Tag Archives: pet first aid

Pet First Aid: How to Bandage the Tail

When not properly treated, tail injuries can lead to the loss of part or all of the tail! Bandaging a wound can help prevent an infection that can lead to amputation. Many pets are sensitive about having their tails touched — an injury to the tail can make them even more reluctant. You may want to have a friend or family member help restrain your pet while you bandage the tail. First things first: clean and disinfect the wound. One of my brother’s dogs lost part of her tail because a wound got infected. You can’t just bandage a wound … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: How to Bandage a Paw

Bandaging an injured paw or footpad can be tricky. Here are some techniques you can try. First things first: clean and disinfect the wound. You don’t want to throw a bandage on there if the wound is dirty — it can get infected. Wait for things to dry, or you’ll have a hard time getting your bandage to stick. Now it’s time for the bandaging. You’ll need a gauze pad, roll gauze, tape, and an old sock. Place the gauze pad over the wound. Take a doubled strip of roll gauze and place it over the paw and under the … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Allergy Attack!

As I’m sitting here at the computer, merrily tapping away, Lally is cramming her left hind foot into her mouth. She does this from time to time; I figure she’s got an itch on her paw pad or between her toes and the best way to take care of it is with her teeth. Over the last few days, she’s been really attacking her feet. She’s been chewing and licking them relentlessly, which makes me thing she’s having some allergy trouble. Lally has had problems with allergies in the past — she’s sensitive to plastic, and can’t eat from a … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Spider Bites

A spider crawled out from underneath the stove last night and chased me around the kitchen. Like the calm, brave person I am, I screamed for the dogs to save me. They sat and watched the show. Their lack of reaction to a spider got me thinking about spider bites. Most spider bites are uncomfortable, but not dangerous — you can treat them pretty much the same way you would treat a bee sting or wasp sting. Relieve the pain and reduce the swelling. Keep an eye out for an infection developing at the bite site. If your pet is … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Toad Poisoning

There is a strange fascination many young dogs have with toads. When dog meets toad, the dog will often try to pick up the toad in his mouth. Why is this bad? All toads secrete mucus through their skin; the mucus can irritate the dog’s mouth and cause some serious drooling. Most toads are harmless. When is this really bad? When your dog encounters a poisonous toad. There are two types of poisonous toad seen in the United States: the Colorado River toad and the marine toad. Colorado River toads are found in the southwestern United States from the Pecos … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Sticky Situations

Over the weekend, Moose and Lally and I were invited up to a friend’s house. The house sits up on a hill overlooking the Willamette River in Washington state. Around the yard grow wild blackberries (yum) and there are several walking paths through the less tamed areas of the hill. In other words, it’s pretty much puppy paradise! Much to my dismay, Moose came gimping out of the bushes after dinner. I grabbed his feet and checked each one out. His left front paw had all sorts of sticks and stones stuck to the pads — it seems my Moose … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Abdominal Wounds

Because only a layer of skin, fat, and muscle protects the stomach, an abdominal wound can be very serious. The organs in the abdomen are easily injured — bruised or torn — by a car accident, a fall, or other impact. If there is ANY puncture or open wound, you should contact your veterinarian. It can be very hard to tell at home if a smaller wound has penetrated the abdomen and the internal organs are exposed. Even an abdominal bite can be a serious injury. Your first aid will concentrate on keeping your pet alive while you get to … Continue reading →

Moose’s Bad Luck Continues

On Friday morning, Moose did his patented head-twist and slipped himself free of his collar. Then he spotted a cat in the landscaping and took off. He ran through the bushes and out of my line of sight, towards a nearby side street. A moment later, I heard a loud yelp and Moose came limping back towards me. He got hit by a car. I didn’t see any open wounds, and he didn’t seem to have any broken bones, so we carefully walked back to the apartment and called the vet. They said I should bring him in to get … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Electrical Burns In The Mouth

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I once caught my dog Lally chewing happily on the vacuum cleaner cord. Thank goodness she didn’t get a nasty shock — the vacuum wasn’t plugged in at the time. But pets who like to chew (especially puppies and kittens) may be tempted to gnaw on an electrical cord. That puts them at risk for a mouth burn and/or electrical shock. Signs that your pet has gotten an electrical burn in his or her mouth: Blisters, especially on the gums, lips, and tongue Erratic heartbeat Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Loss of appetite Refusal to eat or drink Lethargy … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Earflap Injuries

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Whether your pet has upright ears or floppy, folded over ears, an injury to the ear is going to come with a lot of blood. A lot of blood goes through the earflap area — the visible part of a dog or cat’s ear. Breeds with hanging ears, like Labradors and hounds, tend to have the worst time with earflap injuries — with so much ear, it is easier to get caught, cut, or banged. Outdoor cats are also prone to ear injuries, often from fights with other animals. Most pets don’t have very thick fur on their earflaps, which … Continue reading →