October is National Animal Protection & Safety Month and National Pet Wellness Month: Do you know First Aid or CPR for your canine?

You arrive home and discover your beloved pet is injured and bleeding. Or, he is in the middle of a seizure, or has stopped breathing. What do you do? While these are extremely scary scenarios, do you know what you would do first? Do you know if CPR is required? Do you know how to administer CPR or First Aid? Do you have a method of moving an unconscious and injured pet, especially if it is a large breed? Are the phone numbers handy for your vet, emergency hospital, and poison control centers? Are they pre-programmed in your phone? Do you have someone to call who can help you?

Our Bandit practicing her Pet First Aid.

These and many other questions were recently answered during a Pet First Aid (American Safety & Health Institute) program recently sponsored by Paws Unlimited, an animal rescue located in Upstate New York. Charles and Donna, the husband and wife team of instructors from Emergency Educational Training, have over 20 years of experience in the healthcare field and have certifications through the American Heart Association, American Safety & Health Institute, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; as well as being pet owners who are very involved with animals and rescue organizations nationwide.

 
The class included many demonstrations, including hands-on CPR lessons for all sized dogs, as well as puppies and cats. The practice sessions were conducted on “breathing” stuffed canine mannequins, as well as demos on “Kory,” the very accommodating live canine model whose Hu-Mom, Danielle, is the operations manager at Paws Unlimited.

 
If you haven’t thought about an emergency scenario for your pets, this is a good time to do so. Since one of my Sibes is an epileptic who has gone through some pretty scary seizures similar to the scenario above before being diagnosed, I do have a First Aid kit, notebook with instructions on what to do if he has as seizure, medicine dosage, as well as phone numbers in case our pet sitter needs it. I also have a ramp for transporting if needed. Since he is a large wooly and now (after meds) weighs in typically at 108 to 112 pounds, if he needed to be evacuated to the vet’s, I can turn the ramp into a stretcher.

If you haven't already done so, keep pet poison control telephone numbers where you can see them.

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The American Red Cross also offers programs in pet First Aid, and has a sample First Aid kit checklist, and tips for disaster preparedness for pets. 

October is National Animal Protection and Safety Month (Animal Rescue Service; United Animal Nations) and National Pet Wellness Month (American Veterinary Medical Associationhttp://www.avma.org/)--so what better time to check your pet's vitals, start or stock up your pet First Aid kit, form a pet emergency plan, and take a canine CPR/First Aid program. It could just save your furpal’s life.