First Aid

Accidents can happen. It is very important to keep calm, act quickly and safely transport and injured puppy to a veterinarian. I would always call the veterinarian that you are on the way with an emergency and give them a heads up what type of injury occurred or what happened.

 

Plan Ahead

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Keep phone numbers of your veterinarian and the emergency clinic handy, make sure that all house hold members know where to find this numbers. The best way is to include directions on how to get there.  

Keep hydrogen peroxide in your house to clean and disinfect minor wounds and scratches. Do not use on deep puncture wounds!

Keep an assortment of sterile dressings, gauze, adhesive tape and cotton swabs.

Have tweezers at home to remove broken glass, splinters, burrs or ticks from your puppy's skin if you have to. The best is to take your puppy/dog to the veterinarian that they remove any foreign objects.

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The following first aid treatments should be used only until you can get professional

help for your puppy/dog.

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Allergic reaction

Symptoms range from tearing and itching eyes, swollen face, sneezing to difficulty in breathing, collapse. They may have bumps all over the belly and face. - Take your puppy/dog immediately to the veterinarian if this reaction seems severe or swelling increases.

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Breathing problems

If your puppy gasps for breath, breathes noisily, or show other signs of inadequate breathing, such as a blue tongue, seek medical help immediately. If your puppy stops breathing you might want to try CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Breathing problem may happen due to allergic reaction, your puppy swallowed something and it is stuck in his throat. An allergic reaction to his vaccination can cause swelling of the airway as well.

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Swallowed objects

If your dog has swallowed an object, you think it may hurt your puppy/dog. Call your veterinarian for advise. Take your puppy/dog to the veterinarian and have the object removed if your veterinarian recommends this.

If you know that your dog swallowed an object that he/she should not have and your veterinarian did not recommend you coming in for removal, but you see problems with your dog within a couple of days after swallowing the object, take your dog immediately to your veterinarian for surgery. Do not wait! Sign of problems may vomiting, not eating, no drive or life in your dog, unhappy or sad facial expressions.

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Broken bones

Restrict movement while on the way to the veterinarian and try to control any serious bleeding.

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Eye injury

Do not attempt to remove a foreign object from the eye. Restrain the dog to prevent self-injury and take him to the veterinarian immediately!

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Bleeding

Bandage the wound. Immediate medical care is essential if bleeding is excessive.

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Heatstroke or heat exhaustion

Symptoms include excessive panting, high fever, wobbling and collapse. Take your dog immediately to your veterinarian, keep the AC in your car on high and try to keep your dog cool, but stable.

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Poisoning

Symptoms vary with the poison taken. Generally look for lack of coordination, diarrhea, severe vomiting, delirium, collapse, and convulsions. Seek Veterinarian immediately.

Other symptoms of Illness

• Loss of appetite for more than one day

• Diarrhea, constipation, or difficulty with urination.

• Blood in urine or stool

• Fever

• Vomiting

• Coughing and sneezing

• Head shaking

• Severe pain reactions

• Limping

• Scratching or biting at himself

• Scooting along on the ground

• Bad mouth odor

• Lumps

• Dull hair

• Sadness

• Listlessness

• Agressive or unusual behavior