Pet Emergencies – What To Do

Part of keeping your dog or cat safe is having the ability to know what to do when an emergency arises. Waiting until you’re in one is not the time to implement a plan. In the same manner that your school or job has fire drills, your family should know what to do in the event something serious happens. This means, as the expression goes, “Practice means perfect.”

Your drill should include clear instructions that even your 5-year old can understand, as well as a list of important numbers that are at the eye-level of your youngest, with photos beside the name if he or she can’t read.

At minimum this phone list should include:
• Your Vet’s
• Your neighbor’s
• Mom and Dad’s mobile and work

Below are some tips of what do if these common situations occur:

Your Dog Is Stung
A small population of dogs and cats is allergic to bee stings. It’s approximately the same percentage of humans for whom a bee sting can be deadly.

If you notice redness and that’s all, the immune system will eventually work the histamine out of his or her system. If you notice redness accompanied by swelling, check with your Vet and administer 2-3 CCs of children’s Tylenol.

If you notice excess swelling and labored breathing, call your Vet immediately. Your dog or cat may be having an anaphylactic reaction. This is as rare in dogs as it in humans and is extremely life threatening and means requires medical attention.

The problem with anaphylaxis is that you don’t know your pet or human for that matter, suffers this until it happens. Immediately take your dog or cat to the nearest animal hospital. The tricky thing about anaphylaxis is that the first time is serious; the second or third time is often deadly. It’s important to follow your Vet’s sound medical advice on what to do in the event of a future bee sting.

Your Dog Is Bitten By A Rattle Snake
Unlike a bee sting, the venom in a rattler is deadly to everyone. Carry your pet, do not allow him or her to walk as this allows the venom to spread more rapidly. Time is of the essence, as such, you have little time to spare to get him or her to the Vet.

Your Dog Is Hit By A Car
Car accidents are tricky because your dog or cat may get up and walk and appear to be fine. However, he or she may have internal bleeding and could be dead within hours of the impact. Your Vet is where your dog needs to be in this instance, especially if your animal is non-responsive.

Death By Chocolate
There should never be an instance where your dog eats chocolate by mistake. You may be lucky the first time and all that happens is that your dog has a seizure. However, chocolate, even in small doses can kill your dog. Never leave chocolate lying around. This means, no chocolate bars, no ice cream, cocoa powder, nothing. The first time you see this seizure is memorable and will stay with you for a very long time and will serve as a deterrent to ensure that your pet never eats chocolate again.