The ABC’s of Veterinary Emergency Care

Pet emergency? Be prepared...

There may come a time in the life of your pet when sickness or injury strikes, and when an emergency vet help is not immediately available. Though many pets live out their lives without encountering life-or-death situations, some do. It is best to be prepared for this event ahead of time, and to learn in advance which emergency steps to take until you can get help from the emergency veterinary hospital in, Vancouver.

The key to preparing for a vet emergency is knowing that the physiological systems of most mammals, such as dogs, cats, ferrets, and rabbits, work more or less the same way as our own. Thus, in times of emergency, many of the restorative procedures that work for human beings work for animals as well.

A severed artery spouting blood, for instance, can be controlled by applying direct pressure to the wound. An animal whose heart has stopped beating can be revived by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). An unconscious dog or cat responds to artificial respiration.

An important thing to remember in time crisis is that if your pet is seriously injured, and you have no idea what to do, think human; perform the same life-saving procedures for the animal that you would perform for yourself or your family and contact Vancouver Animal Hospital, an emergency vet clinic in Norgate, North Vancouver.

Making a first-aid kit for pets

The first step you can take to prepare for emergencies is to assemble a home medical kit, and keep it in a handy place at all times. The following items are all useful in time of animal emergency. Pick and choose the ones that seem most appropriate for your home situation and for your pets needs:

Several sponges
A fresh washcloth
Three rolls of gauze wrapping
Several boxes of sterile gauze pads
Several rolls of different size adhesive tape – half-inch, one inch, two inches
Cotton balls, cotton Q-tips
Two Ace bandages
One bottle of hydrogen peroxide 3 percent (USP)
One bottle of alcohol One bottle of mineral oil
One bottle of Kaopectate
One bottle of milk of magnesia
One container of activated charcoal tablets
One bottle of syrup of ipecac
Antibiotic ointment (ask our veterinarian for brand recommendations)
Ophthalmic ointment (ask our veterinarian for brand recommendations)
Tube of petroleum jelly
A good disinfectant soap
Sterile eyewash
Syringe or eyedropper (to give oral medications)
Styptic powder
Betadine solution
Rectal thermometer
Tweezers
Scissors
Muzzle
Vinyl exam gloves
Flashlight
Ball of twine
Jacknife

Place the above items in a box and keep them in a handy place. A large plastic Tupperware container makes an ideal storage kit, and can also be used to transport a small dog or cat in time of emergency. Do, however, make a point of remembering where you put the supplies. There’s nothing more daunting than carefully assembling a complete medical kit, then forgetting where you put it in time of crisis.