How to Give First Aid to Pets

Learning how to assist an injured animal it is important to understand they are in pain so even the nicest pet can bite.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• gauze pads
• bandages
• tweezers
• roll of cloth
• thermometer
• hydrogen peroxide
• antibiotics ointment
• Q Tips
• cold packs/cold rags

1. 
    
   Dogs

   Check the animals pulse cats-150-200 beats per minute, medium dogs 70-110 bpm's, large dogs 60-90 bpm's. The easiest way to check a animals pulse is to put your finger on the hind leg near the groin. You will feel the blood pumping that is the pulse count the number of beats in 15 seconds multiply that by 4 this gives you the pulse rate.

2. 
    
   Dogs in shell

   The next step is to take the thermometer and insert in the animals rectum a normal temperature is 100-102.5 degrees. Once you remove the thermometer if it has blood, diarrhea, or black, tarry stool then this may be an indication of complications for the animal.

3. 
    
   cats hanging out

   If there is a fracture, external bleeding, internal bleeding it is imperative to muzzle the animal. Gently lay the animal on a wooden board or anything that will support your pet. Do not attempt to set fractures. If bleeding place a thick gauze over the wound firmly hold it in place until clotting occurs. If possible create a tourniquet which may produce faster results to create clotting. You must loosen the tourniquet every 15-20 minutes every 20 seconds.

4. 
    
   cats and little chickies hanging out

   But only use a tourniquet if you believe the animals life is in danger. If a animal has internal bleeding some of the symptoms are nose, mouth or rectum bleeding. Also the animal could begin coughing up blood, pale gums, blood in urine. If it exhibits any of these symptoms try to keep the animal as warm as possible. Lastly burns flush wound with cold water but again remember to muzzle the animal.

Tips & Warnings

• Symptoms of shock are a weak pulse, shallow breathing, nervousness, dazed behavior.
• If animal unconscious keep head level with the rest of the body.
• Always approach an animal from the side or behind it head.
• No muzzle use a strip of gauze, rag, rope. or necktie about 3 ft long.
• Contact a veterinarian immediately.
• Remember to be calm with any animal they can sense fear.
• Animals are alot like humans be gentle with them.
• If a natural disaster contact American Red Cross.

[bmi57]

on 12/5/2007 Good information to know. Thanks.