See a vet immediately, even if he does recover.

Car accidents

This is one of the most avoidable risks for your dog. While you can apply dog first aid to treat obvious cuts and bruises, always take your dog to a veterinarian for an examination. He might seem okay, but there can be underlying dangers lurking, such as broken bones or internal bleeding that can put his life at risk if not treatment quickly.

Stop external bleeding by applying a bandage and pressure to the wound. Spurting blood is extremely serious as it means an artery has been severed. Apply pressure and seek a dog hospital immediately.

Dog fights

Dog fights can cause severe and life-threatening injuries. Eyes and lungs can be punctured, bones can be broken, and the dog's airway can be cut off. Avoid dog fights. To break up a fight, take extreme caution or you could get bitten. Some ways you can try to separate two fighting dogs include turning the hose on them or throwing a blanket or coat over their heads. While these provide a temporary pause in the fighting, quickly separate the dogs by pulling on their collars or leashes. It's best if two people are available for this challenge.

Pull out your trusty dog first aid kit and take care of obvious injuries. If your dog seems to have labored breathing, broken bones or severe injuries, seek medical help. If the two dogs are strangers, consider the possibility of rabies transfer. Get this information from the other dog (either from its collar or from its owner). If you cannot get this information, take your dog to the vet for treatment.

There are more conditions to watch: burns, bleeding, broken bones, cuts and abrasions, drowning, hypothermia, heat stroke, porcupine quills, skunk attack and poisons from snakes, toads and various insects. I'll cover these in a later article.

In many cases, treatment is obvious. If you are unsure or if the situation looks serious and whenever poisons are suspected, take your dog to the vet rather than rely on dog first aid.

(Close this window to return to the articles list)