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Pet First Aid: Safe Household Treatments

At various vet trips we’ve received advice to treat our pets with doses of Benadryl, Zyrtec, and Neosporin. That’s right: medicines we think are for people can also be for pets. There are actually a number of household items or medications we can employ if our animals are having problems. The trick is knowing exactly what medicines, and how much of them, are safe for our pets. For example: most dogs should only have one Benadryl a day. If giving the pet Zyrtec, it should only receive the normal kind – make sure it doesn’t have any decongestants or other … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: How to Bandage a Paw

Bandaging an injured paw or footpad can be tricky. Here are some techniques you can try. First things first: clean and disinfect the wound. You don’t want to throw a bandage on there if the wound is dirty — it can get infected. Wait for things to dry, or you’ll have a hard time getting your bandage to stick. Now it’s time for the bandaging. You’ll need a gauze pad, roll gauze, tape, and an old sock. Place the gauze pad over the wound. Take a doubled strip of roll gauze and place it over the paw and under the … Continue reading →

What is in Your First Aid Kit?

A better first question would be — do you HAVE a first aid kit? I hope you do. In an emergency, a first aid kit is an extremely handy thing to have. In fact, the Red Cross suggests keeping a first aid kit in your home and another in your car. They also suggest knowing where your first aid kit is at work and keeping one in the dorm. There are lots of first aid kits available for sale. Mine came from Costco. You can pick one up at your local pharmacy, or even order one from the Red Cross … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Sticky Situations

Over the weekend, Moose and Lally and I were invited up to a friend’s house. The house sits up on a hill overlooking the Willamette River in Washington state. Around the yard grow wild blackberries (yum) and there are several walking paths through the less tamed areas of the hill. In other words, it’s pretty much puppy paradise! Much to my dismay, Moose came gimping out of the bushes after dinner. I grabbed his feet and checked each one out. His left front paw had all sorts of sticks and stones stuck to the pads — it seems my Moose … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Neck Sores

This morning, I noticed a weird matted spot on my dog Lally’s neck. On closer investigation, I found a sore around the size of a quarter on the right side of her neck, just above where her collar sits. Time to put my pet first aid skills into action! First, I soaked a washcloth in warm water. After wringing it out, I applied the warm washcloth to Lally’s neck to help soften and clear away the dried blood. Once I could pick the hair out of the way, I could see the sore. It didn’t look like a cut, scrape, … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Pressure Points

Bleeding can often look more serious than it really is. Many wounds will start to clot within ninety seconds, with a scab forming within hours. That first rush of blood from a wound helps clean out debris and bacteria! But deep wounds — especially ones that damage veins, nerves, and arteries — can be very serious. An injured vein will bleed dark red blood evenly. An injured artery will spurt bright red blood with each heartbeat. Artery damage is more serious than vein damage, though both can be life threatening. There are a few places where arteries are relatively close … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Abdominal Wounds

Because only a layer of skin, fat, and muscle protects the stomach, an abdominal wound can be very serious. The organs in the abdomen are easily injured — bruised or torn — by a car accident, a fall, or other impact. If there is ANY puncture or open wound, you should contact your veterinarian. It can be very hard to tell at home if a smaller wound has penetrated the abdomen and the internal organs are exposed. Even an abdominal bite can be a serious injury. Your first aid will concentrate on keeping your pet alive while you get to … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Earflap Injuries

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Whether your pet has upright ears or floppy, folded over ears, an injury to the ear is going to come with a lot of blood. A lot of blood goes through the earflap area — the visible part of a dog or cat’s ear. Breeds with hanging ears, like Labradors and hounds, tend to have the worst time with earflap injuries — with so much ear, it is easier to get caught, cut, or banged. Outdoor cats are also prone to ear injuries, often from fights with other animals. Most pets don’t have very thick fur on their earflaps, which … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: When His Head Gets Stuck

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Okay, head entrapment isn’t an emergency unless the pet is having difficulty breathing. But it can be a common problem, especially with curious puppies! Cats and kittens have small, rounded heads that can easily slip into and out of tight spaces, but puppies (and full grown dogs) can find themselves trapped after a small change of position. Where can your pet get stuck? Veterinarians have seen pets with their heads stuck between the slats on the back of a chair, in wire or chain-link fences, between the rungs of the banister on a staircase, or even inside jars! When is … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Foot Pad Burns

A foot pad burn is something you can usually treat at home. How might a pet injure a foot pad? Asphalt roads can reach more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit on the hottest summer days. Walking on fresh tar or asphalt — which can reach over 300 degrees Fahrenheit. A curious dog or cat may burn his feet on a hot stovetop. An inquisitive cat may explore a candle or hot light bulb with a paw. If your pet has burned a foot pad, the first thing you should do is get the injured paw into cold water. And not just … Continue reading →