Dog and Cat First Aid – Do You Know What to Do?

Basic First Aid and CPR certification online courses teach you BLS, or basic life support, skills to help save lives in the event of a medical emergency situation. Our furry family members rely on us for those same skills to help keep them safe. Canine First Aid course online programs as well as First Aid programs for felines can help you learn what to do if your pet needs emergency medical attention. Knowing what to do and what not to do can also help save your pet and ensure that they receive the right type of treatment for their medical emergency and significantly improve their chances of survival and recovery.

Learning First Aid for dogs and cats can help keep you and your pet calm during a situation that requires medical attention. First Aid care at home should always be followed up by your local veterinarian or a nearby emergency animal clinic. First Aid care administered at home by you does not replace professional medical attention. Your job in administering First Aid is to assess the situation, stabilize the pet to prevent further injury, and to keep your pet calm until you can get them to an emergency care animal clinic. If you start to panic, the animal may start to panic and if they try to run or get up, they could injure themselves further. Providing comfort to your pet in transit can help minimize their anxiety and protect your family.

Exposure to poisonous or harmful products are the most common reasons that pets may require First Aid. This is not limited to just poison, but to products that are poisonous to pets such as cleaning products, antifreeze, and some foods that have been consumed in large quantities. If you know which product your pet has come into contact with, keep that container or packaging with you to take to animal care. The veterinarian will want to see what your pet has come into contact with to make sure they are receiving the proper treatment. The Animal Poison Control Center is another resource that you could call. Their hotline is 888-426-4435 and they are open 365 days per year and 24 hours per day. You will know if your pet has come into contact with a hazardous chemical if they have had seizures, are losing consciousness, or possibly difficulty in breathing. 

Seizures are also somewhat common in pets. If you are home when your dog or cat is having a seizure, do not try to restrain your pet while they are having a seizure. Make sure they are not near any furniture or sharp objects that they might hurt themselves on. Time the seizure so you’ll be able to let your vet know how many minutes the seizure went on for. Contact your vet as soon as the seizure has stopped. These are just a couple of common First Aid situations which our beloved pets could encounter. Finding a canine First Aid course, or feline First Aid Course like those online programs MyCPR NOW offers can help you learn what to do if your pet needs medical attention. So get certified today!

 FIRST AID FOR DOGS AND CATS CERTIFICATION

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