Basic First Aid
Bleeding
Keep the dog quiet and calm. Put on a tight
bandage.
Improvise with a towel or some clothing if necessary.
If blood is seeping through, apply another tight layer.
Only use a tourniquet as a last resort. For places you
cannot bandage, press a pad firmly onto the wound
and hold it in place. Get to the vet straight away.
If you have bandaging materials, place a non-adhesive
dressing on the wound and cover with
swabs or cotton bandage. Then place a layer of
cotton wool. Cover this with more cotton bandage.
Stick this to the hair at the top with surgical tape, and
cover the whole with adhesive bandage or tape.
Do not stick elastoplasts to the dog’s hair. When
bandaging limbs, the foot should be included or it
may swell up. Never leave a bandage on for more
than 24 hours.Broken Bones
Deal with serious bleeding but do not apply
a splint – it is painful and can cause the bone to
break through the skin. Confine the patient for transport to
the vet. Smaller dogs can be put in
a box.Burns and Scalds
Run cold water over these for at least five
minutes, then contact the vet. Do not apply ointments
or creams but if there is going to be a delay getting to the
vets, you can apply saline soaked
dressing to the area. Keep the patient warm.
Poisoning
Try to find packaging from the substance
swallowed and have it with you when you phone the vet. If
chewing plants is suspected, try to find out the identity of
the plant. Call the vet immediately. Do not make your dog
sick unless the vet says to do so.
Basic First Aid Continued... |
