First Aid for Dogs:


Would you know what to do if your dog became ill or injured? Being
prepared ahead of time can save the life of your pet. Below is a list
of supplies and common sense ideas to protect your forever pal.
Safety

Avoid bites. Use a muzzle, nylon leash, gauze, belt, etc.
Avoid dangerous situations. Do not climb down cliffs, enter burning
buildings, swim in fast water, etc.
Keep a clear head.
In a car accident, use gloves where blood is present, blood may be human.
If your dog needs emergency veterinary care, transport as soon as
possible. Make sure to call the clinic first so they know you are on
the way.
Contact numbers

ASPCA Poison Control 1-888-426-4435
Local Emergency Clinics: AETC, Poulsbo 360-697-7771
AHCK, Poulsbo/Silverdale 360-692-6162
All Creatures AH, Gorst 360-377-3801
Your personal Veterinarian
Resources

www.petfirstaidonline.com Online pet first aid course.
“The Pet Lover’s Guide to First Aid and Emergencies” by Thomas K. Day,
DVM, DACVA,DACVECC.
Items in your kit

Muzzle
Slip lead
Latex Gloves
Blanket
Heavy duty sanitary napkins (Kotex type)
Bandage tape
Vet Wrap/Ace bandage
Eye flush
Benadryl, 25 mg capsules or pediatric solution
Alcohol
Hydrogen peroxide
Karo Syrup
Bandage Scissors
Roll Gauze
Feeding syringe, small and large
Tweezers/hemostats
Thermometer
“Instant” cold pack
Band-Aids
Medical records
Poison ingestion

Call your vet, emergency vet or poison control.
Save any packaging, and bring with you to the vet.
Depending on the poison, you may induce vomiting with oral Hydrogen
Peroxide. Do not induce vomiting with any solvent or petroleum
product. Read the package label, and ask your vet first.
Transport as soon as possible.
Trauma

Bleeding wounds-Wear gloves. Use Kotex pads or other absorbent
material to staunch bleeding, can be held in place with tape, vet wrap
or ace bandage.
Fractures-Because these can be very painful, always place a muzzle. Do
not worry about splinting or bandaging unless there is an open wound.
Dog should be carried, wrapped in a blanket if possible, and
transported as soon as possible.
Shock-Pale mucus membranes, cold, rapid heart rate. Wrap in a blanket,
transport ASAP, turn on heater in car for warmth. Place Karo Syrup on
gums.
Bite wounds. Use Kotex for major bleeding. If only minor bleeding or
bruising, can place ice compress. See your vet for wound flushing and
antibiotics.
Illnesses

Severe vomiting or diarrhea, do not give oral medications, transport to vet.
Respiratory distress, transport to vet.
Seizures. Do not put hands in mouth. Protect dog from falling down
stairs, etc. Call your vet, and transport for exam ASAP.
Insect bites/Snake bites

Give Benadryl 1 mg/lb (1 25 mg capsule for a 25 lb dog).
If severe swelling, respiratory difficulty, severe pain, or known
venomous snake bite, transport ASAP.
Ice the area.
Heat Stroke

Rapid breathing, lethargy, bright red tongue, body temperature over
105, exposure to heat.
Remove from heat.
Apply cool water, alcohol or ice to body, especially inside of thighs/groin.
Transport to vet ASAP
Other minor events

Ticks-Remove with a tick snare, disinfect w/ alcohol, watch for illness
Foxtails-Can be serious if they migrate. Remove as soon as possible,
may need surgery and antibiotics
Toe nail bleeding-Kwik stop or corn starch can be applied. Watch for biting.




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Cats: Indoors, Outdoors or Somewhere in Between?


Cats love to be outside.  They sit in the sun, roll in and chew on the
grass and play Mighty Bug Hunter.   But they’re not really equipped to
deal with all the situations they can encounter outside on their own.
Aggressive dogs, territorial raccoons, hungry coyotes and cougars are
more than most cats can handle.   Contact with other cats can expose
them to diseases like feline leukemia or FIV, which can be transmitted
by bites.  Upper respiratory infections can be transmitted by close
contact like face-to-face hissing, sniffing or shared food and water
dishes.  Cars, bad-intentioned humans and poisons like pesticides and
spilled auto chemicals are other dangers cats face outdoors.

There are ways we can keep our cats safe outside.  Many people find
that their cats take quite readily to leashes and harnesses.  Always
attach leashes or tethers to a harness, not a collar--some cats can
pull out of their collars when on a leash and a cat can strangle if
the tether gets twisted around plants or furniture.

Whether you’re building a yard yourself, or purchasing a commercial
system, here are a few things to consider:

Ease of entry/exit for the cats and for you.  Using a window is handy
because you can easily control your cats’ access in either direction.
A cat flap door can be installed in a window or wall.  A human-sized
door lets you get in easily to clean and get to the cats if needed.
Places to snooze in the sun make the yard a place the cats want to be.
Your cat yard should have plenty of comfortable sleeping spots.
Perches and ramps are fun, too.  Varying heights and sizes keep things
interesting.  A nearby bird feeder/bath provides hours of free “Kitty
TV”.
Security-determined cats can dig, climb and tear their way out of any
enclosure that’s not built to last.  Check for screening that could be
pushed out, edges that could be torn, doors that don’t latch tightly
and soft soil or sand that could be scraped away by a busy paw.
Safety-double check that there are no sharp wires or nails to poke
your cat.  Ramps should be rough textured so that cats don’t slip,
especially in the rain.  (Yes, they will go out in the rain…)

We use two kinds of cat yards.  One is a wood framed structure that
sits next to the house.  The top and sides are covered with chicken
wire and there is a human-sized screen door so that we can get in and
play, too.  It has perches and climbing ramps and the cats get to it
through a commercial cat flap/door installed in a piece of plywood
inserted into a window.  It cost about $150 to build and was installed
in a weekend.

The other cat yard is essentially our entire back yard.  It has a 6’
wooden fence around all sides, but the slats are wide enough apart for
a cat to squeeze through.  To make it “cat proof”, we stapled a 4’
high length of chicken wire along the fence, with a curl of the wire
near the top so that they can’t jump or climb over.  It’s not the most
attractive part of the landscaping, but it’s secure and was very
inexpensive.  There are commercial versions available, too.

These websites offer ideas for building your own cat yard, as well as
selling kits or completely installed enclosures.

http://www.catfencein.com/

http://www.purrfectfence.com/

http://www.cat-world.com.au/cat-worldenclosures.htm

http://www.just4cats.com/

If you have questions, or would like us to take a look at the
cat-safety issues at your home, just give us a call!
Appointment Hours:
Mon-Sun 9am -5pm
(After Hour Emergency Services Offered )

Phone:
(808) 383-2071

Email:
DVMWalter@Gmail.com

Service Areas:
Oahu, HI