It is our job as dog owners to make sure that our pets are happy and healthy. However, it is not always an easy job given that our dogs are curious and intelligent creatures with a tendency to get themselves into all kinds of trouble. And when they do get in sick or hurt, it is up to us to examine them and find out exactly what the problem is.

While there is no substitute for veterinary care, especially when your dog is seriously hurt or injured, there are many things you can do to save your dog’s life and make him feel comfortable. The care and attention that you give to your dog during the first few minutes of an emergency can make all the difference between life and death.

Having the basic knowledge of giving first aid treatment is crucial in that time between the beginning of the emergency and upon arriving at your vet’s office. However, do not use first aid treatments as a way of delaying much needed professional help. A more prolonged treatment can only be applied if you cannot reach medical care immediately.

In order to properly administer first aid treatments, it is important to plan ahead and have the necessary supplies on hand placed in a convenient location. Do not wait for the emergency to happen before you start putting together tools and remedies or to start reading “how to do it” manuals. By being prepared, you can help keep small problems from turning into big ones.

First aid supplies

The following are list of supplies that you need to have available in case of an emergency. You can either buy first aid kits at online catalogs or pet stores, or you can stock up on your own.

Here is what a first aid kit should include: Ammonia water, Hydrogen peroxide, Antibiotic treatment, Hydro cortisone ointment, Eyewash, and Antihistamine liquid.

The following are basic materials that you may need: adhesive tape, absorbent cotton, gauze rolls or pads, scissors (preferably with rounded tips), tweezers, a rectal thermometer; syringes (without the needle) for giving oral medications; two blankets (thick and strong), elastic bandages, an enema bag, soap, and a plastic bowl for preparing dilutions.

It is also important to have your vet’s phone number available as well as the phone number of an emergency weekend visit or nighttime vet. You will also need a veterinary first aid manual to know exactly what to do in time of crisis.

The most common injuries that happen to our dogs involve the head area. And it is the ears that are most frequently torn in dogfights. The ears also tend to bleed profusely. So if your dog comes back injured with an ear wound, then take the following three simple steps to bandaging the area:

1. First make sure that your dog is calm from whatever fight he got into. Then clean the wound with warm water and a light disinfectant. Be sure not to get any hair or other small particles inside the wounded area.

2. Next, wrap the ear with a bandage. You should have plenty of bandage material from your emergency first aid kit but a cloth or shirt will do just fine. Wind the bandage around the head to keep it secure and to prevent the ear from bleeding when the dog shakes his head.

3. Continue with bandaging his ear by wrapping it around his head over and over until it is secure. Avoid putting any unnecessary pressure on the windpipe. If need be, you want to use what is called an “Elizabethan Collar”. Now get your dog to the vet immediately for further medical attention.

Sneezing or Nasal Discharge

It is very common for all dogs to sneeze on an occasional basis, especially when they first wake up. However, allergic sneezing is typically a nonproductive sneeze that occurs in paroxysms and the infections will often produce puss. If you notice a bloody discharge from a single nostril then that is an indication of a tumor or a foreign object.

What to do: If your dog is displaying such symptoms then immediately consult your veterinarian for the correct diagnosis. While eliminating the cause of allergic sneezing is the best option, it can also be reduced by giving your dog antihistamines. Medications will need to be administered if there is an infection. These infections can be viral, bacterial, or fungal. If there is indeed a tumor, then surgery will be the only option. And in the fortunate event that your dog merely has a foreign object stuck in his nostril, then the object can be sneezed forward enough until the vet can reach it and remove the object.

Abnormal Breathing Habits

If your dog is displaying abnormal breathing habits then do not take it lightly. Distressed or unusual rhythmic breathing can be a life-threating sign of a major problem to your dog’s health. Pleural effusions of blood and puss can cause a persistent cough, in addition to breathing troubles. Your dog may also show a complete lack of energy and movement. If there is shallow breathing, then this may be an indication of damage to your dog’s ribs. And be on the watch for rapid breathing, which could be a severe problem due to long, heart, or kidney disease.

What to do: Consult your veterinarian right away if you detect the above breathing symptoms. Do not waste time in getting your dog medical attention just because you cannot see or feel an injury. Remember, there may be severe internal damage coming from your dog’s body. Your vet may have to use pleural effusions which are surgically tapped and drained to reduce pressure on the lungs.

Constant Gagging of Coughing

If your dog is showing signs of persistent coughing or gagging, he may have poor heart function, a collapsed windpipe, chronic bronchitis, or some type of worm parasite. Fluid builds up in the lungs, which causes a gag. In time the cough will get more and more announced, especially after exercise.

What to do: If you suspect your dog of having any of the above problems then the vest may have to insert an artificial windpipe, administer medications, or at worst, surgery. Improvement to cardiac function controls heart related coughing.