Advice for when a pet is injured or has an accident

What to do in an Emergency

It can be scary when a pet has an accident or is injured, so follow these tips for the best way to help.

Stay Calm

If you panic then your pet may panic too. You will be most able to help if you stay calm and
focused.

Is it safe?

Make sure that there is no danger to you or others before approaching an injured animal.

Check for fire, power cables or other dangers.

Call for help

Phone the vet or ask someone to phone for you.
Tell them what has happened.
The vet can give you advice on the phone.
If it is overnight or at the weekend you may be directed to an out of hours vet.

When NOT to help

If a pet has fallen into a water, especially a river or the sea, do not jump in after them.

Contact the emergency services for help.

Dogs involved in a fight may bite and seriously injury people who intervene.

First Aid: the A B C’s

Airway

Check the animal’s airway.

Is there anything in their mouth that is stopping them from breathing?

You may need to gently pull the tongue out to be able to have a look.

If there is something there, can you easily remove it?

Breathing

Is the animal breathing?

Look to see if the chest is rising and falling.

Listen close to their nose and mouth.

Feel for breath from their nose and mouth.

Is the breathing easy and relaxed or is it laboured?

Circulation

Does the animal have a heart beat?

Feel for a heart beat on the left side of the chest, just behind the elbow.

If an animal does not have a heart beat then start CPR and travel to the vet ASAP.

What next?

Fortunately, most poorly pets will still be conscious and breathing. But they may have wounds which are bleeding, broken bones, burns, or other symptoms.

Here’s how to help until you get your pet to the vet.

Use pressure to stop any bleeding.

Wear gloves and use a clean dressing or cloth to press on the wound.

Bleeding from legs may be stopped with a tourniquet applied above the wound.

Keep your pet calm and quiet.

You may use a crate or small pet carrier.

Do not give your pet anything to eat. You may offer them small amounts of water.

If your pet cannot walk then carry them in your arms if it is safe to do so, or use a blanket or board as a
stretcher.

How to…

Prepare a First Aid Kit

Keep a first aid kit at home, as well as in the car, or in a backpack when out and about.

Here’s a list of things to be sure to include:

Clean bandages and dressings
Dressing tape
Cotton wool
Blunt ended scissors
Gloves
Tweezers
Tourniquet
Saline for flushing wounds
Tick hook
Blanket (can be used as a stretcher if necessary)

Phone Numbers

Store your vet’s contact details in your phone.

You don’t want to be searching for phone numbers or addresses when you should be helping your pet.

Keep the details on your phone so you can access them easily.

Where’s the Vet?

Always know where your closest vet is.

If you travel with your pet work out what you will do and where you will go BEFORE you have an emergency.

Insurance Details

We all hope we’ll never need it, but you’re more likely to use your pet insurance than any other type of insurance.

Store the details somewhere you can access them easily.