In the event of an injury to your dog, whether it is a haemorrhage, an injury, whether he is conscious or not, certain actions and precautions should be taken. It is good to know them so that you can save your pooch or avoid making the situation worse.
The accident
Suppose your pet cannot move. Whether he is conscious or unconscious, it is important not to move him because his spine could be affected. If you still have to move it, you have to be very careful to keep the spine straight. If possible, carry it on aboard.
In case he has broken a leg, if it’s a small dog, grab him by the neck with one hand and the butt with the other. If it’s a large dog, use a blanket to transport it.
If your dog can move and does not appear to have an injury, if he is shocked, put him in a warm place and give him some water.
In any case, in the event of an accident, it is important to have your dog examined by a veterinarian. Even if nothing is visible, your pet may have internal bleeding, which can get worse if not acted on right away. All this care is covered by health coverage; get more information through our dog insurance comparator and find out about reimbursed care and illnesses.
If blood is flowing through a natural opening such as the nose, mouth, anus or urine, it is important to have your doggie checked by your veterinarian because this flow is not normal.
Wounds
To be able to see the wound, it should be cleaned with soapy water or betadine, if possible. It is better, in this case, to put a muzzle on your dog or a collar because if your pet is in great pain, he may be aggressive.
If the blood flow is not very strong, you can stop the blood by pressing down on the wound with a sterile pad or a clean cloth. The blood should stop flowing after five minutes.
Even if the blood stops flowing after a while, it’s best to have your dog checked out by a veterinarian to disinfect the wound and for any stitches.
If the discharge is very heavy, put on a bandage to compress the wound. Apply pressure to the artery that supplies the wound: the armpits for the forelimbs, the folds of the groin for the hind limbs and the tail. Then go straight to the vet. If you are alone and cannot get help, you can place a tourniquet between the affected limb and the heart. Know that a tourniquet cannot be left on for too long. It is best if your vet is nearby.
Unconsciousness following a drowning or cardiac arrest
If your dog is unconscious, first of all, you should call veterinary emergencies to come and rescue him. If you are not alone, have someone do it for you so you can take care of them while you wait for help.
First, check if your dog is breathing by looking for his rib cage moving or trying to feel if the air is escaping from his muzzle or trying to feel his heartbeat. Indeed, if he is breathing, cardiac massage will not be necessary. He will need artificial respiration.
Artificial respiration
If he is breathing, you will perform artificial respiration:
Check that nothing is stuck in the back of your dog’s mouth that could prevent him from breathing. It could be blood, vomit, or something. If it’s drowning, put the dog upside down to spit out the water.
Place it on the right side.
Stick out his tongue, tilt his head back and lift his back slightly.
If it’s a small dog, place your mouth over its mouth and muzzle.
For a larger dog, place your mouth over the muzzle.
Close the dog’s mouth to prevent air from coming out by placing your hands in a funnel to block it.
Blow so that the rib cage rises: strong for a large dog, less strong for a small dog.
Take 20 to 30 breaths per minute.
Cardiac massage
If he’s not breathing, he’ll need a heart massage. Place your dog in the same position as before.
When doing cardiac massage, we alternate between artificial respiration and cardiac massage. Indeed, if there is no heartbeat, the heart is no longer doing its job; it will have to be helped.
Place both hands on top of the other on the heart and press three times in a row, then give artificial respiration. Check every two minutes to see if the heart is beating.
These first aid actions require training and practice to master them. Note that there are training courses dedicated to learning dog first aid.
Dog injuries, your questions answered:
My dog is limping
My dog injured his paw
Injuries to the pads
Cruciate ligament rupture
Give your dog a bandage
Emergency care
