Oh My Dog!

Last night, we went out to get after-dinner lattes. We got home to find our little box of recycling had been flipped over, Dr. Pepper spilled down the wall, and a lid and tin can of Blue Buffalo lamb dinner missing… to be discovered on top of Emmett’s bed, licked clean. While that is just annoying because, first, we should know better than to leave recycling in the house and because, second, Emmett will never be able to control his counter surfing… I was just so relieved that neither of them were injured from the tin can. I have a scar on my right index finger from when I  slashed it on the lid of a tuna can when I was about 10 years old. So as soon as I saw what happened, I was prying open their mouths checking for any cuts or scrapes. UGH.

But that got me thinking…

This past spring, we took a Pet First Aid class sponsored by the Red Cross. Luckily, we’ve barely needed to use the knowledge that we picked up; however, a few things have come in handy, like which products are safe to clean wounds (hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment like Neosporin). It’s also reassuring to know that we do know what to do in case one of them chokes, stops breathing, or ends up with a more serious wound. Here are a couple of useful links to reference:

Prepare.org: First Aid for Animals

First Aid Skills Can Help Save a Life – Your Pet’s by the Red Cross

I would also recommend picking up the Red Cross’ book, Dog First Aid. We got a copy as part of the course, and it’s proved to be a useful resource.

The important thing is that you do all this preparation before an emergency, because the last thing you want to do if your dog is choking or has become injured is to start googling what to do!