Many of us have experienced one of these situations: Imagine, it’s 5 pm on a weekday, and your pet decides to eat a bag of chocolates or check out a bee and now has a swollen face. It’s 3 am Sunday morning and your pet has a seizure for the first time or has blow-out diarrhea. Or it’s a Holiday, and your pet cuts their leg or rips a nail and is bleeding. We cannot predict when pet emergencies happen, but it sure seems to be at the most inconvenient times. Due to the unpredictable nature of pet emergencies, it is good to have a first-aid kit at home and be as prepared as possible so that you can help your pet when time is of the essence. Even when it’s not imperative or possible to get to a veterinarian right away, it is good to know what to do in the meantime.
First and foremost, know your veterinary hospital’s hours and the information to the closest emergency and/or specialty hospitals for when your regular veterinarian is not available. It is also important to establish a relationship with a veterinarian before an emergency arises. That way, if you are able to call and speak with them, they can help you more readily than if your pet is not a patient at their practice. Know the distance and time it takes to get the animal hospitals near you (or where you may be staying during travel) and have their phone numbers readily available.
Also, if your pet ingested something that it shouldn’t have, save these numbers so you call one of these companies:
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
The resources above can help you to determine if what your pet ate is indeed dangerous, and what actions should be implemented. They can also advise you how to safely induce vomiting if needed, as well as let you know if you need to go directly to an ER, or if your pet can wait to be treated.
First Aid Kits are excellent to have. If you have these supplies readily available to help your pet, they can help reduce panic and increase efficiency. You can include the phone numbers of your veterinarian, local animal emergency centers, and the poison control hotlines kit as well. Your kit should also include: A muzzle (in case your pet is in pain and trying to bite while you’re trying to help), a slip leash, nonstick bandages, adhesive tapes for bandages, a rectal thermometer, antiseptic solution such as chlorhexidine or iodine, 3% hydrogen peroxide, Benadryl (Diphenhydramine), and syringes of various sizes (to administer oral liquid medications or syringe feed). Some people will include other medications such as anti-diarrheal, anti-vomiting, or anti-inflammatory prescriptions, but it is very important to discuss these with your veterinarian ahead of time to make sure they are safe for your pet. Medications such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and Aspirin can be toxic and detrimental to your pet’s health. Tylenol is lethal to cats and Imodium can be very dangerous for some dogs. Sometimes, a seemingly safe meditation may not be right for your individual pet due to their health status and concurrent illnesses or medications.
Refer to this link for Basic First Aid Procedures: https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/emergencycare/pet-first-aid-basic-procedures. This page includes information in regard to toxin exposure, wounds, trauma, burns, choking, heatstroke, seizures, and performing CPR. It is important to have a plan for these emergencies since they’ll (almost) never happen right outside of an open veterinary hospital.
Emergencies don’t usually happen when it is convenient. Being as prepared as possible will enable you to efficiently help your pet and could help to save their life.