Taking care of a pet is a full-time responsibility, and being prepared for emergencies is just as important as cuddles and playtime. We had a thoughtful and insightful conversation with a veterinary student, who shared valuable knowledge about pet first aid, common emergency scenarios, and what every pet owner should keep in mind to ensure their furry friends are safe and healthy. Here’s what she had to say:
1. What is the purpose of pet first aid?
The purpose of first aid is to stabilize the pet and if we do the treatment on time, the situation will be less worsened. If not, it is going to be life-threatening. So, first aid is really important for any pet, no matter cat or dog. It’s very important because sometimes a small thing can get worsened and becomes a life threat.
2. What is the difference between first aid and full veterinary treatment?
So, first aid is a temporary thing. Actually, it is to stabilize the pet, but a veterinary treatment is a full course, like it does disease diagnosis and GC is done and the vet surgeon can go to a long-term treatment plan, likewise.
3. What are some common mistakes pet owners make in emergency situations?
The common mistakes that the pet owners do is sometimes the people think that the pet will get automatically cured, but it’s not like that. Now, the human can scream and shout and show the pain, as same as like dogs, the pets also show that it’s very painful and that shows the pain, but sometimes some pets can stay silent and just bear up a very big pain in them. Sometimes some people are hesitant to take and also do not use medical, human medication on animals. It’s very bad because it is very dangerous for pet.Some common human medications that are toxic and dangerous for pets include paracetamol (acetaminophen), ibuprofen, aspirin, antidepressants, and cold or allergy medications—even small amounts of these can cause serious harm to dogs and cats.
4. What are some frequent emergency situations that occur in dogs?
It actually depends on the situation. So when it comes to bleeding or choking, burn, seizures, the situation differs, right? Now, when it comes to choking, so if we can see the item inside, just take them out, and if it’s not, you can do a Heimlich maneuver for dogs to take the choked object. And then burns, of course, sometimes, if a burn occurs, cover it with cold water and take it to the pet. Just put cold water as much as possible. And seizures, first you have to remove the physical objects around the dog, and then let it stabilize and be stable, and then take to the vet. And fractures, normally the vet would put a splint to any fractures that happen. And heat strokes, for a heat stroke, you can take the pet to a shady place, and just give them water, and keep cool packs on them, and just calm it down. And then when it comes to poison, it is recommended to treat without doing the vomiting thing, without letting the pet vomit. So it is better to identify what is poison in the dog before starting the treatment.
6. What are the essential items that should be included in a pet first aid kit?
A well-prepared pet first aid kit can make all the difference in an emergency. It should include basic supplies like gauze rolls, bandages, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes, and scissors. Tweezers, digital thermometer (specifically for pets), a muzzle, and disposable gloves are also essential. Pet-safe antiseptic solutions like chlorhexidine, styptic powder (for minor bleeding like torn nails), and hydrogen peroxide (only for vet-advised situations) can be helpful. Saline solution for eye flushing and wound cleaning, a blanket for warmth or restraint, and a pet carrier or stretcher can aid in safe transport. It’s also smart to keep a copy of your pet’s medical records, your vet’s contact info, and instructions for pet CPR and common emergencies.
7. Are there any items from a human first aid kit that should never be used on pets?
Of course, antiseptic and paracetamol and there are many. Some common human medications that are toxic and dangerous for pets include paracetamol (acetaminophen), ibuprofen, aspirin, antidepressants, and cold or allergy medications—even small amounts of these can cause serious harm to dogs and cats.
8. How should someone safely approach and restrain an injured and scared pet?
So first, the person has to understand that must not act violently because the animals understand whether if we are coming to help them. So we have to very calmly approach them. So we can use a towel, a blanket or a muzzle to make them calm or for the cats, we can use the burrito method. And yes, first of all, we have to make the pet calm. And also, this is a very important thing that you should not have eye contact with the pet because they get scared of that. So when we are treating a pet, we have to get down to their level. We have to talk very calmly and then they start understanding that we are talking to them.
9. What is the safest way to transport an injured pet?
The main thing I suggest is to keep the pet still or take a carrier or put a blanket as I said before. And it is necessary to keep the pet still because sometimes many pets die, not due to the injury or the disease, but due to the shock they get. So you have to keep them still and calm.
10. When is CPR necessary and how is it performed?
CPR is necessary when a pet is unresponsive, not breathing, or does not have a heartbeat. Before starting, make sure the airway is clear and check for breathing and pulse. If the pet is not breathing, start rescue breathing by closing the pet’s mouth and blowing gently into their nose until the chest rises. For chest compressions, place your hands over the widest part of the chest for large dogs or around the chest for smaller dogs and cats, and press firmly at a rate of about 100–120 compressions per minute. Alternate between 30 compressions and two rescue breaths. Continue until the pet starts breathing, has a pulse, or you reach professional help. Proper training is ideal, but in a crisis, doing something is better than doing nothing.
11. What everyday habits or routines can help prevent common pet emergencies?
I would recommend medical checkups, a good diet, and also to keep toxic things away from the pets and especially don’t give them human medications. As I said before, also chocolate, plums and raisins are really toxic. People don’t understand that. People just give them, but those are really toxic for animals. And also proper vaccination on time is also really important. And also if it’s a big dog, the pet owner have to keep in mind that he needs more space, not to put it in a small cage. If it’s a small dog, just make sure don’t keep on high places and just let it be on high places and make their cage more comfortable. When the big dogs have a small cage, they start to break it down and they make themselves injured.
12. Are there specific breeds or ages that are more prone to health concerns or emergencies?
Yes. So there are a lot. So this is, I’ll tell some of them. Brachycephalic breeds, so they have breathing problems. Dachshunds, they have spinal cord injuries and vertebral dislocation. And Labradors and German Shepherds are common to heart diseases. And also, very old dogs and very young dogs, both these extreme dogs are very low in immunity. And they are more vulnerable. They are very easy to catch any disease or to make any harm for themselves.
13. What advice would you give to every pet owner regarding emergency preparedness?
Have a first aid kit with you and also have a loving, caring attitude towards the pet. And please do go for professional advice. Thats it.
