Greyhound First Aid

Do you know what to do if your Greyhound becomes hurt or ill? First and foremost it is important to stabilize your dog before getting her (no slight to males intended) to the vet or emergency clinic. This may provide necessary and life saving remedies until medical help can be reached.

Above all do not panic. Stay calm. When you are calm you think more clearly, you can relay the incident or symptoms more accurately to the vet, and your calmness is transferred to your pet.

As you prepare to take your dog to the vet, if possible, ask someone else to call the vet. You can focus on administering first aid to your dog and your friend can tell vet the issue and let the vet know you are on your way there.

The normal body temperature for dogs is 100 to 102.5 degrees.

While it is important not to self-diagnose your pet's symptoms, you must first determine the situation. Next, stabilize your pet, then take your pet to the vet. Your vet will want to know what happened and if your pet is better or worse than when the incident happened.

After incidences of broken bones, burns, external bleeding or internal bleeding, there are measures you can take before you take your pet to the vet.

Restrain Your Pet

Even the friendliest and most loving pet can bite when ill or injured. When assessing a medical situation, muzzle your dog unless she is unconscious, had difficulty breathing or has a mouth injury. This is for your protection as well as your pet's protection.

Broken Bones

If your pet is limping or favoring a limb or had an accident, a bone may be broken. If you believe the bone to be broken, muzzle the dog for your protection while placing your pet in your vehicle. For large dogs, you may need help. If you suspect a broken bone, go to your vet or emergency clinic immediately.

Burns

Signs of burns are obvious skin burns or if your dog has ingested a toxin and is drooling, pawing at her mouth or swallowing excessively. If you notice signs of burns, restrain your pet and flush external burns with cold water or apply a cold wet wash cloth to the burned area. You should go to your vet or emergency clinic as soon as possible. Bring the chemical agent with you if it is a chemical burn.

External Bleeding

As with all other injuries, restrain your pet for your protection while you examine and treat your pet's injury. If you see that your pet is bleeding, firmly press thick gauze on the wound until clotting occurs. Only if the bleeding is severe or a limb is hemorrhaging, apply a tourniquet between the wound and the heart and loosen it every 15 to 20 seconds. Take your dog to the emergency clinic or vet immediately.

Internal Bleeding

Signs of internal bleeding are bleeding from the nose, mouth, ears or rectum; coughing blood; blood in the urine; pale gums or if your dog collapses or has either a weak or rapid pulse. Keep your dog warm and as quiet as possible. See if she responds when you call her name. Go to the vet or emergency clinic immediately.

First Aid Kit

For animal emergencies keep a blanket or towel handy and the following items in a waterproof container that opens and closes easily:

• Vet's contact information
• Animal emergency clinic contact information
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Gloves
• Gauze pads and gauze roll
• Vet wrap and tape
• Muzzle
• Alcohol prep pads
• Cold pack
• Digital thermometer
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Rags or rubber tubing

Be the first to aid your pet in an emergency, but it is essential that your dog be treated by a vet. The earlier the problem is identified and appropriate treatment is started, the better the outcome.