Pets bring immense joy to our lives but they are also a serious responsibility. Knowing how to care for your pet in an emergency is relatively easy, provided you have the right information on hand when you need it. To assist pet lovers in being prepared, Pet Care Products offers these Questions and Answers. Below are questions of interest to all pet and horse lovers. Next are links to separate Q&A sections for birds, dogs and cats, horses and sport dogs. Q: Why consider first aid for a pet? That seems like going overboard to me. A: It's possible that you can handle any accident that may occur with your pet. However, pets and horses often require special care that is not possible with general knowledge or even with first aid supplies designed for people. For example, most first aid kits for people include a large supply of bandages, something that is almost useless for most pet situations. Likewise, treating a broken blood feather on a bird or a gunshot wound to a hunting dog will require special information and supplies that you aren't likely to have on hand-unless you have a quality first aid kit for your pet. Q: If my pet is hurt, I'll just take it to the vet. A: And you should! We urge our customers to write down their vet's phone number so it's available in an emergency. We even provide space on our kits to write this information so it will be easy to find in the stress of an accident situation. However, think about the likely delay in reaching a veterinarian and you can see why it's important to at least stabilize your pet if it has a serious injury, just as ambulance paramedics stabilize a person before transporting them to a hospital. This can be especially important if a dog or horse is hurt in the field, or if any pet is seriously injured around the home. At the same time, many minor injuries can be effectively treated. With the right materials, a cut that might otherwise become infected can easily be cared for. That's why we stressed that our first aid kits are designed with the assistance of veterinarians to treat minor injuries at home or to stabilize your pet before seeking professional help. Q: Other than fur or feathers, what's the big deal about treating a pet. It's just like a person otherwise, right? A: In many ways, treating your pet is similar to caring for a child or adult. However, there are some critical differences. You've no doubt seen doctors or ambulance personnel check the pulse of a patient at an accident. This is done to determine the overall condition of the patient. Dramatic increases or decreases in pulse can indicate dangerous problems such as shock. But just taking a patient's pulse isn't worth much unless you know what it should be. If you compare a human heart rate of 70-100 beats a minute to a cat will not be helpful because a cat's pulse rate is normally much higher. That's why having pet-specific information is just as important in an emergency as it is to have the right first aid kit. Q: My dog was attacked by two large raccoons and suffered a couple of puncture wounds. I don't know if they are bites or claw punctures. I cleaned the wounds with an antibacterial cream. She is up to date on her rabies shots. Is there anything else that I should do? Should she see her vet? A: Yes, any time you have a puncture wound you should see your vet. Remember: every species and even every pet is different. If you are in doubt or it appears your pet has a serious wound or disease, contact your veterinarian!
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