Introduction
The following are common emergencies that pet owners may face. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list and you should always call your veterinarian if you have any concerns about the health and welfare of your pet.
Bloodstains on furniture and clothes
If you have a bloodstained couch, clean it with a stain remover. If the blood is fresh, use a paper towel to soak up as much as possible. Then rinse with cold water and wash your clothes in detergent and bleach. If the wound continues to bleed, use gauze to stop it by applying pressure at a 45-degree angle away from the body (so if your pet has been bitten on its nose, apply pressure on its cheek). Tie one end of the gauze around an elastic bandage or tape and wrap it around twice before tying another knot at the other end of the bandage so that it stays firmly in place over your pet's wound; then cover this entire area with another layer of dressing material such as adhesive bandages or butterfly strips for added support.
Bleeding from the mouth
If you see blood in your pet's mouth, it could indicate a serious problem.
A bloody mouth can be a sign of dental disease or injury to the gums, tongue, or lips. If you notice that your dog or cat has blood coming from its mouth and it doesn't appear to have been caused by chewing on something sharp like sticks or rocks (which would cause bleeding around their teeth), take them immediately to the vet.
Cuts, abrasions, and punctures
- Clean the wound with soap and water.
- Apply pressure to stop bleeding.
- Keep the wound clean and dry, especially if it's on the face or body of your pet, where there is less fur to protect them from infections.
- If the skin is broken, clean it well and apply a bandage over the area until you can get medical attention for your pet (if necessary).
Choking on a foreign object or toy
If you suspect that your pet is choking, take the following steps:
- Call your veterinarian immediately. Choking is a serious condition that can quickly become life-threatening if not treated promptly.
- Do not try to remove the object yourself; this may make matters worse by pushing it farther down into his throat and causing injury or impaction (when an object becomes lodged in a space).
- If you have any type of small cordless vacuum cleaner with an attachment designed for removing dirt from hard surfaces such as upholstery or carpeting (e.g., Shark), use it to gently suck out whatever has lodged itself in his throat/mouth area without injuring him further--but only after consulting with your vet first!
Difficulty breathing
If your pet is not breathing, perform the following steps:
- Check for a pulse by feeling along the inner thigh of one leg. If you cannot find a pulse, begin CPR immediately.
- Place your pet on his or her side in order to open up their airway and try to clear any obstructions that may be causing breathing issues. If you can see something blocking their throat or mouth (such as food), remove it with tweezers or forceps while supporting their head and neck with one hand (see below).
If there are no visible obstructions in the mouth or throat, check again for signs of life (pulse). If still no pulse exists and if there is no other reason why this could be happening (such as illness), then start chest compressions immediately while calling 9-1-1
Dog bites from other dogs or people
If you or your pet is bitten, it's important to treat the wound immediately. Dog bites can be serious and should be treated by a doctor as soon as possible.
If you've been bitten by another dog, wash the wound with soap and water. Do not use hydrogen peroxide or iodine at this point--it can cause more damage than good! If there are any chunks of tissue missing from your skin (known as "debris"), try picking them out with tweezers before cleaning the area again with soap and water (or rubbing alcohol if you don't have any on hand). Once everything is clean, apply antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly overtop of whatever remains of your skin after removing any debris from underneath it; this helps keep bacteria out while healing takes place underneath your bandage/ointment combo layer(s).
If there are no obvious chunks missing from either side's surface area(s), then simply apply pressure directly onto both sides evenly until the bleeding stops completely -- which may take a while depending on how deep those wounds go! You'll know when they're stopped bleeding because they won't leak any more blood even though they still look fresh enough where there was once redness around them earlier today...and today only lasted 24 hours too so maybe tomorrow will bring better news regarding what happened yesterday evening between 7 pm-8:30 pm?
Eye injuries such as corneal abrasions and cuts to the eyelid
Eye injuries can be serious and can cause pain, irritation, and redness. The injured eye may swell up and become blurry. If the injury is severe enough to injure the cornea (the clear outer coating of your pet's eye), it could permanently damage their vision.
Eye injuries are often caused by another animal attacking your pet or scratching them in their sleep. If you see an eye injury on your pet:
- Keep them calm and safe until you can get help from a veterinarian or other professional who specializes in treating animals.
- Cover the affected eye with a protective dressing until you are able to take your pet for treatment at a veterinary hospital or clinic as soon as possible if there is any chance that permanent damage could occur due to insufficient treatment time frame available before irreversible effects occur such as loss of sight due to infection setting into place without proper care being administered first thing off-hand
Frostbite or hypothermia
Frostbite and hypothermia are two conditions that can affect your pet's health. Frostbite occurs when body tissue freezes, while hypothermia is a condition in which body temperature drops below normal. Both of these conditions require immediate veterinary attention if they're not treated correctly.
If you believe that your pet has frostbite, seek immediate veterinary attention as soon as possible by calling your local emergency animal hospital or taking them there in person if it's open 24 hours (or if you live close enough). In many cases, frostbitten areas will need to be removed surgically before they become infected with gangrene--so don't wait!
For heat stroke victims: If possible (and only if necessary), cool down their body temperature by putting ice packs on their abdomen and groin area; dousing them with cold water; placing towels soaked in cool water over their head and neck; offering small amounts of water or other liquids periodically (don't force any liquid into their mouth).
Heat stroke (hyperthermia) in dogs or cats, especially small breeds and puppies or kittens. Signs of heat stroke include rapid panting, collapse, weakness, excessive thirst, and lethargy. Seek immediate veterinary attention if you think your pet may have heat stroke.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency that can be fatal. It's caused by an over-exposure to heat, humidity, and exercise. Heatstroke can lead to organ damage or death if not treated quickly. Dogs with brachycephalic (flat faces, eg as seen in Pugs and Bulldogs) breeds are at particular risk for heatstroke because they have difficulty cooling themselves through panting and don't tolerate hot weather very well due to their short snouts which restricts their ability to breathe normally through their mouth instead of their nose while panting wetly through closed lips like other dogs do when they're hot."
The danger zone for dogs is between 80F (27C) and 90F (32C). If your dog spends too much time outdoors during these temperatures without shade or water access then he could become overheated quickly leading up towards developing heat exhaustion symptoms such as confusion/stupor before progressing into more severe stages including collapse followed by seizures leading up towards death if left untreated long enough without any intervention from human caregivers nearby who would notice something wrong going on inside their pet's body system due to lack of proper diagnosis methods available today versus those used back then when people didn't know anything about animal physiology yet either so most likely wouldn't realize what was happening until it was too late anyway
Conclusion
If you're not sure what to do in an emergency situation, it's best to call a veterinarian or animal hospital for advice. But even if you don't have any formal training in pet first aid, you can still help your pet by keeping these tips in mind:
