What I Learned in Pet First Aid Class–How to Make an Emergency Muzzle

in 4 Paws Pet Services / Barks and Blooms / emergency muzzle / pet first aid  by September 5, 2013
Emergency Muzzle?  What’s that? 


Beagle with Emergency Muzzle made out of gauze.


If your pet is ill or injured, you need to get it to the veterinarian as calmly and efficiently as possible.  Even the sweetest, gentlest dog can become aggressive and bite when they are in pain.

If you do not have a muzzle, use a scarf, panty hose, strip of gauze, or cut off the bottom of a a soft t-shirt as an emergency muzzle.



          *Start in the middle at the bottom of the dog’s muzzle.

          *Wrap the bandage upward, tie, and then bring it back downward under the chin and tie.

           *Take the two loose ends and tie them behind the dog’s head securely.




Practice making the muzzle so you are familiar with how to do it and the motions won’t be foreign to your pet.

I found this video that will give you a better idea.



Things I Learned in Pet First Aid Class–Hydrogen Peroxide is Our Friend

in Barks and Blooms / First aid / hydrogen peroxide / Neosporin / pet / pet first aid  by August 22, 2013

Has your pet ever eaten something it shouldn’t? Like a balloon?


 Giving your dog 3 percent hydrogen peroxide is an effective and safe way to make it throw up the item it swallowed. Give one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide for every 10 pounds of body weight (up to 9 tsps). You can administer the hydrogen peroxide with an eyedropper or a syringe aimed to the back of your dog’s throat. This method will take up to 20 minutes to take effect. 

  
DO NOT make your pet throw up if the toxin is caustic like drain cleaner, acidic (like battery acid), or a petroleum-based product. If you are unsure if the material that was ingested is toxic, contact your personal vet or emergency vet (if after hours) and let them tell you how best to handle the situation. (Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 is an option, but there is a $65 fee for this service.)
DO NOT induce vomiting if the animal is having difficulty breathing.

DO NOT induce vomiting if the animal’s heart rate is very slow or if the object eaten was pointed or sharp (like a cooked chicken bone)







If you dog has a wound from another animal biting it, seek immediate veterinary advice.  For after-the-vet at home care, you can clean the area gently with a hydrogen peroxide moistened gauze three or four times a day, followed by triple-antibiotic ointment.  It is important to monitor the wound for infections by looking for 

                   A:   Excessive redness
     B:  Swelling 
       C:  Discharge

If you see any of the above, a re-check with the vet may be needed.


What I Learned In Pet First Aid Class–Part 1

in Barks and Blooms / First aid / pet first aid  by August 19, 2013


Did you know that if your pet has some dirt in his eye, you can use a little blue or red flashlight to see it?   To remove dirt, use a saline solution.   Put the bottle near, but not in, your dog’s eye and squeeze the bottle gently. Be sure that the bottle is angled downward, so that gravity will assist you in flushing out the debris. 




You can also use the same red or blue light to locate any kind of foreign object (thorn, splinter, tick) in your dog’s pads or fur.  
After you find the object, remove it swiftly and firmly. 
(To remove ticks, see our blog about tick removal HERE)  
Clean the wound with antiseptic and apply antibiotic salve, then bandage the wound or  bootie the foot. Because dogs don’t have thumbs, it can be hard to get a bandage to stay on a paw. Push up on the bottom of the foot and wrap with a gauzy bandage from the joint above the ankle down to the pad and then back up the leg. But be careful not to wrap too tight, you’ll cut off circulation and your dog’s foot will swell.