Did you know that April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month? This is a great time to ‘bone up’ on some useful and helpful tips for those unexpected emergencies.
Here are our top 10 tips for keeping your pet safe, healthy and be prepared!
Important contacts:
Keep your veterinary emergency location and contact number handy! Add a note to your refrigerator and near your phone, and include the number and GPS location in your cell phone. This tip has been a lifesaver for our dogs!
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has a wonderful service called the Animal Poison Control Center. This is a great service to use in an emergency. It is your best resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.
First Aid Kit
Put together a small first aid kit for your pet and include items like:
- Eye wash
- Hydrogen peroxide (to induce vomiting for only when directed by a veterinarian or a poison-control expert)
- Gauze squares and rolls
- Vet flex wrap bandage
- Benadryl (For allergic reactions to bee stings, copperhead bites, allergies and more. Click here for dosage information and be sure to check with your favorite veterinarian.)
- Adhesive tape
- Antiseptic wipes, lotion, powder or spray
- Cotton balls or swabs
- Rectal thermometer (your pet’s temperature should not rise above 103°F or fall below 100°F)
- Scissors
- Sterile saline solution
- Tweezers
Learn the emergency situations!
Choking is the number one cause of accidental death. Watch and learn how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver for your pet and be prepared! Here’s a wonderful video to help you learn the basics:
Bloat is a serious situation for dogs and can be fatal very quickly within 20 minutes. The best thing is to recognize the signs of bloat and rush your dog to the nearly emergency room immediately.
A wide variety of emergencies can cause your dog’s heart to stop. In this case immediate care is a priority. Watch this video to learn the basic of pet CPR.
More resources:
To be more fully prepared, download the American Red Cross Pet First Aid app on your mobile phone and have all the info you need to be prepared for your pet in an emergency. Download via Apple App Store or Google Play or text “GETPET” to 90999.
Feel free to share this information with all of your friends and family! And to be safe while you have to be away from your pet, be sure that your pet sitter and dog walker are certified in pet first aid and CPR. You never know what can happen!
