Put together a pet first-aid kit you can access easily at home. Here's what should be included: latex gloves, tweezers, a rectal thermometer (digital if possible), adhesive tape, gauze pads, cotton balls or swabs, a penlight or small flashlight, ice packs, towels, hydrogen peroxide, petroleum jelly, nail clippers or small scissors, an eyedropper, saline solution, antiseptic lotion or spray, styptic powder, materials to make a splint.
Animal bites
If your dog or cat has a bite, do not bandage the wound. Shave or trim the hair around the wound. Use clean water or a saline wash to flush the blood from the wound, and let it drain until bleeding stops. If the bleeding persists, cover the wound with a sterile cloth and apply firm pressure, repeating as needed. If possible, wear latex gloves the whole time to avoid infection.
If the blood is bright red and keeps coming in spurts, it is arterial bleeding–and life-threatening. See a vet immediately. Deep wounds might also require immediate stitches at the vet. The other main danger from a bite is rabies. It’s important to check with the biter’s guardians to make sure the animal is inoculated against the disease. If your pet’s shots are not up to date, again get to the vet as quickly as possible.
Bee stings
Scrape the stinger off with a dull knife or other object without pinching the area. If the area around the sting is swollen, apply cortisone cream and then an ice pack. Next give the animal an antihistamine, but only one milligram for each pound of the pet’s weight. If your pet has trouble breathing or experiences swelling, there may be an allergic reaction–get to the vet immediately.
Swallowing dangerous objects
If your pet eats chocolate or another food that can cause internal problems, you can use hydrogen peroxide or a teaspoon of salt to induce vomiting.
Poisoning
If the animal ingests poison–such as household cleaner, battery acid, or nail polish–do not induce vomiting. Instead, find out what she ate and call the Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Choking
Open your pet’s mouth, gently pull her tongue forward and examine the throat. If you see the item causing the choking, use a tweezers to remove it. Make sure not to push it farther back and don’t be afraid to use your index finger to sweep the area if you don’t think tweezers will cut it.
CPR
If your pet isn’t breathing, and removing the obstruction doesn’t work or isn’t possible, you’ll need to perform CPR. Make sure your pet’s windpipe is clear, then hold her tongue out of her mouth and gently close her jaws. Holding them closed, breathe six times into both nostrils. If that doesn’t work, continue artificial breathing, with 12 breaths per minute for large animals (more than 60 pounds), and 30 for pets smaller than 10 pounds. We recommend taking a pet CPR course beforehand. Classes are offered at many local Red Cross chapters as well as at local shelters.
Burns
Immediately run cold water over the burn (for chemical burns, brush off any dry chemicals before using water). Then wrap an ice pack in a shirt or towel and apply it to the burn for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea has a number of causes, and it’s important to find out which is at play. First, withhold food (not water) for between 12 and 24 hours. Then provide bland food, easing the animal back to its regular diet as the stool returns to normal. Call your vet if the diarrhea contains blood or lasts more than a day, as it could be a sign of infection.
If your dog or cat has a bite, do not bandage the wound. Shave or trim the hair around the wound. Use clean water or a saline wash to flush the blood from the wound, and let it drain until bleeding stops. If the bleeding persists, cover the wound with a sterile cloth and apply firm pressure, repeating as needed. If possible, wear latex gloves the whole time to avoid infection.
If the blood is bright red and keeps coming in spurts, it is arterial bleeding–and life-threatening. See a vet immediately. Deep wounds might also require immediate stitches at the vet. The other main danger from a bite is rabies. It’s important to check with the biter’s guardians to make sure the animal is inoculated against the disease. If your pet’s shots are not up to date, again get to the vet as quickly as possible.
Bee stings
Scrape the stinger off with a dull knife or other object without pinching the area. If the area around the sting is swollen, apply cortisone cream and then an ice pack. Next give the animal an antihistamine, but only one milligram for each pound of the pet’s weight. If your pet has trouble breathing or experiences swelling, there may be an allergic reaction–get to the vet immediately.
Swallowing dangerous objects
If your pet eats chocolate or another food that can cause internal problems, you can use hydrogen peroxide or a teaspoon of salt to induce vomiting.
Poisoning
If the animal ingests poison–such as household cleaner, battery acid, or nail polish–do not induce vomiting. Instead, find out what she ate and call the Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Choking
Open your pet’s mouth, gently pull her tongue forward and examine the throat. If you see the item causing the choking, use a tweezers to remove it. Make sure not to push it farther back and don’t be afraid to use your index finger to sweep the area if you don’t think tweezers will cut it.
CPR
If your pet isn’t breathing, and removing the obstruction doesn’t work or isn’t possible, you’ll need to perform CPR. Make sure your pet’s windpipe is clear, then hold her tongue out of her mouth and gently close her jaws. Holding them closed, breathe six times into both nostrils. If that doesn’t work, continue artificial breathing, with 12 breaths per minute for large animals (more than 60 pounds), and 30 for pets smaller than 10 pounds. We recommend taking a pet CPR course beforehand. Classes are offered at many local Red Cross chapters as well as at local shelters.
Burns
Immediately run cold water over the burn (for chemical burns, brush off any dry chemicals before using water). Then wrap an ice pack in a shirt or towel and apply it to the burn for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea has a number of causes, and it’s important to find out which is at play. First, withhold food (not water) for between 12 and 24 hours. Then provide bland food, easing the animal back to its regular diet as the stool returns to normal. Call your vet if the diarrhea contains blood or lasts more than a day, as it could be a sign of infection.
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