Canine First Aid Courses

There are financial and emotional advantages to learning canine first aid. You can treat minor problems such as thorns in paws, minor cuts and scrapes without visiting the vet and incurring the cost of a consultation. For more serious issues such as trauma and heart failure, knowing how to perform CPR on your canine will give you peace of mind. It could also buy you precious minutes while you are travelling to a veterinary surgery. The American Red Cross offers Pet CPR classes throughout the country. (See Resources)

  1. Community College Courses

    • Community college courses are cheaper and more accessible than academic courses conducted at universities. For example, Gulf Coast Community College in Florida offers a course in canine first aid that covers canine CPR, rescue breathing basic first aid and basic pet care. As of 2011 this course costs $49. This fee includes four hours of tuition and a work book. Typical community college courses provide a brief, practical understanding of how to apply first aid to dogs.

    University Courses

    • University courses provide a deeper understanding of the theory.

      A university course in canine first aid offers a broader understanding of the theoretical elements. Typically, a university course will take longer to complete and will be more expensive. For example Boston University offers a canine first aid course that combines practical and theoretical instruction. The 8-hour course, as of 2011, costs $79. The fee includes a textbook. The day course covers emergency first aid, such as canine CPR. Students get to practice their CPR technique on a dog-mannequin. Bergin University offers an Associate Degree in Science, Business and Companion Dog Studies. This course covers canine first aid in depth. It is aimed at people pursuing a career in animal care.

    Online Courses

    • Dog owners can fit their studies around work and family commitments.

      For people who want to study in their own time, from the comfort of their own home, online courses offer a flexible approach to learning canine first aid. Animal Jobs Direct is a member of the International Society of Animal Professionals (ISAP), which subjects them to the ISAP code of conduct. Animal Jobs Direct offers a course of online study over two modules. It covers first aid basics as well more general animal care topics such as grooming.

    Commercial Courses

    • The pet supply retailer PETCO offers an online course. It costs $35 but is not accredited with any academic or professional body. It is marketed as a learning resource, rather than a recognized qualification. The subjects covered include: Recognizing emergencies, treating wounds, burns, poisoning and disaster preparedness.

    American Red Cross

    • The American Red Cross offers a four-hour class in pet first aid that covers pet CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, responding to natural disasters, poisonings, lacerations, traumas and related medical emergencies. The class teaches participants to treat both cats and dogs and the $35 class fee includes a pet first aid book and DVD. The Red Cross also sells a pet first-aid kit for your car. For information on taking the course, or on becoming a certified Red Cross Pet CPR instructor, contact your local Red Cross.