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CANINE MEDICAL
EMERGENCIES AND
FIRST AID
 ESTELLE
C. L. WARD, DVM
SEPTEMBER 7,1995
I. Recognition and
Initial Response to an Emergency Situation
 | Common situations
requiring emergency veterinary attention
| trauma |
| suspected fracture
|
| severe injury
|
| Seere bleeding
|
| eye injury |
| difficulty breathing
|
| collapse/seizure
|
| gastric dilatation/volvulus
|
| unable to urinate
|
| suspected
toxin/poison ingestion |
| choking |
| whelping interval
> 2 hours |
| heat prostration
|
| vomiting/diarrhea for
>24 hours |
| other non-specific
signs:
 | pale, bluish gums
|
| depression/fever
|
| trembling/shaking/obvious
discomfort ("distressed look") |
|
| |
| Recognizing signs of
shock
| What is
"shock"
There are several different types of shock, and each type may be
associated with many
different emergency situations. Examples:
| trauma/severe
blood loss |
| intestinal
obstruction |
| severe infection |
|
| Shock, generally
defined as collapse of the cardiovascular system, is not a
disease, but is a syndrome (i.e. a group of signs) secondary to
some primary disease process. |
| Characteristic sig
|
| beat |
| confusion/s
|
| ns:
| rapid
heart/severe
depression |
| collapse
|
| shivering
|
| weak pulse
|
| pallor |
|
| Severe shock will
usually lead to irreversible damage unless treated promptly!
Treatment consists of IV fluids, steroids, and warming the
patient, as well as controlling the underlying primary problem. |
II. A Short List of
Emergency Situations (Absolute Emergencies,
and those requiring
Veterinary Consultation)
| |
| Trauma/Wounds Falls;
fractures; HBC; severe lacerations; gunshot wounds
| Things to consider:
(AFTER your dog is confined and under control -- that is,
MUZZLED.)
| assess injury for
joint/body cavity/deep tissue involvement |
| assess condition
of tissues (contamination, foreign bodies/debris, insect
larvae -- old wound?) |
| fracture
assessment - open (compound) or closed, comminution
|
| assess wound
size, shape, orientation, and specific location on your dog's
body (will greatly aid your veterinarian's assessment over the
phone) |
|
| Bleeding
| assess character
(oozing vs. spurting) and amount |
| direct pressure
(NOT TOURNIQUETS) -- clean bandage/cloth preferable,
but use
anything available if bleeding is severe, even your fingers.
|
| know how to
properly apply a good bandage, with moderate pressure, for
transport. |
|
| Fractures/Dislocations
| to splint or not
to splint, that is the question |
|
| Care prior to
transport (if time permits)
| rinse, rinse,
rinse, rinse,.... |
| topical
medications
 | should be
non-irritating (e.g. Neosporin) |
| avoid
concentrated antiseptics (e.g. Betadine and Nolvasan) and
all disinfectants |
|
|
| Never pull out a
penetrating object! (Having the object in place will help your
veterinarian determine where and how deep it has gone, and it may
actually help control the bleeding.) |
| DO NOT give your dog
anything for pain (e.g. aspirin, Banamine, Advil, etc.).
These
drugs can be dangerous, and should not be given for any condition
without veterinary approval. |
|
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| Bleeding (other than
traumatic)/Pale gums
| Nasal bleeding
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| Rectal bleeding
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| Blood in urine
|
| Blood in vomitus
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| Blood in stool
|
| Spontaneous bruising/hematomas
|
Save sample of any bloody
fluids for your veterinarian.
| |
| Eye Injuries
Eye out of socket; corneal ulcer; severely red eye; foreign body;
lacerations very close to eye (e.g. eyelid)
| Eyes are very
intolerant of trauma; need RAPID veterinary attention |
| Use only commercially
available, sterile,0phthalmic saline solutions for cleaning (you
should keep a bottle of the saline solution used by contact lens
wearers on hand -- it is also excellent for cleaning lacerations
and wounds) |
| DO NOT put ANY
medication in your dogs eye without consulting your veterinarian! |
| |
| Difficulty Breathing
Heart failure; pneumonia; foreign body in airway; fluid or air in the
chest; tumors
- Use great care in
moving the dog -- avoid stress
- Keep the dog as calm
as possible - continuously reassure the dog and let them assume
the most comfortable position for them.
| |
| Collapse/Seizures
Epilepsy; metabolic diseases (e.g. diabetes, Addison's disease);
tumors; coonhound paralysis; toxin/poison exposure
| May be intermittent
or subtle; localized or generalized. |
| Provide adequate
control/restraint/protection (for you and your dog) during
transportation. |
| Prolonged seizures
may result in critical elevations in body temperature, but most
seizures are self-limiting. |
| Certain diseases
leading to collapse -- such as diabetic ketoacidosis and Addison's
disease -- are among the most critical of emergencies for your
dog. RAPID veterinary attention (within legal
limits) is required. |
| |
| Gastric Dilatation and
Volvulus (GDV)
| Signs:
| belching
|
| non-productive
vomiting |
| abdominal
distention |
| hypersalivation
|
| increased
pulse/heart rate |
| restlessness |
|
| This is an
ACUTE EMERGENCY! |
| |
| Inability to Urinate
Bladder/urethral stones or other obstruction; trauma; spinal cord
injury
| Leads to retention of
metabolic wastes and electrolyte imbalances. |
| Painful and
life-threatening |
| |
| Poison Ingestion
Rodent/insect poisons; animal or human drugs; toxic plants;
antifreeze; garbage
| DO NOT do anything
without consulting your veterinarian and a poison control
center. |
| Try to identify the
poison,. and bring a sample if possible (the container, with the
list of active ingredients, is most helpful) |
| Hydrogen peroxide is
as excellent emetic (contact your veterinarian first --
you do not
want to induce vomiting in certain cases.) |
| |
| Choking
| Signs:
| excessive rubbing
of the face |
| hypersalivation
|
| retching/difficulty
breathing |
|
| The Heimlich maneuver
may be attempted if the airway is obstructed. |
| Prompt veterinary
attention required |
| May be confused with
acute pharyngitis |
| |
| Pyometra
| Shortly after a heat
cycle |
| Vaginal discharge may
or may not be observed |
| Signs:
| depression/decreased
appetite |
| increased
thirst/urination |
| fever |
| ±
vomiting/diarrhea |
|
| This is a very
critical infection that requires prompt veterinary treatment.
It
can be avoided by spaying all non- breeding bitches (e.g. retired
bitches). |
| |
| Whelping Problems/Eclampsia
| Contact veterinarian
if > 2 hours pass after the onset of obvious parturition
before the first puppy, or > 2 hours between puppies.
|
| Eclampsia/hypocalcemia
-- weakness, depression, lethargy, possible seizures --
usually
occurs AFTER parturition. |
| |
| Heat Prostration/Stroke
| Usually due to a
combination of high heat and humidity. |
| Contributing factors
include lack of available water , confinement (in an enclosed
space,0r exposed to full sunlight),0besity, inability to normally
regulate body temperature (e.g. an upper airway problem preventing
normal panti.ng), and over-exertion. |
| Signs:
| confusion
|
| weakness/collapse
|
| "brick-red"
gums |
| extreme panting |
|
| Body temperatures
> 105 F can cause severe problems if not addressed promptly. |
| |
| Vomiting and/or Diarrhea
> 24 hours duration
| 95% of all cases are
self-limiting; if > 24 hours, or accompanied by other signs
(e.g. pain, abdominal distention , blood), a veterinarian should
be contacted immediately. |
| Food should be
withheld for 12-24 hours in all cases. |
| NEVER WITHHOLD WATER.
If your dog drinks excessively and immediately vomits, offer small
amounts frequently. |
| If no further signs
in 12-24 hours, offer gradual oral alimentation using cooked
rice
or cottage cheese (low fat) |
| |
| Non-Specific Signs
Possibly Requiring Veterinary Attention
| Fever
| Due to infection
or inflammation |
| Represents a
normal physiologic response |
| If severe, can
rapidly lead to depression and dehydration |
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| Trembling/Shaking/Pain
Disc rupture; metabolic disease; acute abdominal disease; fever
| Use care when
moving the dog |
| Time may be of
the essence, especially with disc disease. |
| Pain relief may
be required, but not until a veterinarian has been consulted. |
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III. First Aid and Common
Sense in Some Common Emergency Situations
| HBC
| Can the dog stand?
Any apparent fractures? |
| Check color of gums.
Any ongoing bleeding? |
| If dog is conscious,
seriously consider muzzling. |
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| Call veterinarian and
transport ASAP. |
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| Animal Bite Wounds
| Rinse with copious
amounts of water (faucet or hose). |
| The damage beneath
the skin surface (what you can't see) is often the worst.
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| Can you identify the
offending animal? Call veterinarian immediately. |
| Dog should receive
rabies booster within 5 days, even if currently vaccinated. |
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| Cut Foot Pads
| Rinse, rinse,
rinse,... |
| Neosporin/light
bandage |
| Call veterinarian
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| Avoid irritating
surfaces (e.g. gravel or hot pavement) |
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| Seizures
| How long was episode?
How frequent? What did the dog do during the seizure?
Past
history? BE OBSERVANT! |
| Keep the dog on the
ground/in a protected environment (hazard free, quiet, dim
lights,
etc.), and call your veterinarian. |
| Stay away from the
dog's mouth. |
| Seizure terminology
-- an understanding may help in working with your
veterinarian:
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| Heat Stroke
(In the following order!)
| If suspected, hose
down immediately-- especially non- haired areas
(ventral abdomen,
perineum, feet) |
| Take temperature and
look at color of gums; aim a fan at your hosed-down dog
(if it is
readily available - don't waste time looking for one). |
| Contact veterinarian
(keep hosing until contacted), and transport. |
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| Bee Stings/Insect Bites
| Keep dog. calm.
Severe problems are not common -- most occur with multiple
stings, - or stings around the head/neck that cause swelling and
affect breathing. |
| Try to remove stinger
(careful not to squeeze the venom sac if still attached.)
|
| Apply cold
compress/cold water, and call veterinarian. |
| Reactions variable --
immediate (anaphylaxis) or delayed |
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IV. K9 Emergency First Aid
Kit
| Sterile gauze (roll and
pads) |
| Telfa pads |
| Muzzle |
| Thermometer |
| Neosporin |
| Hydrocortisone creme
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| Ace bandage |
| Buffered aspirin
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| Sterile saline (eye wash)
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| Petroleum jelly
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| Hydrogen peroxide
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| Telephone numbers
(Veterinarian and Poison Control Center) |
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