8 Important Ways to Help Your Dog During a Medical Emergency

Keeping your pet safe and healthy is ideal as a pet parent. Unfortunately, things happen, and your furry friend may require emergency medical care. Knowing how to react and respond to an emergency can mean the difference between life and death. Find out ways to help your dog during a medical emergency.

Remain Calm

It can be hard to remain calm when your pet is suffering or severely injured, but you must try. One of the best things you can do in an emergency is to stay calm. Remaining calm will help you make the right decisions. Panicking will cause your dog to become afraid. Pay attention to vital details that can help save your dog’s life.

Assess the Situation

Examine your pet and assess the situation. Animals are good at masking pain or injury, but you should try to figure out what is wrong. It is easy to identify if the problem is a broken bone, but other conditions may be hard to detect. Do a quick assessment of the pet’s behavior or actions even as you organize your trip to the veterinarian.

Provide First Aid

Respond as much as you can at home before you get to the emergency room. Try not to injure the dog further while attempting to help. If the dog is bleeding, apply pressure and try to stop the bleeding. Be careful, as the dog may try to bite. If your pet is choking, do not try to perform the Heimlich maneuver if you have no experience.

Call the Veterinarian

Contact an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible, even if you are not sure that the issue is an emergency. Do this within minutes of realizing that something is wrong. Talk to a veterinarian who can tell you how to deal with the situation. The veterinarian can help determine whether emergency care is required.

Calm Your Pet

It is crucial to keep your pet as calm as possible. The dog will likely be agitated during an emergency, further exacerbating the condition. A scared dog can bite, so you may need to muzzle him. It will prevent the risk of biting and make it easy to transport the dog.

Get Someone to Help

Trying to handle an injured dog on your own can be difficult. If you have a responsible adult around, ask them to help. Ensure that the person is mature or old enough to help you handle the situation. It is best if that person isn’t panicking and worsening the situation.

Get the Pet Into a Crate

This should be relatively easy if your dog is small enough to lift and place into a crate. Ensure you handle the dog with care to avoid making the injury worse. Support the back as you lift the dog. You can use a blanket to carry a large dog and keep him swaddled in the car.

Drive Safely to the Veterinarian

You may rush to the veterinarian, but that does not mean you should not be careful. It helps to have someone with you on the drive to keep the animal calm. Carry anything your dog may have ingested or medications he may be taking to the veterinarian.

For more about ways to help your dog during a medical emergency, visit the Animal Emergency Center of Killeen at our Killeen, Texas, office. Call (254) 628-5017 to schedule an appointment today.