There are a variety of things that can cause your dog to experience life threatening trauma. Thankfully with a little foreknowledge and quick action you as your dog’s owner can help to prevent even a serious problem from taking the life of your dog. As your dog’s owner its life is in your hands and you are ultimately responsible for what happens to it. There are laws protecting dogs from abuse and neglect but these are only effective to a certain degree. The only one that can really assure your dog a good safe home to life in is you.
Here are some causes of dog trauma and what can be done to help save your dog from an unhappy outcome. Always keep the phone number of your dog’s veterinarian and the local emergency animal clinic by the phone in case of emergencies.
Blocked airway: If you find youdog chokingit is possible that something is blocking its airway. This could be the result of any number of things and what you must first do is try and ascertain the cause for your dog’s choking.
It might be something as simple as a collar that is too tight or the choking could be caused by something lodged in your dog’s throat. If your dog is not able to breath and the problem is not dealt with promptly your dog’s choking could lead to pulmonary edema and death. If the reason for your dog’s inability to breathe is caused by something stuck in its throat then you should perform the Heimlich maneuver on it. You can get more information about what to do in the event that your dog is choking from your dog’s veterinarian. Ifyour dog’s chokingspell last more than a few minutes, seek immediate medical assistance.
Dog bites: If your dog should get into a fight and be bit you should have your dog checked by its veterinarian as even seemingly small bites can become severely infected. As soon as possible after you dog receives the bite you should clean the area around the bite with soap and warm water. You can then pour some Hydrogen peroxide over the affected area. Always be careful when handling an injured dog because they will sometimes when in extreme pain bite accidentally. If you suspect that your dog has received a bite from a rabid animal (one with Rabies) you should contact either your veterinarian or the local animal emergency clinic with out delay.