White Shepherds | " Light up your life"

IMPORTANT

Always consult your Veterinarian.

The Following information should only be used in extreme circumstances, either when you are unable to reach a Veteranarian or you need to act immediateley to save the dogs life. Some of the following procedures could infact worsen any condition if performed incorrectly or you diagnose the condition incorrectly.

RESUSCITATION

1/ Is it safe to approach the animal? Always make sure your safety comes first.

2/ Assess the animal.

Is the animal alert and responsive? Is it aware of you and what you are doing?
Is the animal semi-conscious? It may have some idea it has been approached but behaves inappropriately or does not respond at all. Animals can be very dangerous at this level of consciousness, particularly cats with their sharp claws, as they tend to thrash around.
Is the animal unconscious?

If the animal is unconscious the next step will be to start the steps towards Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). It may not be necessary to complete all these steps.

3/ STEPS OF RESUSCITATION

AIRWAY

Clear the animal's airway, removing any foreign material, or blood clots from the animal’s mouth. Be very careful if the animal is semiconscious as it might accidentally bite you. In the unconscious animal pull the tongue forward.

BREATHING

Look for the rise and fall of the chest.
Listen for air movement.

CHECKING FOR BREATHING

Feel for air movement from the nostrils. Fine, light material, such as a torn piece of a tissue can be held close to the nose. It should move back and forth as the animal breathes in and out.

If you witnessed your pet go into respiratory arrest start nose to mouth resuscitation now.

If you don’t know how long your pet has not been breathing you are going to have to quickly decide if it is worth continuing. Quickly assess for heart function. If your pet is in full arrest then it may not be revivable.

If the animal is stiff the animal has been dead for a while. No amount of wishing or CPR will help. The smaller the animal the faster it will go into rigor mortis. The stiffness is also not permanent. As the muscles start to break down the stiffness will disappear.
Have a look at the eyes. In our pets the eyes remain open after death. As the brain is deprived of oxygen the pupils (the central dark area of the eye) enlarge until they can go no further. The eyes fix centrally in the socket and the pupil does not response to bright light by constricting. The eyes also quickly loose their gleam, and the sense that there is a life within the body disappears. By this stage the animal has been dead for minutes at least and brain damage must have occurred. Resuscitation would not be warranted.

Nose to mouth resuscitation

Remove any foreign material from the airways (nose and mouth) such as vomit.

RESUSCITATION

The tongue needs to be pulled forward so the tip is just beyond the front teeth. The mouth is then held closed with the lips positioned over the teeth. This should make an airtight seal.

Extend the head and neck gently so that roughly nose to tail is a straight line.
Blow firmly into the nose using your lips to seal around the nose.
Look at the chest to see it rise. Feel for the resistance of the animal’s lungs as you breath into it. Once resistance is felt allow the air to escape. Over-inflating the animal’s lungs will damage them.
If there is leakage of air from the mouth reposition the lips and tongue.
If there is resistance without the chest rising then look for a foreign object in the airway. Small pets can be lifted by their hind legs to try and dislodge the object. Once the object has been removed recommence resuscitation.
Give 5 full quick breaths and then quickly assess cardiac function.
If the heart is beating continue mouth to nose resuscitation.
As our pets vary in size from a cat or a small dog to a large dog like a St Bernard the rate and volume of air for each size does differ.
- For a cat or a small dog give a breath once every 3 seconds (20 breaths/min).
- For a medium dog give a breath once every 4 seconds (15breaths/min).
- A large dog requires 12 breaths/min (1 every 5 seconds) and usually every bit of air in your lungs.
After one minute stop and reassess your pet. Watch for signs of breathing and check the heart.
If not breathing continue mouth to nose resuscitation. Continue the resuscitation in transport to the nearest veterinarian, reassessing approximately every minute.

CARDIAC

Cardiac arrest is nearly always secondary to respiratory arrest in our domestic pets.

LOCATION OF THE HEART

Feel and listen for the heart beating in the chest. The heart is most easily felt on the left side of the chest. If you bend the front leg upwards gently, the elbow comes back and the point of the elbow is roughly where the heart is loudest and mostly easily felt. Or with the pet on its side with its legs straight out the loudest spot is a third of the way up the chest and about 1/2 way between the back of the front leg muscles and the last rib.

PULSES

A pulse can be felt for in the groin but practice on a healthy dog first as it is sometimes very difficult to find. The femoral pulse is located on the inside of the dog’s leg, about 1/3 of the way towards the back of the leg. The muscles of this area make up a triangle coming off the pelvis onto the leg and the femoral artery is located here.

A jugular pulse can be felt in the neck either side of the windpipe.

If you can’t feel or hear a heart beat or pulse continue with mouth to nose resuscitation and start cardiac compression.

CATS AND SMALL DOGS

The cat or dog can be put on a table or kneel beside the animal.
Turn the cat or dog on its side.

EXTERNAL CARDIAC COMPRESSION

Grasp the chest in one hand so the breastbone is resting in the palm of your hand and the thumb is over the chest wall. The hand should be in the centre of the chest.

Compress the chest firmly between your thumb and fingers at a rate of 120 beats a minute or 2 beats a second. This is actually very difficult to achieve but the point here is the rate is extremely rapid and it is important to give as many compressions as you can.

EXTERNAL CARDIAC COMPRESSION

An alternative hold is to place both hands around the chest one on top and one below with your palms lying on either side of the lower 1/2 of the chest. Compress the chest between your palms.

Give a breath once every 5 - 6 compressions. If there are 2 people, it is not necessary to stop compressions while a breath is given.
Assess every minute for return of heart function.
At 5 minutes assess the eye position and pupils. If the pupil is completely dilated (enlarged) and the eye central in the socket then oxygenation to the brain has been unsuccessful. Brain damage will have occurred. Further effort is unlikely to be rewarding. If the animal is still in arrest but the pupils have not dilated then it is worth continuing CPR.

MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS

Turn the dog on its side.
Kneel beside the dog, with the dog’s back against your knees or place the dog on a low table, with its back against your stomach.

EXTERNAL CARDIAC MASSAGE

If it is possible place a wedge under the dog’s chest. A wedge can be made from a towel, jumper etc just balled up and shoved under the lower 1/3 of the chest. It gives you a bit more to push against.

Place the palm of your hand in the middle of the dog’s chest. The other hand can be placed over it to add strength.

Compress the chest firmly at the rate of 60 - 80 beats a minute. Your shoulders should be directly over your hands and the compressing arm should be straight.
Give a breath every 3 - 4 compressions.
Assess your pet every minute for return of heart function.
Assess the eyes at 5 minutes in the same way as a cat or small dog.

LARGE DOGS

External Cardiac Compression in dogs over 20 kg (about 45 pounds) is usually not very successful. This is not the fault of the person doing CPR rather it is due to the shape of the dog’s chest and the strong rib cage around the heart and lungs.

However it has been found that a dog or cat with respiratory arrest the heart beat gets slowly weaker and more rapid as the heart runs out of oxygen. The heart may be beating but it is so weak that it is not detectable even with a stethoscope (however can be detected with an ECG). This means that if you can’t detect a heartbeat it doesn’t mean there isn’t one, especially in a large dog.

If you think your dog has just gone into full arrest then it is worth trying CPR as the heart might be beating. And even if your dog has fully arrested your pet may be the rare dog that does respond. The technique is the same as the one for medium dogs though the rate of compression is slower, about 60 beats a minute.

A SUITABLE POSITION FOR A STABLE BUT UNCONSCIOUS PET

POSITION FOR AN UNCONSCIOUS PET

Lay the pet on its side with head and neck slightly extended. Fold a blanket or towel and place it under the shoulder (not the neck) so that the chest is above the head. This is to prevent fluids from the mouth from going into the lungs. Keep the pet warm by covering it with blankets. Transport the pet as soon as possible to a veterinarian.

It is very important never to practice CPR on a normal animal be that human or pet. While you can decide where to put your hands and where the pulses are felt, artificial respiration or cardiac massage can seriously harm your healthy pet.

INFORMATION SOURCED FROM www.petalert.com.au

CHOKING

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

Coughing or gagging.
Pawing at the mouth.
Pale or blue-tinged gums.
Distress, your pet may appear frantic.
Loss of consciousness.

MANAGEMENT

Open your pet's mouth. For a dog:
- Grasp the upper jaw with one hand over the muzzle.
- Press the lips over the upper teeth with your fingers on one side and the thumb on the other so that the dog's lips are between its teeth. Firm pressure may be required. The dog then can't close its mouth without biting itself and is less able to bite you.
- If you can see the object then try to remove it with your fingers.

If you can not remove or see the object or your pet is struggling too much to allow you to examine the mouth (and it is small enough) then pick your pet up by its hind legs, turning it upside down and shake. Slapping the back while shaking may to dislodge the object.

DEALING WITH A CHOKING PET

If your pet is too large to pick up or if you still can not dislodge the object lay your pet on its side. For small pets place your palms behind the last rib on both sides of your pet's abdomen and press your palms together quickly 2 - 3 times. Repeat if necessary. For larger dogs place both hands behind the last rib and push down and slightly forward sharply. Repeat rapidly until the object is dislodged.

If you still can't remove the object and if your pet can breathe then transport to your veterinarian. However if your pet can't breath you must continue to try to dislodge the object by either of the two methods as your pet is unlikely to survive the delay in reaching veterinary aid.
If your pet loses consciousness and is not breathing try resuscitation as you may have moved the object enough start your pet breathing again.
Once the object has been expelled check your pet is breathing and has a heart beat and start resuscitation if necessary.

INFORMATION SOURCED FROM www.petalert.com.au

SHOCK

This is a life-threatening condition, which occurs as a result of a serious injury or illness. It can progress to collapse and death.

CAUSES

Shock occurs when there is collapse of the circulatory system (made up of the heart, blood vessels and blood) due to:

blood loss.
Bleeding can be external or internal. Blood can be lost into the chest between the ribs and the lungs, into the abdomen around the organs or into the organs themselves, such as the bladder. There may be no obvious signs the bleeding has occurred. The volume of blood in the vessels then becomes insufficient for the body's needs.
fluid loss.
Fluids lost to the body through, for example, vomiting and diarrhoea are drawn from the entire body including the blood, causing dehydration and loss of blood volume. e.g. Most Parvo gastroenteritis cases present in shock.
decreased blood pressure.
due to pain, spinal cord injury, infection or poisoning.
damage to the heart.

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

PALE GUMS

Pale or white gums.
Examine the gums by gently lifting the upper lid to expose the gums. Sometimes the gums are pigmented so look right around the mouth. Dogs such as the Chow Chow are impossible to assess as they have naturally pigmented gums. If the gums are pale or white your pet needs urgent veterinary attention.

Rapid heart rate and a weak rapid pulse
(see assessing cardiac function). The heart rate often exceeds 150 beats/minute.
Rapid breathing.
Cold paws and ears.
The pet is usually very quiet and still, and may seem drowsy. As the severity of shock progressed the pet may lose consciousness

MANAGEMENT

Stop any visible signs of bleeding (see Bleeding).
If the pet is unconscious, place it on its side with the head extended.

Elevate the pet's chest and hindquarters above the head by placing folded towels or a pillow under the pet's chest and body. This is to prevent fluids from entering the chest and will increase blood flow to the brain.
Hot water bottles filled with warm water can be placed around the pet especially against the stomach. Do not use boiling water. Wrap the bottles up in towels to prevent burns. Wrap the pet loosely in a blanket or a jacket.
If the pet is conscious allow it to make itself comfortable. For cats and smaller dogs encourage them to sit in a box or basket as it will make it easier to transport them.
Do not give any food or water.
Transport to your veterinarian urgently.
Sometimes it is not possible to transport your pet straight away. If this is the case then it is important to make your pet as comfortable and as pain free as possible. For instance if your pet has broken its leg, especially if it is a large dog and will need to be able to walk to get itself into a car, splinting the leg will help control pain and help to manage to degree of shock (See management of fractures). Do not give any pain killers without advice from a veterinarian.

INFORMATION SOURCED FROM www.petalert.com.au

BLOAT

BLOAT

Bloat is a condition where the stomach swells with air and the air becomes trapped. It is associated with over eating or swallowing air such as when your pet is exercised and is trying to pant but gulps air instead. It usually occurs in deep-chested dogs such as Great Danes, Dobermans, gun dogs and the Basset Hound. This condition can be rapidly fatal and your pet should be transported to your veterinarian immediately.

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

Excessive drooling or salivation.
Frequent attempt to vomit but your pet only brings up saliva (white foam) or nothing at all.
A swollen distended abdomen.
Your pet may appear in pain. It may pace or appear agitated. Its back may be hunched with the head and tail held low.
Pale or blue tinged gums but gums can become very red due to blood circulation changes.
Signs of shock.
Collapse and death.

CONVULSIONS/SEIZURES/FITTING

CONVULSIONS / SEIZURES - FITTING

Convulsions can be due to epilepsy, poisons or body system failures such as kidney failure. Fits can be brief or may be continuous. Fitting can deprive the body of oxygen or cause the body to overheat (both lead to death). If your pet fits for more than 5 minutes or has several fits close together it is important to see a veterinarian immediately.

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

Your pet will fall on its side often with back rigid and neck arched.
Your pet may twitch uncontrollably or paddle its legs like it is trying to run but it is on its side.
Froth from the mouth. It may be bloodstained if your pet bites its tongue or the inside of its mouth.
Your pet may urinate or defaecate without being aware of it.
Your pet will not be responsive to you during the fit.
After the fit your pet may appeared dazed and confused. It may pace and be unresponsive to you initially. Also your pet may be hungry.
Once recovered your pet may appear very tired and sleep deeply.

MANAGEMENT

Do not place anything in your pet's mouth.
Pull your pet away from anything that may injury your pet such as furniture, or move these objects out of the way, but otherwise leave your pet alone.
Do not offer food or water to your pet until after you have sought veterinary advice.

INFORMATION SOURCED FROM www.petalert.com.au

WOUNDS

Not all injuries to your pet will require veterinary advice and it will be up to you to determine this. Always , if in doubt seek veterinary advice.

As a guide we recommend veterinary treatment:-

if the animal shows signs of shock
if the bleeding is excessive or does not stop in 15 - 20 minutes
if the animal appears in pain
if the wound requires stitches
if the wounds are deep punctures especially over the chest or abdomen
if there is foreign material in the wounds
if the wounds are a result of being hit by a car or an attack by a large animal (as there could by internal injuries)
if the wounds become hot, red, swollen, painful or start discharging pus.
If in doubt seek veterinary advice.

WOUND MANAGEMENT - Types of Wounds

Abrasions

E.g. gravel rash in humans. In dogs and cats abrasions aren't as common due to the protection of their hair coat and occur most frequently when the animal is hit by a car etc. The animal may be dragged or thrown along the road. A trip to the veterinarian is therefore recommended as there may be internal injuries. Minor abrasions may be treated as follows.

Clip the hair around the injured area.
Clean the wound thoroughly with warm salty water or an antiseptic (use according to directions on the label. Be aware dogs and cats may lick the wound and some antiseptics can damage the mouth. For that reason we don't recommend dettol®.
If this is not possible wash the wound under running water.
Remove any loose foreign material.
For a small abrasion - leave unbandaged to allow cleaning and observation.
For a large abrasion, or if it involves the foot where it will be constantly knocked and dirtied, - apply a non-stick dressing and bandage.

Salty water is made by adding 1 teaspoon of table salt to 1 pint or 2 cups of water. Boiled water is recommended. Saline used for cleaning contact lens or the Intravenous fluid Sodium Chloride are basically the same thing as salty water but are usually sterile and are excellent for wound cleaning.

Open wounds - I.E. cuts

Clip the hair around the injured area.

TYPICAL DRAG INJURY IN A DOG

Clean the wound thoroughly with warm salty water or an antiseptic. Examine the wound for glass, dirt or other foreign material. Remove small pieces of material by gently flushing the wound with salty water or remove with tweezers, large pieces should be removed by a veterinarian. Clean the wound again if you have flushed out the antiseptic.

Cover the wound with a non-stick dressing then bandage.

Penetrating wounds - animal bites

Clip the hair around the injured area. Always look for more than one puncture wound, remembering this damage is caused by the canine (eye) teeth, and there are four of these.
Clean the wound thoroughly with warm salty water or an antiseptic. It is sometimes necessary to remove hair from within the wound.
Do not bandage the wound but leave open to drain and to observe. The exception is if the wound is bleeding excessively then apply a pressure bandage and transport to your veterinarian.
Bite wounds often become infected. Nasty or deep bites should be seen promptly by your veterinarian so he can start antibiotics if necessary.
If you choose not to see a veterinarian keep the wounds open for 48 hours by picking off the scabs with your finger nails, then allow to heal. See a vet if the wounds become hot, painful, red, swollen or start to discharge pus, or the animal becomes unwell.

Penetrating wounds - due to a foreign object

Clip the hair around the injured area.
Clean the wound thoroughly with warm salty water or an antiseptic.
It may be possible to remove a small foreign body like a needle or a small piece of glass but never remove larger objects, and if in doubt leave it to your veterinarian. If you try to remove a large object such as a knife it may result in further bleeding or damage deep structures.
Apply pressure around the wound but not to the object itself.
Place padding around the object and apply a bandage. Support the object by bandaging round it.
Do not attempt to shorten the object unless its size makes it unmanageable.
Transport to your veterinarian.

BANDAGING WOUNDS

The Bandage - materials and how to apply it

Obviously there are two types of bandages, the one thrown together with what you have and one you might apply later once you have purchased materials. Since the most common injury is to the paw or the leg, the following describes application of a bandage under these circumstances to a limb.

The Emergency Bandage

Cover the wound with a clean folded towel, sanitary napkin, folded sheet or bandage material. Basically use whatever you can that is clean. Don't use cotton wool or tissues as they stick to the wound.
Wrap over the dressing, starting below the wound and wrapping up the leg. Use clean torn rags or a torn sheet, rolled bandage or other soft material and tie to prevent the bandage unwrapping. Electrical tape can be used to secure the bandage ends. In a pinch you can use any type of tape to secure the ends but apply plenty of padding first. Safety pins are okay. Don't use elastic bands or those clips found with human bandages.
The bandage should be firm but not tight. If the bandage is to remain in place any length of time it is a good idea to bandage down to the foot including the toes. The very bottom of the foot can be left exposed to allow you to check the toes are warm and determine if your pet can feel you poking at them.
A sock can be slipped over when finished to give the bandage more support.

The Non-Emergency Bandage

HOW TO APPLY A BANDAGE

Clean the wound then apply a non-stick dressing such as paraffin impregnated gauze (Jelonet).

HOW TO APPLY A BANDAGE

Apply an absorbent layer of material over this. At Lort Smith we use a prepacked material rather like batting in quilts (I.E. soffban) or cotton wool. Cotton wool is actually quite fiddly to apply.
This layer is to support the wound and to draw blood or pus away from the skin. The bandage needs to conform to the shape of the leg and should not be too tight.

HINT: Unroll a length of the wool and separate it into 2 or 3 layers. Then divide the wool into strips and roll it up again into smaller rolls. It is then much easier to wrap on the leg.

HOW TO APPLY A BANDAGE

A layer of gauze is then applied. Gauze has no stretch and absorbs fluids well. It should be wrapped firmly over the softer bandage. Start at the bottom of the bandage and apply it up the leg. This layer should be responsible for how tight the bandage becomes.

HOW TO APPLY A BANDAGE

The final layer is an adhesive layer, either a sticky bandage such as Elastoplast or a self adhesive bandage like Vetwrap. Apply the bandage over the gauze but do not draw the bandage tight, only firmly enough so it conforms to the leg. Again apply from the bottom of the leg upwards and wrap up over the top of the gauze layer so the bandage adheres to some fur. Vetwrap is more prone to slippage as it will not stick to the fur.

HINT: Both Elastoplast and Vetwrap are elasticized bandages which means it is very easy to make them too tight. They should not be applied directly to the leg without releasing the tension in the bandage. With Elastoplast it is easiest to stick the end to a desktop and unroll the bandage then reroll it. The bandage is then also easier to apply. With Vetwrap it is simpler to unroll a little bandage then apply it, then unroll a little more etc unrolling and wrapping a foot of bandage at a time. You can also use this method with elastoplast.

It is easy for bandages to be too loose or too tight. Loose bandages fall off and are a nuisance but not a disaster. Tight bandages can cut skin, damage circulation and even cause skin or the limb to die. If the animal is distressed and chewing at the bandage it is probably too tight and it is safer to change it. It is also a good idea to include the foot so no swelling can occur below the bandage. You can leave the bottom of the foot exposed so that you can check the toes are warm and determine if your pet can feel you poking at them.

ABSCESS

This condition is far more common in cats than dogs (though it is still common in dogs) and is due to fighting between cats and the resulting bites, or scratches.

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

Pain in the affected area. If it is on a limb your pet may appear lame.
Swelling and tenderness when touched.
Your pet may appear off colour, not eating, hiding or moping around.
If the wound is open it may discharge pus.

MANAGEMENT

Clip the fur from the area so that you can see all the bites or puncture marks.
Remove all scabs.
If the wound is open clean it up with warm salty water or an antiseptic.

As long as your cat is well and eating, and all the pus drains then home management is possible. Continue to pick the wounds open twice a day and to clean up the wounds over the next 3 - 4 days.
Seek veterinary aid if your pet is unwell or distressed, if you are unable to drain the abscess or if the area involved is large.

FISH HOOKS

Both cats and dogs tend to end up with fishhooks in them if fishing tackle is left within reach. Mostly the hooks end up in the nose, lips or mouth as your pet investigates the rich smells. Both cats and dogs resent the pain associated with the hook's removal and you may choose to leave removal to your veterinarian.

MANAGEMENT

Do not attempt to remove the hook if it is near the eye or inside the mouth.
Restrain and muzzle a dog or restrain a cat. A second person is needed for the type of procedure.
Use a pair of pliers and push the barbs through the skin.
Cut the hook removing all the barbs with wire cutters.
Pull the hook back the way it came.
Clean the wound. Keep an eye on it and take your pet to your veterinarian if the wound appears to become infected.

Sometimes your pet will swallow a hook. A hook without line is normally passed, though it is a good idea to give a high fibre diet and keep a close eye on your pet until you are sure it has been passed in the faeces. You should see your veterinarian if you are concerned or your pet shows any sign of illness.

However if your pet has swallowed a hook and line this is extremely serious. If the line is in your pet's mouth do not attempt to remove it. Do not allow your pet to swallow what you have of the line (tie it to your pet's collar if necessary) and seek immediate veterinary attention.

Information source- www.petalert.com.au