February/March 2015 Newsletter

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FIRST AID

COMMON EMERGENCIES

What to do if your pet is vomiting?

Think about what your pet has eaten in the past few hours- anything unusual? Have you changed their usual diet? Snaffled anything in the park?

Have they been in contact with other sick animals?

Any information will help the vet with diagnosis.

What to do if your pet suffers a trauma e.g. road traffic accident?

Call your vet immediately!

Only move your pet if they are in further danger.

Apply pressure to any wounds using clean material (if you can).

What to do if your pet collapses?

Contact your vet immediately!

What to do if your pet has breathing difficulties?

Call your vet immediately!

Keep calm and don’t move your pet too much.

What to do if your pet has a urinary problem e.g. cystitis or not able to pass urine?

Call your vet as soon as possible, especially if your pet is having difficulty passing urine.

Collect a urine sample (if possible)

Or take a photo of the urine produced.

What to do if your pet ingests a poison or something unusual?

Call your vet immediately.

Bring any packaging/ or anything that will help the vet.

What to do if your pet has bloat?

Call your vet immediately.

Keep calm & keep your pet calm.

This can be life threatening.

What to do if your pet is having problems giving birth?

Keep calm.

Provide a quiet area for birthing, with dim lights & limit the amount of people approaching the area.

Cats – phone vet if cat is in labour for more than twenty minutes without producing a kitten, or more than two hours between kittens. For more information see: http://www.vets-now.com/pet-owners/cat-care-advice/cats-and-kittening-when-to-be-concerned-when-your-cat-is-in-labour/

Dogs – phone vet if your dog is in labour for two hours without producing a puppy, or if two hours pass between puppies. For more information see: http://www.vets-now.com/pet-owners/dog-care-advice/whelping-dystocia-spotting-signs-of-trouble-when-your-dog-is-in-labour/

Please note these times are a guide, please phone us sooner if you have any worries.

What to do if your pet is seizuring?

Do not move pet unless at risk of further injury/ danger.

Move any objects they may hurt themselves on.

Do not restrain/ hold/ cuddle your pet.

Do not put your fingers or an object in their mouth.

Phone your vet if this is your pet’s first seizure, or does not follow usual seizure pattern.

What to do if your pet is uncoordinated in walking?

Keep calm.

Close doors & remove any objects they could trip on/ knock over.

Film behaviour on mobile phone if able, as this can help aid the vet’s diagnosis.

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PET FIRST AID KIT

It’s a good idea to have a basic first aid kit for your pet. Suggested items include:

STERILE SALINE- useful for flushing debris from minor wounds.
WATER- use to flush minor wounds, rehydrate patients, soak paws, clean off a substance, cool overheated patients.
BANDAGE- use gauze, clean rags, socks as a makeshift dressing for a wound until you can get the wound checked by a vet. In an emergency, nappies or sanitary towels may be used to cover wounds.
TAPE- use to attach bandage/ sock/ bag to paw. Micropore tape is best. Duct tape may be used in an emergency but it is very sticky & difficult to remove (ouch!)
BLANKET/ TOWEL- use to keep a patient warm, or to reduce symptoms of shock. May also be used as a makeshift stretcher/ sling to transport lame or immobile patients.
GLOVES- wear whilst treating minor injuries to reduce contamination of wound (or self).
PLASTIC BAGS- an easy way to cover paw wounds until you can get to the vet (also saves cleaning blood from carpets etc!)
SCISSORS
TWEEZERS- use to remove foreign objects e.g. thorn from paw. Tweezers are more likely to remove object as a whole, compared to fingers.
MEDICATIONS- it is useful to keep a small amount of any medications prescribed by your vet in case of emergency. A few other ideas- glucogel for diabetic patient, or diazepam for epileptic patient.

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PORTLY PETS CLINIC

Remember, an abundance of food over the holidays adds to our waistline. This is also the case for our pets! The nurses will be running free weight clinics in the New Year, so call up the surgery to book in your pet for a weigh-in.

STAFF NEWS

As of March there will be team changes at Campbell and Galloway. Our lovely nurse Donna is leaving us. We will all be sad to see her go but share her excitement for her starting a new, more specialist role at Vets Now Referrals as a surgical nurse.

Donna has been with Campbell and Galloway for over ten years and her leaving will be a big loss, but we wish her all the luck in the world in her new job!