ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO BASIC FIRST AID IN DOGS This Veterinary Help Sheet has been very kindly written by Robert White-Adams MRCVS, who regularly writes informative columns in The Trust s Labradors Forever magazine Sounds easy to put onto paper but when I sit down to think about it it s a vast topic. And certainly there are more conditions and advice than I can offer in this Help Sheet. However there are some general principles which can be followed. And remember veterinary help and advice is only ever a phone-call away. During normal hours pick up the phone most practices train their staff to deal with routine enquiries about pet healthcare preventative care AND treatment of common problems and if the person who answers can t help you they will usually transfer you to a nurse or even arrange for a vet to speak to you. I know people worry about spending out for an unnecessary consultation. Will I get any help or will they just insist on a consultation to make some more money? I m sure some practices do work this way but in my experience (and in my Practice), each day we deal with many enquiries from our clients that do not end up needing a consultation often a single phone call can be enough or some preliminary advice can be given with instruction to call again if all is still not well. Of the advice requests received at my practice, less than a half are advised a consultation is needed imminently. However, when our experience suggests a consultation would be sensible it is usually advice worth following. I have always seen advice calls as an important cornerstone of the mutual trust and respect that is so essential to a successful client:vet relationship and it is one of the reasons it s sooooo important for you to establish a good rapport with your chosen vet! Outside normal hours advice is also available all vet practices have to provide an emergency service and whilst we aren t usually terribly amused by 2am phonecalls to discuss flea treatment protocols or make enquiries about the merits of castration (!) I reckon 60% of the (genuine) calls I receive out-of-hours need only advice and guidance to help their pet. So now that you know help is always only a phonecall away the first and MOST important thing to learn and remember is to STAY CALM. And make sure you have your vets phone number somewhere near to hand! There are very very very very few cases where panicking and rushing to the vets will have anything but a negative impact on the outcome of the case. If anything the opposite is true staying calm and doing the right thing on the spot BEFORE seeking veterinary help can often make the
Page 1 of 6 (Veterinary Help Sheet 2 1 March 2010) difference between life and death (for example, see Heat Exhaustion below). We are all very familiar with the world of human medicine especially as portrayed by TV drama. The reality is that there is a gulf between treatment of critical or emergency illness in human medicine compared with the veterinary field; when a veterinary patient suffers extreme major trauma or illness, the eventual long term recovery we see in human medicine is, for many reasons, just not realistic in the veterinary world. I was amongst the many delighted to see Richard Hammond return to Top Gear after his horrific highspeed car crash, but the harsh reality is that a dog or cat with similar injuries would have died, regardless of which veterinary practice you went to, how much you spent or most importantly, how quickly you could get there. So, what can you do? Well the NUMBER ONE RULE is - as I said above - to stay calm and think. Think before you act. The most important thing when dealing with a casualty is that we deal with just ONE patient not you as well making two! we need you to remain calm, controlled and safe. You are no help to the patient if you fall down the stairs, panic yourself into a heart attack or crash your car speeding to the vets. Which brings me to Rule Number 2 get local help if you can. Anyone will do 4 hands are better than 2. 6 or 8 are even better. A family member, friend, neighbour or if you are out and about just holler until help comes your way. I ve given some basic advice for some emergency problems below but first let s deal with the often quoted basic three, the ABC of first aid: A: Airway B: Breathing C: Circulation Very useful in humans but in our canine patients much less so. By all means check the airway but be careful a Labrador has easily enough jaw strength to take the tops off carelessly placed fingers and if the dog is injured or has reduced consciousness then no matter how lovely they are normally a bite is very very possible even by accident or reflex. If your dog is choking attempts to retrieve the object with your hands can be successful but for spherical and smooth objects, this can result in inadvertently pushing the object further in! Sudden forceful compression of the whole chest (using your body not just your hands) can act like a human Heimlich manoeuvre, or if the patient has lost consciousness, the object may be steadied by a hand on the throat whilst the other hand attempts to grab it through the mouth I have even heard of a corkscrew being used to bore into a stuck ball to allow it to be pulled free! Breathing can also be checked with a hand on the chest or a glass/mirror at the nose and
Page 2 of 6 (Veterinary Help Sheet 2 1 March 2010) there are plenty of books and websites that will give detailed guides on how to perform CPR for your dog. I don t mean to sound to pessimistic, but I should warn you if your dog is genuinely not breathing then the chances of successful resuscitation, even in the best veterinary facilities in the world, are low. If a patient in the veterinary surgery stops breathing and we can intervene within the first two or three minutes then there is a slim chance of success. Any longer than this and the outlook is hopeless. Circulation is more difficult to detect. You can try feeling for a heart beat by feeling the chest, just under/behind the elbow. You can also check the colour of tongue and gums a blue or grey colour (cyanosis) suggests poor circulation. There are also several pulse points on a dog but as a student it took me months to learn how to feel these and more importantly, reliably detect their absence a skill that wanes quickly when not used regularly. And even if you are sure there is no heartbeat or pulse not only is the outlook really poor the shape of a dog s chest makes effective CPR very ineffective even in skilled hands and rib fractures and chest trauma are sadly the most common outcomes! So I guess Rule Number 3 should be: Know your limits. Sorry to be such a pessimist. But (!) there are things you can do that in some circumstances will make all the difference. Here are some pieces of generic advice for dealing with the most common emergencies. Trauma With trauma comes shock which is a medical condition and often what kills trauma patients. And make no mistake the shock will be made worse by you panicking. So first principles apply; stay calm and get help. If you cannot stay calm then take yourself away and let someone else take charge. Dogs pick up on feelings and emotions if you are hysterical you will panic your dog and make the shock worse so if you can t keep a lid on it, then for your dog s sake take yourself away. The patient should be made warm, dry, safe and as calm as possible. Treat other urgent injuries such as bleeding (see below). Now is a good time to phone the vet. Make sure the patient remains calm while somebody else brings transport as close to the patient as possible. Transfer the patient onto a blanket (or even a flat board). This is where many hands are good trying to carry an injured Labrador in your arms on your own will usually make matters worse. You ve seen what you should do dozens of time on the TV lots of people/hands - everyone grab a small bit and move the patient in a single, supported gentle movement. You can then use the blanket or board as a stretcher for carrying the patient to the car. Once in the car boots and backseats are good try and leave someone with the patient but please remember your safety at all times. And drive sensibly! Being in another car
crash whilst you are being taken to the vets really will not help! Page 3 of 6 (Veterinary Help Sheet 2 1 March 2010) Bleeding A little blood goes a long long way remember that and repeat it to yourself. There are few bleeds major enough, on their own, to cause death but where there is bleeding whether it be from a minor cut or from a severed femoral artery the same principle applies. Apply pressure in the form of a compress made with any clean fabric apply lots of pressure to the bleed - for several minutes, if not constantly. For minor injuries (cut pads, cut ears, etc.) using a compress wrapped around something cold (e.g. frozen peas, round pot of ice-cream) can be helpful. Tourniquets are often discussed in books and online. In reality they are a hard thing to use well and can cause immense damage just stick to applying manual pressure either until the bleeding stops or until you can get further help. Bloat This is a big fear for owners of deep-chested dog breeds (and as such is thankfully unusual in Labradors). It occurs when the stomach becomes distended with gas, and can twist upon itself. It occurs without warning and even with extensive urgent treatment can be rapidly fatal. Typical symptoms include trying to vomit but only producing salivadrool, tight, firm distension of the abdomen (like the surface of a drum), panting, and restlessness. Stay calm but seek urgent veterinary assistance! Burns These are painful injuries. If the patient will allow, the area should be rinsed with copious amounts of cold water and covered with wet/damp cold fabric until further help is reached. Cuts and Wounds Clean YOUR hands before dealing with the patient. Flush the wound with copious amounts of clean warm water until all dirt and debris has been removed. Bleeding should be stopped using pressure as described above. Whilst small wounds may heal themselves, many require veterinary treatment, including skin wounds in highly mobile or contact areas (e.g. pads, elbows), bite wounds, heavily contaminated wounds. Generally, wounds receiving veterinary treatment within 24 hours of occurrence heal better, quicker and cheaper than those left to fester, infect and scar for a few days before going to the vets. The longer you leave it the harder it is for your vet to fix so if in doubt get it checked sooner rather than later!
Page 4 of 6 (Veterinary Help Sheet 2 1 March 2010) Fits and Seizures Fits and seizures can be caused by many things, and from the outside they look strenuous vigorous and painful keep reminding yourself that, in a full seizure, your dog is unconscious or unable to feel pain or experience anything that is happening. You MUST remain calm. Move your dog out of harms way if needed (and remove other dogs/pets/ children from the vicinity) but otherwise keep your hands clear of your dog (do NOT put your hand in your dogs mouth during a fit even if you see blood from a bitten tongue - the muscle spasm in a Labrador s jaw is more than strong enough to remove a human finger!) Remove sources of noise, bright light or other agitations including you if you can t remain calm. Excessive levels of external stimulation WILL prolong or exacerbate many types of seizure. Most epileptic fits only last a few minutes and there is little that can be done in this time frame so stay with your dog and stay calm! Once the seizure starts to subside your dog will start to regain consciousness, but will be very disorientated and exhausted. It is imperative that the surroundings stay dim, quiet and calm and that you provide reassurance and a calming presence. Once things have settled down it s time to clean up a little (incontinence is common during a fit) and seek veterinary advice. A dog in recovery after a single seizure is rarely in need of immediate veterinary attention so, again, stay calm whilst you obtain advice. Other types of seizure and fit may not subside, or recur in short clusters. In this situation you should seek more urgent veterinary attention. Heat Stroke/Exhaustion This condition is seen either in dogs that are left in cars without adequate ventilation or sometimes in dogs that are over-exercised in hot, humid weather. Labradors in particular seem particularly poor at knowing when to stop and take a breather! especially the choccie and black Labs playing ball in hot summer sun. As body temperature rises a dog s only means of losing heat is panting and the amount of heat lost this way can quickly become insufficient. As the excessive body heat starts to build we see excessive panting, generalised weakness and collapse. This will quickly progress to coma, then permanent brain damage and eventually, death. The priority is to reduce temperature but DO NOT SOAK THE DOG in cold water or ice. A sudden deluge will only activate a reflex taking blood flow away from the skin and further increase core temperature. A mild case can usually be treated by moving the dog to shade, providing water to drink and by dampening the coat with cool water and damp towels. Recovery is usually seen within a few minutes. The same treatment should be initiated in a more serious case
Page 5 of 6 (Veterinary Help Sheet 2 1 March 2010) BEFORE seeking veterinary help. A patient that has had cooling already started stands a much better chance of survival than one who has spent another 10 minutes over-heating on the way to the vets. Vomiting or Diarrhoea Dogs, especially Labradors, occasionally suffer a single incident of vomit or diarrhoea, with no other serious symptoms, and this is not a cause for serious concern. When signs persist, providing the patient is still bright and well, the condition can often be managed at home with rest, starving for 12-24 hours (making sure water is available) followed be feeding a simple bland diet for a few days. If either vomiting or diarrhoea persist, the patient becomes otherwise off-colour or unwell, or a large quantity of blood is noted in either vomit or faeces, then veterinary advice should be sought. And sadly that s it - as I said above that only just scratches the surface of doggy first aid. But if nothing else then please remember this. Don t panic - and if needs be then call your vet. What YOU do in the first five minutes may make all the difference so stay calm and take charge. You can do it! The Trust wishes to extend their most grateful thanks to Bobby White-Adams for his invaluable contribution to our rescue work. This help sheet has been written by Robert White-Adams MRCVS. Robert has extensive experience working in mixed and small animal veterinary practice.. and anything to do with Labradors. He got his first and now sadly missed TLRT dog in 2001. Robert opened his own veterinary practice in 2008 which welcomes all pets, but especially Labradors. Robert White-Adams MRCVS, Practice Director, Companion Care Weston-super-Mare Ltd, Inside Pets at Home, Unit 2B Gallagher Retail Park, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset BS23 3YY T: 01934 418004 E: wsm@companioncare.co.uk W: www.companioncare.co.uk/wsm These Information Sheets are intended to serve as a guideline to new homes and foster homes. They are the result of many years of experience from our helpers and we hope that they provide a useful insight. Please note that these are only guidelines and The Labrador Rescue Trust, its helpers and officers make clear that it is the responsibility of each home/foster home to recognise the needs of their dog and to react to those needs. The Trust, its helpers and officers cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of any individual dog. COMPANY Registered Charity Number: 1088198 The Labrador Rescue Trust Company 2010 (Company Limited by Guarantee), Registered in England Number: 4145991 Registered Office: The Old Mill, Park Road, Shepton Mallet BA4 5BS www.labrador-rescue.com
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