Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 31, 1994 TAG: 9408020009
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
``If the pet is traumatized, how you transport it can make or break the situation,'' she said. ``Don't pick it up with your hands under the belly. This will only make chest or abdominal injuries worse.''
Instead, Thornton said, place one hand in front of the forelegs, place the other hand under the hips and behind the rear legs, and cradle the animal in your arms.
For your own safety, muzzle the animal by wrapping a gauze strip around the nose and over the head and tying it behind the ears. No matter how gentle your pet, it may bite you if it's in pain.
To stabilize a fracture, wrap newspaper around the limb and tie securely with gauze or cloth strips. If the pet appears to have a head wound, keep its head elevated during transport to slow bleeding to the brain.
An animal that sustains any kind of trauma should be checked by a veterinarian. ``Animals can look normal but still be in shock,'' Thornton said. ``They may not exhibit symptoms until much later.''
The pet seminar was the first in a free monthly series that Thornton plans to offer at Southern Hills Animal Hospital at 3500 Avenham Avenue S.W., where she shares a practice with her husband, Dr. Preston Thornton.
If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially hazardous product, Thornton said, read the package label first to determine whether vomiting should be induced.
``Some substances can cause more harm if vomited back up,'' she said.
If the package label says to induce vomiting, syrup of ipecac is the best choice, Thornton said, but peroxide or salt water sometimes are effective as well. Take the package with you to the veterinarian.
If your pet begins salivating heavily after you've applied a topical flea preparation to its fur, rinse the substance off immediately.
The Heimlich maneuver practiced on humans also can be used on animals that are choking, Thornton said, but care must be taken to limit the force of the thrust so as to not rupture the diaphragm. A choking animal will gag, salivate and paw at its mouth. First, open the mouth, pull out the tongue and look down the throat. If you can see the obstructing object, use tweezers to extract it.
Thornton talked only briefly about cardiopulmonary resuscitation for pets, saying, ``CPR is such an in-depth subject, we hope to devote another seminar entirely to it.''
If an animal is having a seizure, ``don't try to pull out the tongue,'' she said. Low blood sugar is a common cause of seizure, but there can be many other causes. Transport immediately.
Heat stroke and frostbite require immediate medical attention as well.
``If the temperature outside is above 75 degrees, it's too hot to put an animal in a car,'' Thornton said. If heat stroke is suspected, however, cool down with water, and transport the animal.
To prevent frostbite, avoid overexposure during cold weather. Check your animal's feet carefully if it goes outdoors. Remember to wash off road salt chemicals right away.
Animals often conceal illness or pain, Thornton said, but observant owners can detect subtle behavior changes that cue them that all is not well. Early disease detection can greatly improve treatment possibilities, therefore, Thornton recommends that owners set aside time once a week to assess their pet's overall condition.
If you make a practice of looking your pet over for healthy, pink gums, clear, bright eyes free of discharge, and a body free of lumps and bumps, you are more apt to notice anything out of the ordinary, she said.
Thornton recommends assembling the following articles in a pet first aid kit:
A blanket or towel for carrying the animal, if you can't pick it up in your arms
Strips of 2-inch by 12-inch cloth for tying bandages, rather than taping them
Several gauze strips for makeshift muzzles, cleaning wounds, applying direct pressure to bleeding cuts
Peroxide (make sure it bubbles) to clean wounds and induce vomiting
Any kind of antibiotic ointment for superficial wounds
Newspapers to roll up and use as splints on injured limbs
A pencil and rubber bands to use for a makeshift tourniquet
Tweezers, handy for removing a foreign object from a paw pad or from the throat if the animal is choking
Scissors and tape
Artificial tears or sterile saline eye rinse to flush foreign material from the eyes
A rectal thermometer (get the smallest size available for cats, and learn how to take your pet's temperature)
Ice pack for controlling swelling and bleeding
Over-the-counter medication for bee stings or allergic reactions (ask a veterinarian to calculate dosage based on pet's weight, and keep handy in a labeled vial for emergencies)
Syrup of Ipecac to induce vomiting
For information on future pet seminars, call Southern Hills Animal Hospital at 343-4155.
by CNB