April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month

We know the importance of first aid awareness for our children, family and friends, but what about our four-legged friends? As with any first aid knowledge, you hope to never need it, but if you ever do, you’ll be very grateful you learned it.

April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month. The American Red Cross has a wealth of information for keeping your pet safe–more than we can fit in this blog, so we recommend you visit the Red Cross website. We’ve also highlighted some of the most important notes here.

Knowing what is normal is critical in being able to spot what is abnormal. Do you know what your pet's gums look like? How about average temperature, heart rate and breathing pattern? If the answer is no, go have a little cuddle with Fido or Felix and familiarize yourself with your pet's physical norms. When you know what is right, it will be easier to spot when something is wrong.

After the brutal winter we had this year, I know we're all ready to worship the sun til September, but the heat can be dangerous for our pets. It gets even more dangerous when a pet is left in a hot car. Make it a rule not to leave your pet in the car, even for a short time–heatstroke can happen quickly and is dangerous, sometimes even fatal. It's important to know the signs of heatstroke and what to do if you spot them in your pet.

Heatstroke Signs:

Heavy Panting

Inability to Calm Down

Red Gums

Fast Heart Rate

Inability to Get Up

What to Do if You Suspect Heatstroke:

Take Temperature Rectally

If it's above 105 degrees, cool your pet down with a water hose

Stop cooling when your pet's temp reaches 103 degrees

Bring your pet to the veterinarian right away.

As we mentioned in an earlier posting, some seemingly innocuous plants and flowers can be dangerous or even fatal for your pet. Brush up on ferocious flora and fauna at the ASPCA Poison Control website.

CPR isn't just for people. Learn how to perform it on your pet.

The Red Cross also recommends assembling a pet emergency kit. In it, keep things like leashes, food, water, medications, copies of medical records and current photos of your pet.

Want to learn more?

Some Red Cross chapters offer courses in Pet First Aid. Find your chapter here.

The Red Cross has also put together a Pets and Disaster Safety Checklist. Check it.

You can also visit the Red Cross Store online for dog and cat first aid guides with DVDs