First Aid for the Working Therapy Animal Ann E. Goplen, DVM 10 Jan 2016
Always remember that any first aid administered to your pet should be followed by immediate veterinary care. First aid care is not a substitute for veterinary care, but it may save your pet's life until it receives veterinary treatment.
injuries/illnesses that could occur during a working visit 1. Paws- cut/slice pad cracks burns- summer asphalt-heat; winter- ice melt chemical toe nails too short or cracked/broken 2. Limbs/skin- fractures/sprain/strain cuts/wounds sunburn 3. Teeth 4. Eyes foreign body cuts (lid)/ scratches 5. Insect Bite 6. Bloat 7. Heat Stroke / Hyperthermia/hypothermia 8. Toxin ingestion 9. Chock 10. Shock rescue breathing/cpr
Therapy Visits Precluded by illness (vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, fever,.) Terminate a visit and transport to /assessment by a veterinarian may be indicated if occur during. Most of our visiting is probably done within ½ hour or so of your regular veterinarian. Keep their business card in your visit bag and their number in your cell phone. There is an American Red Cross app (0.99$) which supplies pet first aid information and also locates nearest vet clinic.
Sorry, dogs rule, cats drool. Much of this information will be targeted at canines. Treatment would be similar in other species Species/ size / behavior differences may make other animals less likely to experience some of these maladies Transport in carrier
General principles of first aid Always keep safety at the forefront- to yourself, your partner and other humans. Stay calm and move slowly and gently when working with an injured pet. painful or scared = not predictable Bite prevention techniques someone holding the head so it can t snap around, gently holding muzzle closed, temporary muzzle (cloth strip tied around), keeping people (especially small ones) clear, or a towel over head. Smaller animals can go into a pillowcase or be wrapped in a towel or jacket. An injured animal should be transported gently- a rug or blanket can make an improvised stretcher.
Transport to Veterinarian. Most first aid prescriptives end with transport to vet. All injuries fall somewhere along a continuum from mild to severe. It may not always be necessary to have a veterinarian intervene, but if you are unsure at all, seek professional veterinary care.
1. Paws- Environments not always paw friendly Trash or sharp rocks/broken glass Scalding hot Winter chemicals used for ice melt Ice can easily slice pads. Pads can crack. Signs: Sudden lameness Bleeding Licking or chewing Pain
Paw: Prevention Be prepared for conditions. Booties for the winter Towels/rags to wipe away chemicals Scout the path from parking Avoid center of an asphalt parking lot. Check the surface of the asphalt with your bare foot If it is uncomfortable for you to stand on it, it is too hot for your partner to walk on. Investigate potty areas for signs of trash or debris Use Mushers Secret to protect pads and prevent cracks.
First Aid: Winter Clean feet -especially interdigitally remove salt and chemicals, ice balls wash and dry If paws appear frostbitten (cold, lack of feeling) soak in warm water to gradually warm paws up transport to veterinarian
First Aid: Heat / Burn cool the pad with cool water or compresses. Cover with moist clean cloth. Transport to vet. Do not touch or push on affected areas. Do not apply ointments or salves. Do not try to peel off globs of asphalt
First Aid: Cuts/cracks Pads are very vascular and bleed a lot. They are slow to heal and difficult to suture, but most deep cuts will require veterinary assessment and treatment. Stop bleeding with direct pressure- pinch wound shut. Wrap securely with clean bandaging material- ½ inch of padding. Feminine hygiene pads or a torn up t-shirt usually readily available clean and absorbent and have a non-stick surface. Secure the padding but not so tight as to constrict circulation. duct tape, vetwrap or an ace bandage Limit walking and transport to veterinarian.
First Aid: Nails Bleeding ( cut too short) Apply direct pressure to tip of nail for 3-5 minutes. blood stop product powder Flour/ cornstarch drop or two of superglue will help seal once most of the blood flow is over.. Pad well and wrap entire paw.
First Aid: Fractured nail Quite painful-tender nail bed hurts with air contact. Each step can wiggle the broken nail and cause pain. Superglue can seal over the sensitive tissue of the exposed nail bed. Removing the broken nail If very loose, a quick jerk will sometimes remove it (Muzzle first). Many people prefer the vet to do this! Many pets require sedation and pain medication Pad and wrap to prevent further pain during transport to veterinarian.
Limbs/skin: Fractures Fractures in dogs and cats (and rabbits and guinea pigs) are uncommon, unless they re hit by a car or someone falls on top of them (more common than you d think). Sprains and strains are more likely no real way to tell the difference limit movement and transport the animal to a veterinarian. First Aid: Muzzle your pet. Immobolize pet and place on stretcher ( see next slide) Keep your pet calm to prevent the bone from becoming more displaced or from damaging nearby arteries, muscles, or nerves. Breaking a big bone like the femur can lead to shock, which includes rapid heartbeat, pale gums, and collapse. A badly placed splint may cause more harm than good. Pain, time consuming best to handle the limb as little as possible focus instead on getting your pet to the veterinary hospital
Transporting immobile pet Gentle and calm movements Stretcher board or other firm surface small pets can go in a box or laundry basket throw rug or blanket as a sling Secure the pet to the stretcher No pressure on the injured area or the chest wrap blankets around them
Bleeding (external) cuts/wounds Muzzle your pet. Direct hand pressure with clean gauze pad over the wound until the blood starts clotting Will often take several minutes for the clot to be strong enough to stop the bleeding Feminine hygiene pads or a t shirt work well in a pinch Don t spend time trying to rinse or clean an actively bleeding wound Don t peek! Hold pressure on it for a minimum of 3 minutes and then check Do not remove blood soaked bandages- just keep adding more on top. Apply pressure above (if vessel spurting) or below (if flowing steadily) the wound. As a last resort, if bleeding on a leg is severe and won t stop, apply a tourniquet between the wound and the body use an elastic band, gauze, tie, belt,, and apply a bandage and pressure over the wound. Loosen the tourniquet for 20 seconds every 15-20 minutes. Only use a tourniquet if absolutely necessary. A misapplied tourniquet can result in permanent disability or the need for amputation. Never apply a tourniquet to your pet s neck or tail. Severe bleeding can quickly be life threatening get your animal to a veterinarian. Severe cuts or wounds or bites will need veterinary attention for cleaning, +/-suturing and antibiotics to prevent infection. The golden period is debatable but the sooner the better (<24 hour, dirtier wounds = less time).
Sunburn Risks: outdoor activities, freshly groomed or trimmed, pink noses, bare ear Prevention is the key! Pet friendly sun blocks or zinc oxide creams (prevent ingestion) Shade or umbrellas leaving hair a little longer Treat with aloe ointment, cool compresses.
Teeth Not likely to have many emergencies during a visit. Bleeding gums or broken teeth should be checked by your veterinarian. Gums that are pale or gray with no return to color after blanching can be a sign of shock which indicates some severe process going on. Painful animals = loss of bite inhibitions
Eyes Signs: Squinting, tearing, pawing at eyes Chemical exposure flush with cool clean water (saline ideal, bottled, tapanything clean). Foriegn body plant material, fuzz usually can be flushed away do not try to dig it out if embedded in the cornea or eye Cuts, protrusion (bulging), injuries cover with cool moist cloth transport to vet
Insect Bites Not often life threatening, but can be painful Signs : Pain or itching Swelling of immediate area or generalized muzzle swelling Pawing/licking at site/shaking head. May not see obvious bite like we do on humans. First aid- if can see a stinger from bee/wasp= remove with corner of credit card to scrape away. Cold compress for 5-10 minutes to reduce pain and itch. Paste of baking soda & water or meat tenderizer and water can help reduce pain or neutralize poison (messy, not in my visit bag). If your partner has had an allergic reaction to insect bites previously, carry antihistamine (diphenhydramine (Benadryl )) if your veterinarian recommends. Signs of severe allergic reaction requiring immediate veterinary attention include swelling that interferes with breathing, lethargy, shallow breathing, vomiting, diarrhea or shock (cold extremities, pale gums).
Bloat Specifically a major concern of any of us with big deep chested dogs but can happen to any. If not sure about distension, measure abdominal circumference right behind last rib with tape measure or string. Repeat in 15 minutes. If increased, dog is bloating. Life threatening- immediate transport to veterinary facility with advanced diagnostic and surgical capabilities. Signs: restlessness, inability to sit or lay comfortably obvious stomach distension non-productive retching or gagging (sucks more air into stomach) Excessive drooling
Heat stroke They say that if it is too hot for you to exercise comfortably in a sweatshirt it is too hot to exercise with your pet! Don t leave pet in car on warm days. Never. Warning signs- excessive panting, drooling, rapid pulse and fever.
First Aid: Heat stroke Immediately remove pet from heat, move to shaded area out of direct sun. Run cool (not cold) water over animalespecially belly and between hind leg Cover head and neck with damp towel- do not cover eyes, nose or mouth Offer small amounts of cool (not cold) water to drink Transport to veterinarian
Hypothermia Signs: Excessive shivering Shallow breathing Lethargy, drowsiness Weak pulse Low body temp Unconsciousness Treatment: Warm you pet by covering with warm blankets and warm water bottles to torso Heating pads can burn the animal!
Toxin Ingestion- you have up to about two hour to get the stomach emptied. Some home emetic (hydrogen peroxide (1 Tbsp. /30# BW) can be dangerous or don t work (syrup of ipecac). If you catch your partner snacking on something it shouldn t, call your veterinarian or poison control 888-4ANIHELP (888-426-4435) (fee) if you are unsure if it needs to bring it back up and transport to vet immediately.
Choking Symptoms: difficulty breathing, excessive pawing at the mouth, choking sounds when breathing or coughing, wheezing, anxious pacing, blue tinged lips/tongue. Use caution a choking pet is more likely to bite in its panic. If the pet can still breathe, don't spend a lot of time trying to remove an object. Keep it calm and get it to a veterinarian immediately. Conscious pet: Sweep the mouth with little finger. Be careful not to push the object further down the throat. Let gravity assist- hold small pet upside down or lift hind legs of larger animal and sweep mouth. Heimlich: stand or kneel behind you pet and place one fist below rib cage. Hug pet by placing the other hand over your fist. Squeeze sharply in and up 4 or 5 ties to help force air from lungs. Sweep mouth. Back blows- use heel of hand to deliver 4-5 sharp blows between shoulder blade. Sweep mouth. Unconscious pet Lay animal on side and sweep mouth Place your hands directly over the rib cage and give 4-5 sharp thrusts to force air out. Check for breathing and pulse. Transport immediately.
10. Shock Symptoms: weak pulse, shallow/rapid breathing, nervousness, dazed eyes, pale or gray gums, unresponsive, sluggish, cool extremties. Usually follows severe injury or extreme fright. Treatment: Keep animal restrained, warm and quiet. Cover with warm blanket If animal is unconscious, keep head level with rest of body. Else elevate hind end slightly. Watch for signs of vomiting. If vomiting occurs, be prepared to tilt the head slightly below the rest of the body to prevent inhalation of the vomit, then return the head to the level position. Transport the pet immediately to a veterinarian
ABCs ABC: Airways, Breathing, Circulation just like human
Not Breathing Stay calm If possible, have another person call the veterinarian while you help your pet. Check to see if your pet is unconscious. Open your pet's airway by gently grasping its tongue and pulling it forward (out of the mouth) until it is flat. Check the animal's throat to see if there are any foreign objects blocking the airway. Perform rescue breathing by closing your pet's mouth (hold it closed with your hand) and breathing with your mouth directly into its nose until you see the animal's chest expand. Once the chest expands, continue the rescue breathing once every 4 or 5 seconds.
What to do if your pet has no heartbeat: Do not begin chest compressions until you've secured an airway and started rescue breathing. Gently lay your pet on its right side on a firm surface. The heart is located in the lower half of the chest on the left side, just behind the elbow of the front left leg. Place one hand underneath the pet's chest for support and place the other hand over the heart. For dogs, press down gently on your pet's heart about one inch for medium sized dogs; press harder for larger animals and with less force for smaller animals. To massage the hearts of cats and other tiny pets, cradle your hand around the animal's chest so your thumb is on the left side of the chest and your fingers are on the right side of the chest, and compress the chest by squeezing it between your thumb and fingers. Press down 80-120 times per minute for larger animals and 100-150 times per minute for smaller ones. Don't perform rescue breathing and chest compressions at the same exact time; alternate the chest compressions with the rescue breaths, or work as a team with another person so one person performs chest compressions for 45 seconds and stops long enough to allow the other person to give one rescue breath. Continue until you can hear a heartbeat and your pet is breathing regularly, or you have arrived at the veterinary clinic and they can take over the resuscitation attempts or 15 minutes has elapsed. Please remember that your pet's likelihood of surviving with resuscitation is very low (<20%). However, in an emergency it may give your pet its only chance.
Two good resources ~$20 ~$10
Disaster Planning AVMA Saving the Whole Family saving the whole family
Online sources AVMA: American Veterinary Medical Association: www.avma.org/public/emergencycare/pages/firstaidtip sforpetowners.aspx American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)/Healthy Pet: Pet First Aid The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine: Basic First Aid for Your Pet American Red Cross: First Aid for Pets VeterinaryPartner.com: First Aid and Emergency Care
Questions?