First Aid Tips for Pet Owners

Our Veterinary Nurses recently ran a first aid course for pet owners at Davies Veterinary Specialists.

We were delighted to welcome 24 cat and dog owners to the event, which gave them the opportunity to learn the principles of animal first aid while raising more than £400 for the Dogs Trust Freedom Project.

An ill or injured pet needs immediate care. Knowing what to do in an emergency can provide the vital time required to get the pet to a vet and save a life. During the practical, educational morning our Registered Veterinary Nurses Danielle Banks and Nichole Neate discussed how to identify when something isn’t right with your pet and how to act in an emergency situation before you get to the vet. They explained the principles of first aid, wounds and bandaging and common problems encountered. Attendees were even able to try their hand at bandaging and practice CPR on animal models.

“The course was fully booked almost immediately which shows how keen pet owners are to learn about emergency first aid,” said Danielle. “Our 24 attendees were very engaged and really seemed to enjoy learning and putting their skills to the test in the practical session. Nichole and I are looking forward to running additional courses to help even more owners.”

Pet Owner and attendee Liz Ward said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the morning and found it really educational and useful. I now do feel equipped to handle more situations and a lot more confident in my first aid skills. I would definitely recommend this workshop to pet owners.”

Davies Veterinary Specialists’ Top Animal First Aid Tips

Danielle and Nichole have put together seven animal first aid tips to help you care for your pet in an emergency:

1. Keep calm, an animal will pick up on your distress and make it more difficult to manage the situation.
2. Keep a first aid kit at home and a small one with you for when you are out and about.
3. Find out about your veterinary practice’s ‘out of hours’ care and ensure you have the vet’s number on your phone.
4. Your safety is paramount, don’t put yourself in danger in order to provide first aid.
5. Be aware that animals may become aggressive if in pain or distress. It may be necessary to restrain the animal in order to provide first aid.
6. Never administer drugs to your pet unless directed to do so by your vet.
7. Use advice from friends and the internet with caution and always seek professional advice.

All funds raised from the first aid course have been donated to the Dogs Trust Freedom Project, which is Davies chosen charity of the year. Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity. Their Freedom Project is a dog fostering service for people fleeing domestic abuse. You can find out more at their website: http://www.moretodogstrust.org.uk/freedom-project/freedom-project

We are planning further first aid courses for pet owners during the summer. Dates will be announced soon.