A Guide for Owners of Sick & Injured Pets

If your pet has been injured, keep them in a quiet and stress-free area and restrict their level of activity. Offer water but DO NOT try and feed them as veterinary assessment and care may require sedation/anesthetics. Do not offer food or water if they are not mentally aware! If there is bleeding, place a cloth and apply steady, firm pressure for at least 10 to 15 minutes (unless this occurs at the site of a fracture – applying a tourniquet above the injury can be attempted pending transport to the veterinary center. DO NOT give them any human medications such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol.

Burns are painful. Only use cool water or normal saline to attempt to clean burns. Burns can be coated with moist towels – moist enough so that they do not stick to the wound!

Be prepared to perform some basic CPR care by viewing this helpful video. If the pet is having difficulty getting air into their lungs, check their throat with your finger for an upper airway obstruction

Do not get bit! Do not try and “clear their throat”. Do not try to move the pet unless they are near the top of stairs, etc. Note the date and time and the approximate length of the seizure. If the event is lasting more than 10-15 minutes or there have been multiple events with several hours, your pet needs to be seen

Call Animal Poison Control first at 888-426-4435. Be prepared to tell them about your pets current condition as well as details about the suspected substance or medication involved. This service will use the expertise of toxicologists to direct you and the veterinarian to specific care needed. They may advise you to attempt to get your pet to vomit (induce emesis) – this is usually done by giving doses of 3% hydrogen peroxide based on your pet’s weight. This should not be done under certain circumstances! 

Pets who are hyperthermic are breathing rapidly and noisily and may have rectal temperatures above 105. There should be a history of exposure to high heat and humidity. Taking a rectal temperature is ESSENTIAL. If suspected, begin treating at home while avoiding over cooling or chilling your pet. Squirt rubbing alcohol on their paws. Place them in a cool area and provide a fan near them. The goal is to cool them to around 103.5 while preparing to get them to the clinic. DO NOT hose them down with cold water or place them in a cold or ice water bath as this will result in subsequent shivering which generates more heat. The sooner that a pet can be safely cooled, the less organ damage that will occur 

Low normal rectal temperature for healthy dogs and cats is 99. If their temperature decreases to below 98 degrees, they should be provided with temperature support pending being seen at the veterinary center. Ideal ways to provide warmth include warm towels and rice socks (NOT HOT). A space heater can be placed in the general area – animals can get burned by heat sources or hot rice socks! Pets should not be offered food or water while they are hypothermic. Animals who have low rectal temperatures and which have not been exposed to cold temperatures are likely in shock due to significant organ disease and need to be evaluated at an emergency clinic immediately 

• Rectal thermometer and lube
• Hand towels
• Socks or stockings which could be used as a temporary tourniquet
• Regular or normal saline rinse for skin or eye injuries
• Ice packs for insect stings and bruises

• Normal rectal temperature is 99 to 102.5
• Heart Rate should never be less than 60
• Respiration rate should be less than 60 while asleep; hyperventilation due to cooling (panting) is different to that of disease – being able to assess their gum color may be very important
• Normal gum color is pink and when blanched, the pink should return in less than two seconds; some pets have pigmented gums making this tricky
• Pets pupils should constrict when a bright light is shone into the eyes