Anstead 07 3202 7300
Marburg 07 5464 4422
Westvets Brisbane Veterinary Care

General First Aid and Your Pet

pet first aid

Knowing some first aid for your pet when they are injured can make a huge difference in helping to make them comfortable before you can get veterinary attention.

A common injury we see with dogs is when they cut their paw or damage a nail. This can often result in a lot of bleeding. Not only is this distressing to the pet, but it can also be distressing for you.

Firstly, it’s important to stay calm. There are some first aid techniques you can use, not only try to minimise the bleeding, but also to make your pet more comfortable.

If your dog cuts its paw or damages a nail, the first aid treatment is designed to help stop the bleeding and reduce the risk of infection. The first step is to try and apply a pressure pad to the area that is bleeding – you can use some gauze swabs or some cotton wool to do this.

Then it’s a matter of gently bandaging this pad in place so that the pressure will continue to help reduce the bleeding. The injury will also be protected. If you have a cotton crepe bandage, this can be gently wound around the paw and lower leg. It can be useful to bandage up to and above the next joint such as your dogs’ wrist, that way the bandage will stay on more securely as the animal walks around.

The next layer can be a sticky elastic bandage layer which will help keep the whole bandage in place – but make sure not to apply the sticky bandage too tightly as this can restrict the blood supply to the area – so firm, but gentle pressure is best.

Now that the bleeding has been contained, give us a call anytime on 3202 7300 to arrange for us to assess the injury. Depending on the size of the cut or injury the wound may be stitched up, or sometimes it will be treated with an ongoing series of bandages.

If your pet won’t let you examine or bandage the area, don’t worry. Simply give us a call and come in to see us.

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