Every dog owner needs to know first aid basics for dogs. Make sure your local veterinary office offers after-hours emergency care. Keep veterinarian and poison control hot line phone numbers clearly posted in your home. First aid care is not a substitute for professional veterinary care, and should only be used as an emergency measure until you can get the dog to a medical professional.
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First Aid Kit
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You can purchase a first aid kit for dogs at a pet supply store or make your own. A first aid kit should contain bandage material such as gauze pads and medical tape and cleaning materials such as cotton pads, hydrogen peroxide and tweezers. Other supplies should include a thermometer, sticks such as tongue depressors for making splints, needle-nose pliers and a blanket and soft rope for an emergency leash or muzzle. Your kit should also contain medicines for dogs such as children's dosages of antihistamines for allergic reactions, anti-diarrhea medicine and activated charcoal for poisoning.
Cleaning and Bandaging Wounds
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Apply pressure to a bleeding wound with a pad or clean towel. If the wound is not bleeding severely, rinse the area with peroxide or clean water. Gently clear away dirt and debris, but do not remove larger embedded objects. This should only be done by a veterinarian, as it can lead to uncontrollable bleeding. Once the wound area is clean, gently pat dry with a clean cloth and apply a pad or gauze with medical tape. Make sure the tape is not in direct contact with the wound. It should be tight enough to stay in place but not tight enough to cut off circulation.
Splints
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A splint should only be used to immobilize a fracture or broken limb until you reach a veterinarian. Do not try to "set" the bone or relocate a joint yourself. Wrap the limb in a thick padding of newspaper or fabric and use medical tape to secure the padding. If you have dowel rods or other clean, sticklike materials, use these for further immobilization by wrapping the limb with the newspaper or fabric, placing the sticks against the padded limb, then securing with tape.
Tourniquets
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Tourniquets can be dangerous and may lead to loss of the limb. Only use a tourniquet when you cannot otherwise stop blood loss from a limb. Tie a piece of fabric above the bleeding wound. Insert a stick or pencil through the knot in the fabric and use it to twist the tie tighter until the bleeding stops. Tie the pencil or stick into place with another piece of fabric and get professional medical help immediately.
Transporting an Injured Dog
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Some veterinary offices offer ambulatory services for emergencies. If yours does not, you must carefully transport the dog yourself. If the dog is able and willing to walk to the vehicle and can be lifted without causing further harm, use this option. If lifting the dog is not feasible, create a makeshift stretcher with a flat, stiff object and gently slide the dog onto the stretcher. If no such item is available, slide the dog onto a blanket or towel and lift as gently as possible without bending or twisting the dog.
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