Before You Go To The Vet In An Emergency There Are Things You Can Do

When your dog or cat is sick or injured, getting to a qualified emergency vet is generally your primary instinct, however understanding how to provide simple first aid for animals can make a significant difference in a moment of crisis. One of the most important things you can do now is to ensure you possess the correct supplies on hand as well as reference books and contact information for a vet, poison control center and local animal shelter. It is also wise to get a well designed strategy for your pets in the event of a catastrophe, natural disaster or family crisis so you can make an on the spot decision and stay calm, cool and collected.

Naturally, a generously supplied first aid kit is essential to any family, and a lot of your standard supplies can be used to administer illness or injury for your dog or cat. Topical solutions that ward off infection such as hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment and sterile saline solution may be placed on wounds on your pets just like on people. Remember that pets frequently try to remove a bandage, therefore knowing how to correctly affix them is crucial and requires plenty of clean cotton strips, gauze and first aid adhesive tape so store enough on hand so you can be creative in keeping the dressing in place. Include a digital thermometer in your first aid kit because ordinary human mercury thermometers often will not register high enough to get an accurate reading on an animal. Additional useful things, especially for intestinal illnesses, are Milk of Magnesia, mineral oil, activated charcoal tablets and laxatives that could be suggested by an emergency vet, however should not be used without getting professional advice first.

Specific animal related things for your first aid kit include an eye dropper and pill dispenser so you are able administer medications. Dog owners should own a properly-sized muzzle for their pet, because even well mannered animal can bite when injured and frightened. Hurt cats can be wrapped gently in a thick towel so they are not able to escape and hide or scratch you while you’re treating them. It is important to have a crate for every one of your pets since it is dangerous for everyone for an stressed animal to be jumping around the car. If your animal is on specific medications, make sure you stock a backup bottle in your first aid kit in case you have no access to your normal stock.

Frequently emergency pet care requires immediate action and knowing basic procedures could be the difference between getting professional treatment in time or not. One important element to keep in mind is how useful water is in dealing with many of pet related circumstances. As an example, you might distract fighting animals by pitching a pot of water on them or spraying them with a water hose. If a pet is bleeding, washing the cut with clear water is a first step to determine the scale of the injury. If an animal appears to be suffering from heat stroke or dehydration, get them cool wet cloths to help them stabilize their temperature.