Like humans, pets are susceptible to becoming sick or injured at any moment. Broken bones, wound poisoning, bite wounds are only some of the situations that your pet may have to face. According to experts in the field, first aid can greatly improve your pet’s condition and the likelihood of recovery.
What to Do in Case of an Emergency
Make yourself ready for an emergency by consulting your doctor before the time of an emergency. Find out if they offer emergency hours. Your doctor may suggest a nearby emergency vet clinic. Knowing your veterinarian’s emergency clinic’s opening hours is important. Find out how to reach the closest emergency clinic swiftly. Knowing what you should do in an emergency could help you save a lot of time.
It’s not unusual for a veterinarian practice to have a lot of questions about pet eye problems on a daily basis. With certain minor problems, “watchful waiting” is advised, but never with eyes. A non-vet pet owner can’t tell how serious an eye problem is, and a phone description isn’t enough. In other words, if a caller reports that their pet’s eye “looks odd,” it’s time to take them to a veterinary ophthalmologist.
Pet owners must know the best way to induce vomiting right away. If they don’t, their pet could absorb harmful substances, and seizures and shocks could happen if bleeding doesn’t stop right away.
Always keep two days’ worth of medicine in the kit and in your vehicle for pets who need a prescription to live or who have a chronic condition.
Epilepsy, heart disorders, diabetes, other chronic diseases, and serious medical conditions are all treatable with medications (InternationalEpilepsyDay).
Thus, keeping a pet first aid kit in your possession and attending a pet first aid course to master the fundamentals of the basics of CPR and basic first aid techniques, as well as the Heimlich procedure for animals, is essential. First aid classes for pets are offered at a variety of pet stores and numerous animal rescue organizations.
What are the most important items to have in your first-aid kit?
It’s recommended to keep a basic first aid kit for your pet always available. You can purchase a pre-stocked first aid kit or build your own using common household products.
- Cotton swabs
- Gauze pads
- Four rolls of gauze
- Two rolls of bandages
- Betadine
- Two bottles of wound wash saline
- Three instant cold packs
- Tweezers
- Forceps
- Stethoscope
- Muzzles
- Medicine droppers
- Antibiotic ointment
- A pair of scissors
- Medical tape
- Duct tape
- Three-wire coat hangers for splinting
- Six washcloths
- Two hand towels
- One large blanket
- Buffered Aspirin
- Pepto-Bismol
- Mylanta Gas
- Benadryl
- Activated Charcoal
- Milk of Magnesia
- Glycerin Suppositories
- Mineral Oil
All these items should be in your kit. Along with the supplies and medicines, your first aid kit should contain emergency vet numbers that are immediately accessible or easily visible. There’s never a time to go to the pet store to help your pet in an emergency.
What are the required skills?
It’s nearly useless to carry an emergency kit for first aid and medications if you don’t know how to use these items. The basics of first aid include:
- Heimlich maneuver for pets
- Handle a choking emergency
- How to make and use a muzzle from scratch
- How to induce vomiting
- How to stop bleeding
- How to flush and disinfect wounds
- Make a splinter for a broken tail or limb
- How to administer CPR on your pet
- Examine a pet’s vital signs and determine normal values
Conclusion
Prepare ahead of time, and you’ll be the most effective way to help your pet in an emergency. Start thinking about how you’ll react if an event occurs, and things will go more smoothly for both you and your pet. If you’ve been looking for emergency service and haven’t found one yet, visit facilities like the St. Louis Animal Hospital they are dedicated and experienced in providing after-hours emergency care.
