This is some of | what I have in my Collies first aid kits |
Saline Bottle | clean eyes and wounds |
Emergency blanket | preserves the animals body heat and helps to prevent shock after trauma |
Gloves | to prevent the contamination of open wounds and protect your hands |
Ultra-dermal tape | to help secure dressings and bandages |
Waterproof adhesive tape | in wet condition this tape stay secure on bandages and dressings |
Dressing | to clear and cover wounds |
Scissors | to cut tape and gauze |
Medium dressing | to cover the dressing and cushion the wounds |
Elastic cohesive bandage | to apply on top of a dressing, flexible and adheres to itself, take care and do not wrap to tight |
Chlorhexidine 0.2 % | disinfectant to clean wounds |
Alcohol free wipes | to clean your hands |
Apron | to protect your clothing |
Tweezers | to help remove foreign objects from paws |
Watch the expiration | dates on any medication, and replace as needed |
Shoes | to protect paws when injured |
Calendula salve | to use on wounds |
Euphrasia | eye drops |
Rescue Remedy | |
Matches | |
Safety pins | |
Syringe | |
Stethoscope | |
Tramadol | painmedication |
Thermometer | |
Cortisone | painmedication + first aid with snakebite - then a trip to the veterinarian |
Arachis oil | to clean ears |
Optivizor | two types |
Transparent Buster collar | |
Body suits | |
Pro-Kolin | probiotic paste |
Paw balm | |
WHAT IS NORMAL
IN YOUR DOG ?
Just like people two dogs will not get exactly the same results if you see their blood-test-analysis. But what is normal in one dog can be a sign of something wrong in another dog.
It can be a good idea to take a blood-test when your dog is healthy – then you know what’s normal for that particular dog. Just as it’s smart to take your dog’s temperature when he/she is healthy just to know what’s normal.
To be able to assess whether your dog is sick, you have to know what’s normal.
TEMPERATURE
A dogs normal body temperature can vary between 37.5 and up to near 39 degrees Celsius. Measure it when your dog is healthy then you know what’s normal for your dog.
Temperature will fluctuate during the day, like when eating, exercising, high external temperature, drinking, during gestation etc
Small breeds tend to have higher normal temperature than large breeds.
Read more about temperature, Heatstroke can be life-threatening : here
HEART RATE :
Adult : 70 - 120 beats per minute
Puppies: 120 – 140 beats per minute
RESPIRATORY RATE per minute 18 - 34
BLOOD PRESSURE (systolic)
- mmHg 120-150
(results obtained on one machine can not be compared to another)
BLOOD
Amount of blood in a dog body is between 80 – 90 ml pr kilogram bodyweight
FLUID
Normal fluid intake is between 20-70 ml per kg of dog
5 kilo dog : 100 - 350 ml
10 kilo dog : 200 - 700 ml
20 kilo dog : 400 ml - 1.4 liter
30 kilo dog : 600 m- - 2.1 liter
Of course it can vary if very warm, if your dog has worked, what food he/she is eating etc
VETERINARY APPOINTMENT
Be sure to check several times when your veterinarian give you a prescription. Some veterinarians don’t have a clue about certain side-effects, in my case it ended with a fatal result.
Also be sure to check the veterinarians treatment. Some veterinarians don’t have a clue about the right protocol for certain problems/injuries, in my case it ended with a fatal result
First aid kit for dogs
I have different kind of first aid kit for my Collies, one here at the house, one in the car and I also take with me some when we are hiking.
In my car I have in addition to a first aid kit also extra leashes and collars, water and water bowls, paper towels, flashlight and extra blankets. I also have a little box with emergency things for when we are hiking. Any medication like Tramadol are not ever placed in my car.
My dogs have also the first-aid-button on their harness/collar with cortisone tablets in case of snakebite. Used once when Sammie was bitten by a snake, before we rushed her to the veterinarian
POISONING
Always have with you the phone number to your country’s poison information center.
Norwegian Poison Information Centre – phone : 22 59 13 00 – open 24/7.
For us here in Norway it’s a good idea to also have the telephone to NMBU School of Veterinary Science, and contact specialists : 67 23 23 23 / 820 90 102 also open 24/7.
As a dog owner you can experience that your dog find something than can be poison and eat it.
Contact your Poison Information Center and/or your veterinarian to get help.
Unfortunately sometimes you could be a long way from a veterinarian and have to do something yourself as a first aid.
If your dog has ingested something poisoned, and you need to get him/her to vomit, a so-called safe remedy to use at home is 3% hydrogen peroxide. You need to know that too much hydrogen peroxide might give bloody vomit and also get him/her to vomit uncontrolled. Give one dose and the dose is 1-2 ml per kilo dog. You must use fresh hydrogen peroxide (check the expiration date).
Then you of course take your dog for a check at your veterinarian.
* Only give hydrogen peroxide if you have seen your dog eat the poison.
* It’s less than 2 hours since he/she ate it.
* He/she has no symptoms of poisoning.
* He/she is healthy and not at risk of inhaling the vomit
Never ever induce vomit if your dog has eaten something corrosive chemicals (like batteries, lye, detergent) - these can do huge damage to the esophagus if you get the animal to throw up.
Don’t induce vomit if he/ she has eaten oil products (like kerosene, gasoline, engine oil).
Poisonous foods for dogs - see here
Poisonous flower and plants - see here
HEIMLICH MANEUVER
YOUR DOG IS CHOKING FROM AN OBJECT
Have you ever experience your dog chocking? Many years ago my Sheppegutt was chocking from a marrowbone, I was thank God, able to get the bone out of his throat. I only give my Collie-crew raw chicken-wings, raw chicken-necks and raw oxtails – always raw, never any cooked bones.
But what if you don’t can’t get the object out – you might have you perform a Heimlich Maneuver if your Dog is Choking
Watch a veterinarian learn you how to perform a Heimlich Maneuver on a dog - here
Here are some tips from Dr. Foster and Dr. Smith :
IF YOUR DOG CAN BE LIFTED | |
1 | Open the mouth and look for a foreign object. If the dog is unconscious and an object is blocking the airway, grab the tongue and pull it outward to try to dislodge the object. Regardless of consciousness, sweep your finger through the dog's mouth in an effort to feel or dislodge any object. Use caution to avoid being bitten. |
2 | If the object cannot be reached or pulled out, lift the dog and place the dog's spine against your chest. |
3 | Place both hands under your dog at the waist line, behind the ribs. Clench your hands together to make a fist and place the fist behind the last rib. Perform abdominal thrusts by pushing up and in with your fist quickly 5 times. |
4 | Open the dog's mouth and look for a foreign object, using a penlight. Use your finger to carefully sweep the dog's mouth to dislodge the object and remove it. Again use caution. |
5 | If the object was not dislodged, place your hands in front of the hips, lift the dog and suspend the dog with the head hanging down. |
6 | Check the mouth again and use your finger to carefully sweep the dog's mouth to dislodge the object and remove it. |
7 | If the object was not dislodged, hold your dog in a sitting or standing position and give 5 sharp blows with your hand to the dog's back between the shoulder blades. |
8 | Open the mouth and look for a foreign object, using a penlight. Use your finger to carefully sweep the dog's mouth to dislodge the object and remove it. Again use caution. |
9 | Continue steps 2 through 8 until the object becomes dislodged |
10 | If the dog becomes unconscious, give 5 breaths (see link to 1604) and then 5 abdominal thrusts, and continue this pattern until the object is dislodged. |
11 | When the object is dislodged, stop the abdominal thrusts. Check the dog's airway, breathing and heart beat. Perform CPR if needed. |
12 | Take the dog to your veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. |
IF YOUR DOG IS TOO HEAVY TO LIFT & IS CONSCIOUS | |
1 | Open the mouth and look for a foreign object. Sweep your finger through the dog's mouth in an effort to feel or dislodge any object. Use caution to avoid being bitten. |
2 | If the object cannot be reached or pulled out, place your dog in a standing position. |
3 | Standing behind the dog, bend over and wrap your arms around the dog under the rib cage. Make a fist with one hand and place the other had over your fist. Pulling in and up, give 5 rapid abdominal thrusts. |
4 | Open the dog's mouth and look for the object, using a penlight. Use your finger to carefully sweep the dog's mouth to dislodge the object and remove it. Again, use caution. |
5 | If the object was not dislodged, pick up the dog by his hind feet (like a wheelbarrow) so his head is lower than his hips. |
6 | Check the mouth again and use your finger to carefully sweep the dog's mouth to dislodge the object and remove it. |
7 | If the object was not dislodged, place your dog in a standing position. Using the palm of your hand, give 5 sharp blows on the back between the shoulder blades. |
8 | Open the mouth and look for a foreign object, using a penlight. Use your finger to carefully sweep the dog's mouth to dislodge the object and remove it. Again use caution. |
9 | Continue steps 2 through 8 until the object becomes dislodged. |
10 | If the dog becomes unconscious, give 5 breaths (see link to 1604) and then 5 abdominal thrusts, and continue this pattern until the object becomes dislodged. |
11 | When the object is dislodged, stop the abdominal thrusts. Check the dog's airway, breathing and heart beat. Perform CPR if needed. |
12 | Take the dog to your veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. |
IF YOUR DOG IS TOO HEAVY TO LIFT & IS UNCONSCIOUS | |
1 | Open the mouth and look for a foreign object. If the object is blocking the airway, grab the tongue and pull it outward to try to dislodge the object. Sweep your finger through the dog's mouth in an effort to feel or dislodge any object. Use caution to avoid being bitten. |
2 | If the object cannot be reached or pulled out lay the dog on his right side. |
3 | Kneel with the dogs legs pointing towards you. Place your palms over each other just behind the dog's ribs. Pushing in and up, give 5 rapid abdominal thrusts. |
4 | Open the dog's mouth and look for the object, using a penlight. Use your finger to carefully sweep the dog's mouth to dislodge the object and remove it. Again, use caution. |
5 | If the object was not dislodged, continue to repeat steps 3 and 4 until object is dislodged. |
6 | If the dog is not breathing, give 5 breaths (see link to 1604) and then 5 abdominal thrusts again and continue this pattern until object is dislodged. |
7 | When the object is dislodged, stop the abdominal thrusts. Check the dog's airway, breathing and heart beat. Perform CPR if needed. |
8 | Take the dog to your veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. |
