First aid for your dog Dog As for people, first aid for dogs are purpose of providing an extreme emergency treatment in case of sudden illness, accident or any disorder. The circumstances in which it is appropriate first aid maneuvers are:
1 .- When the dog is experiencing great suffering.
2 .- The condition can worsen without intervention.
3 .- You can die if not acted upon immediately.
In practice, not always clear when there are circumstances such as those cited and may be difficult for an inexperienced person to know what to do. However, it is preferable to act, at least to give time to speak by phone with the vet, or transporting the dog to your query. First aid treatment can be as varied as simply keep the dog comfortable and quiet, to give artificial respiration or cardiovascular massage.
The practices below can be performed by anyone, even without experience, and under no circumstances will aggravate the condition of the dog. However, it should be taken as a general rule that the person involved should first consider their personal safety, as the dog, own or someone else, can react with extreme aggression against any manipulation when in an altered state, in many cases it is preferable disable the dog to bite, it can be done quickly wrapping his mouth with tape used for packaging.
DROWNING: Many dogs like the water or even swim, but are unable to discern the dangers they are exposed, so it's not uncommon to be placed at risk, especially in the sea, where can be swept away by waves. Nor is it uncommon for a person to drown while trying to save a dog that is at the mercy of the waves, so in this case the first thing we do is assess our own risk and act carefully, because the dog may be too tired and scared, so it is necessary to prevent the support in our body, bringing you a material Floating to which to grasp at first instance.
If the dog has swallowed too much water, your lungs and have a content, so the first step is to try to expel the water. If it's a small dog, you may be charged head down, shaking it so the water runs by gravity. A large dog will need to lie, but the operation is the same, lifting of the hindquarters so that your head is so low and expel the water, whether as a result of this operation, the dog starts to cough, it is likely that breathing has stopped, so we have to observe your breathing and heart rate, putting the dog on its side and trying to his head is more under his body. If the heart is running, but no breathing, the only viable method is the "artificial respiration", which is discussed below. If the heart is what has failed, we must provide "resuscitation." LOCKS
RESPIRATORY: When the dog suddenly begins to cough violently and it seems that breathing is difficult, it is possible that the dog has swallowed an object blocking his throat, which is extremely distressing for both the dog and who presence. The object may be a morsel of food, toy or anything else. This lock is very dangerous because breathing stops, so you must act immediately to save the life of the dog, of course taking precautions to avoid being bitten by dogs.
Ideally, involving two people, one firmly holding the dog and pinned between his legs while his hands open your mouth as possible, while the second person trying to locate and remove the object stuck, either with fingers or with tweezers. Of course this operation is facilitated if the dog has lost consciousness, but in any case we must act quickly.
In ordinary cases, the object can be seen, because it is something as large protruding in the mouth, but also often the object is inserted into the trachea and was not able to see, so you have to try other methods if it is a big but, you can use the "Heimlich maneuver "which involves placing the dog standing on its hind legs while the person is placed behind, clinging the dog's chest, freeing an arm, will be pressed tightly just below the ribs and repeat this process several times until the object is thrown. This operation is also done with people. If the dog is unconscious and is difficult to make this move up, you can try with the dog lying on its side, pressing hard with one hand on the ribs and one below, trying to produce an effect of "bellows", meaning that air pressure in the lungs tend to dislodge the object. Being a small dog, this operation can try holding the dog on its hind legs and putting it upside down, which has the advantage that it uses gravity.
When is suspended for a long time breathing animal, it can continue to breath even if it is released from the foreign object, so it will be necessary to give artificial respiration or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, depending on circumstances. If the dog is saved, however it is necessary to go to the vet for examination.
DISLOCATIONS OR BROKEN BONES: The result of a fall, accident or sudden movement may be a dislocated or broken bones, being the most common cause being hit, which is precisely a situation of extreme emergency and usually requires first aid, but this case it is necessary to evaluate the characteristics of the damage to avoid aggravating the situation of the dog. Here are a few of the most common fractures and the risk they represent:
* LOMO: If you break the spine, the damage is severe and can occur paralysis of the rear of the body from breaking, so it is still necessary to keep the dog. If necessary move, drag it with care is preferable to a table that doubles as a stretcher, so that it can carry without hurting over the column.
* LEGS: If the dog has been injured in one leg, will have to keep lying and wrap the injured limb with a towel, so it has very little movement, especially if we find that the bone protruding from the skin .
* RIBS: If you suspect you have fractured some ribs, so we must do is wrap the dog's chest with elastic bandages or other material at hand, making sure the bandage is firm but not too tight. If the dog has difficulty breathing, it is assumed that a broken rib had punctured a lung, in this case has to be moved as little as possible until veterinary help arrives.
* TAIL: The most common fracture of the dogs is in the queue, because they are easily jammed by playing or jumping, and is also very common that they caught the tail with the car door. If you see a fracture, the only thing you can do is splinted to prevent movement and take the dog to the vet.
In all cases of suspected fracture or dislocation, the dog should be auscultated by the veterinarian and no should give him anything to eat or drink in advance, it is likely that you have to anesthetize, whether to operate or just to check it, because in a conscious state would not allow the dog.
STATE OF SHOCK: The physiological shock is a serious condition in which blood pressure drops too low, so that the body suffers from lack of oxygen. In dogs, this condition may occur as a result of an illness, injury or trauma. May occur immediately after an accident or a crisis due to illness, but sometimes happens in a period of apparent recovery. As this is a critical situation, action is needed immediately.
indicators that a dog is about to fall into extreme shock are pale gums, when you touch and press a little finger that portion becomes red, indicating that the blood pools there. It also presents breathing, a rapid heartbeat and anxiety. Later, the breathing becomes slow and heart rate irregular perceived at this time the dog may lose consciousness, your gums are blue and the temperature drops to 36.7 ° C or more.
first aid treatment is to place the dog lying on its side and pull her head slightly away from the body to facilitate breathing, then should put some cushion, pillow or whatever you have on hand to lift his hind legs, so that the blood from running down his head. You may need artificial respiration, cardiac massage or resuscitation, it is also convenient cover the dog with a blanket to increase its temperature. Finally we would ask for emergency veterinary intervention.
BLEEDING: Blood flow may be internal or external. The first case is caused by damage to tissues or organs, and the second for injuries ranging from skin inward.
external bleeding are as dangerous as blood loss and type of the same, but when it is clear that a rapid flow is not contained in itself, it is urgent to act, applying a bandage to stop the flow as much as possible, ideally an elastic be bought at the pharmacy, but these emergency will be to resort to any material that works. Before attempting the dressing must be taken to reduce blood flow, closing the wound with your fingers and pressing it for about two minutes to promote precicatrización to occur, as we see that the wound is stuck for a moment, we will bind the area of \u200b\u200ba firm but loosely so that it stops circulation. If the dressing seems to be working there to locate the artery where blood flows into the wound and apply pressure to stop irrigating the area. Once you locate the point where the pressure causes the blood does not run into the wound, we must place a "tourniquet" that place, this is a hard material such as a piece of wood, a pencil or what suited to the area and put in the place where the pressure must be exerted so that this material replaces our fingers, then the area will be bandaged with the material to produce a constant pressure to stop the blood. Thus the critical situation could be controlled and we can take the dog to the vet, but we pay attention to loosen the tourniquet every ten minutes and allow the flow of blood a few times, otherwise it could cause gangrene.
The dog's ears are very sensitive and bleeds easily occur because of minor injuries. In the event that the dog is bleeding from one ear, should be fitted with a gauze or cotton over the affected area and press for about two minutes, to produce the joint cartilage and start the healing process, ensuring that the head dog is up so that there is less irrigation in the affected ear.
If the bleeding comes from a wound on the tongue or any part of the mouth is difficult apply direct pressure in a conscious dog, because he will not allow it and may even bite. In this case it is preferable to keep the dog's head down to avoid swallowing blood and immediately take to the vet, where they surely will have to be anesthetized to proceed to a cure.
* Put the dog in a proper position and apply a thick
of absorbent material to the wound.
* Cover tightly wound with a bandage or the material available. If the dressing gets wet, change it to a new one.
* To temporarily control the severe bleeding of the tail, front legs, back or head, fingers pressed the corresponding point.
If the blood comes from the nose, do not squeeze the nasal cavities or plugs, but dampen a cloth with cold water and place on the bridge of the nose what could stop the bleeding because the cold causes vasoconstriction, but may move that the bleeding comes from an internal injury in these conditions, cold water soaks will not work and the dog must be treated professionally.
If the eye is bleeding, the procedure of the cold cloths can be very effective, it is very likely to be only broken capillaries.
is very common for the dog to break a nail root, causing profuse bleeding; But this is not a real emergency, so that only clean the wound and bandage it to bring the dog to the vet.
BELLY FLASH: This is sudden and excessive growth of the womb that is caused by accumulation of gases, being so pronounced that even interfere with breathing. It is more common to occur in large breeds, although it is possible to happen in small dogs. Suddenly, even in the midst of an exercise the dog collapses, seems to have pain, your breathing becomes difficult and there is a great salivation. Usually occurs after eating and drinking to excess. It is actually a serious case and must be addressed immediately, because the dog is in danger of falling into shock and die.
Burns and scalds: A burn and scrape produce very similar symptoms but the causes are very different. Burns can also be produced by electric current caustic chemicals or materials.
As young children, the dogs are exposed to burns and scalds in the home, so that in both cases we took every precaution, it is very common for a dog severe scalds occur in the language and mouth to try to steal a piece of meat being prepared on a grill, or on his back for spilling coffee very hot. Another risk is that the dog is very near the fireplace or fire anyone. Many puppies are biting electric shock because the wires.
Burns are classified in "degrees", ranging from the superficial, which is enough tissue to restore alone until deep burns, which also affect internal tissues or organs, so the scar is difficult and will produce severe pain and disfigurement.
With all burns, but particularly with the deep, the greatest risk is the shock, and secondary infection. Occasionally, especially with long hair dogs, the consequences are not obvious and the infection occurs later.
first aid procedure consists, primarily, to pour cold water slowly over the affected area for ten or fifteen minutes, which will relieve pain and cleanse the excoriation. If your skin is not serious damage, it simply must be covered with cotton gauze and adhesive tape or by contacting the vet to ask his advice. If the affected skin burns in some depth should take the dog to the vet, and if the burns are deep, it is more humane euthanasia.
ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION: A technique Last urgency applies where the dog has stopped breathing or even if there was a cardiac arrest, which is a really serious situation, because if the brain stops receiving oxygen permanent damage is a matter of a few minutes, so that must be combined with artificial breathing technique known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
There are several reasons why breathing ceases, such as anaphylactic shock, choking, suffocation, electric shock, severe beatings or injuries. Sometimes breathing is so slight that it can be detected, but there is, what can be perceived only a piece of cloth hanging in front of the dog's mouth to see if it moves, and if so, we're not in the presence of respiratory failure. But if breathing is not detected, it must act immediately to save the life of the dog. Place them lying on your side and raise his head to open his mouth and pull a little of their language, so that we can check your mouth and throat for foreign objects that may be obstructing breathing, and if so will require try it out with your fingers or an instrument, if not the case, however we must proceed to provide artificial respiration, leaving the dog bed and ensuring that your head is below your body. Be placed both hands on the region of the ribs, and begin to press and release rhythmically, mimicking the movement of the chest in normal breathing, so that your lungs regain their motion, it must do this for half a minute and see if breathing is restored if it does not continue with another session. If the heart continues to operate, artificial respiration may be sufficient to carry oxygen to the brain, this technique is ineffective only if the lungs are punctured, or there is a wound in the chest that could be aggravated by manipulation, if this is the case it is preferable manage other types of artificial respiration, which is "mouth-nose."
Given the anatomy of the dogs is unlikely to be able to breath "word of mouth" so you do mouth to nose. Blowing hard on the dog's nose may inflate their lungs, proceeding also rhythmically blowing and pulling his mouth to bleed air, the process is repeated and continues until the dog's normal breathing is restored, periodically reviewing such thing has occurred. This is the safest method of artificial respiration, particularly when we see blood in the mouth or nose of the dog, indicating the possibility of injury to the lungs.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which combines the mouth-nose with heart massage, it is the last procedure that is used in a dog who has stopped breathing and has no heart activity.
The first operation is to review the dog's mouth and throat in the manner described above, then will proceed to the mouth-nose for about ten seconds, followed by a massage, if the dog is small, should be fitted with a hand on his back and one on his ribs, pressing and releasing at a rate of 120 times per minute, thereby mimicking the heartbeat, in the case of a large dog, we must press on with both hands on each other, also on the ribs to stimulate the heart. In the very large breeds it is preferable to put it back and act directly on the chest, including two times when pressing hard on the chest and a time to release the pressure, which must be eighty times per minute.
Whatever the method, will be suspended from time to time (about every two seconds) to see if the dog has a pulse, just as we take in one of his forelegs. If the dog is not breathing is required another session of artificial respiration. Ideally, this operation involving two people, one giving breathing and other cardiac massage. ELECTRIC SHOCK
: Many dogs suffer shock when they bite the wires, being most exposed pups because of their exploratory behavior and play. In many cases, the electric shock is fatal or causes serious burns. When shock occurs, the first step is to remove the dog from the power source, preferably by disconnecting the cable in question to not receive shock ourselves, we immediately have to review the respiratory and cardiac activity of the dog and in case of suspended one, or both, proceed as already described, with artificial respiration and massage cardiovascular. If you have been successful and has saved the dog's life in any way will be taken to the vet for further treatment. RECOMMENDATIONS
* Please hand the phone number of the nearest vet to your home.
* At home you should never miss a kit
* Under any circumstances do not lose control
* It's up to the dog's life
* Never lose sight of your injured
"Pets are not toys, take them involves a great responsibility, they depend on you "
