Learning topic: Apply basic first aid to animals

Recognising emergencies

An emergency situation may be seen as one in which human and/or animal safety and wellbeing are at risk. This may be a potential risk that needs addressing before harm occurs, or may refer to an incident that has already occurred.

Having a basic knowledge of animal first aid will be of great value to you as a member of the animal care industry. With the ability to assess a patient and recognise the signs of pain, distress and injury or illness, emergency situations for animal patients can be recognised and addressed. From these observations, deciding whether an animal needs professional treatment may be crucial for welfare and even survival.

Some examples of animal emergencies:

hit by a car (common veterinary emergency)

ingestion of poisonous substance–eg snail bait, rat poisons, caustic agents, aspirin, paracetamol, human heart drugs etc

head trauma, falls etc

straining to urinate unsuccessfully

struggling to breathe

collapse

animal left inside a car in the sun, or elsewhere in sun without water

prolonged labour

gunshot wounds

burns

dog attack

snakebite, suspected or confirmed

drug overdose

eye injuries, prolapsed globe

penetrating wounds or hernias to abdomen or thorax

multiple fracture.

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Identify hazardsIn an emergency situation involving an animal, your aim is to provide assistance and prevent further injury or death until more advanced care can be given, usually by a trained veterinarian. The aims of first aid are to:

preserve life

protect the unconscious victim

prevent the condition from worsening

relieve pain

promote recovery.

However, an emergency scene can be dangerous and your personal safety is always your first concern. Carefully surveying the scene prior to giving aid can reduce the risk of injury to yourself, bystanders, the public and the animal(s). If you are unsure about the safety of a scene, contact your vet, police or council. Withdraw from the scene and wait for the properly trained personnel with the appropriate equipment to deal with the situation. If you continue to try and save an animal in dangerous circumstances, the chances are very high both you and the animal will need rescuing by others (hence putting more people at risk).

Types of incidents you may need to deal with

Type of incident Considerations and actions

Storms Be aware of flying debris, lightning strikes and falling trees—do not leave shelter until the storm has passed.

Multiple victims Prioritise treatment according to the severity of injury, starting with the most life-threatening injuries first.

Traffic accidents Check for oncoming traffic; turn on hazard lights of the vehicle involved if possible, to warn other drivers. Remove the animal from the road as quickly as possible if injuries permit.

Hazardous materials Stay a safe distance away, uphill and upwind; notify the emergency personnel immediately and warn other members of the public.

Electricity If at home, shut off the main switch to prevent electrocution; fallen power lines are dangerous and no attempt should be made to render assistance until the electricity has been switched off.

Fire Never enter a burning structure or high risk area during a bush fire to rescue an animal. Wait for experienced personnel to attend and inform them of the situation.

Animal attack Do not put yourself at risk of being attacked to protect the victim. Seek assistance from experienced personnel or bystanders to distract and restrain the animal before approaching the victim.

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Learning topic: Apply basic first aid to animals

Assessing animal health

Having the skills to efficiently and accurately assess an animal will help you judge how urgent the situation is and what if any, immediate action is needed. Additionally, the animal’s condition may impact on how you are able to seek the help you need for example, can the animal be safely transported?

TPR

This refers to taking the following observations:

Temperature–taken rectally with a thermometer if available. Otherwise feel extremities (ears and feet) and under legs; does the animal feel unusually hot or cold?

Pulse–this gives an indication of the strength and rate of heart beat. Depending on species, can be felt inside a hind leg (femoral pulse), over the mandible or on the side of the distal limb (digital pulse).

Respiration–is the animal breathing? How fast is the breathing? Is this normal for that species? Is breathing noisy or a struggle for the animal?

It is important to know the normal values for each species before commencing TPR so that you can make a comparison between normal and abnormal (see next reading).

The elevation of TPR generally indicates pain or distress.

Decline in TPR generally indicates the animal is in a dying state (moribund).

When to seek professional assistance

The table below shows some examples of when urgent professional assistance is required.

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When to seek urgent professional assistance

Cardiopulmonary arrest

Respiratory problems

Nervous system problems

Shock Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction)

Abdominal emergencies

Skeletal problems

no heartbeat difficulty breathing

convulsions rapid, weak pulse

rapid respiratory rate

parturition emergencies (birth)

lameness

no pulse mucous membranes are blue or purple (not a healthy pink)

collapse or unconsciousness

pale mucous membranes

shock bloated abdomen

fractures

not breathing airway obstructions

head injuries cold extremities

swellings severe abdominal pain

paralysis

unconscious   paralysis or uncoordination

hypothermia collapse severe vomiting or diarrhoea

 

Contacts for professional assistance include:

your local veterinarian

local police

local pound

WIRES or similar group–Wildlife Information and Rescue service (for native animals)

local RSPCA.

Providing information

Once you have contacted the appropriate help, you will need to provide them with basic information to respond efficiently to your situation. Make sure all the details are accurate and speak clearly.

Information you will need to provide includes:

the species, breed and age (if known)

presenting complaint (what is wrong with the animal)

condition of the animal (eg improving, stable or deteriorating)

brief history

TPR and other relevant vital signs

assessment of the severity of the situation

first aid applied

where you are (be clear and accurate if the assistance is coming to you)

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Learning topic: Apply basic first aid to animals

your contact phone number and name

estimated time of arrival (eg if driving to a veterinary clinic).

Other important information Check the address of the clinic—get detailed directions so that you don’t

get lost.

Give clear and concise directions to your location if the veterinarian is to make a house call/farm visit.

Remember the golden rule: ALWAYS consider your own safety first. Drive sensibly!

Note: Try not to turn up unannounced at a veterinary clinic, (particularly on weekends), as the vet may be unavailable. If you ring, the staff may direct you to another clinic. Ringing also gives the vet and vet nurses time to organise equipment and be ready to deal with the emergency as soon as it arrives.

Transporting injured animals

As an animal attendant, there will be many occasions when you will be required to transport a sick or injured animal to the veterinarian. How you approach this task will depend on several factors:

species to be transported

injuries sustained

availability of transport

distance to be travelled.

Injured animals are usually frightened and shocked and will often attack their owners when being handled. For this reason it is always advisable to be cautious when approaching an injured animal. Knowledge of the various methods of restraint is an asset under these circumstances.

How to approach an injured animal:

look for potential danger (oncoming traffic)

move slowly and deliberately

be gentle but confident and offer reassurance

make sure the animal isn’t having difficulty breathing before you cause it further stress

assess the animal’s temperament and apply a restraint to avoid injury to yourself (muzzle, lasso, blanket or gloves), if needed

seek assistance or try to locate the owner and ask them to stay with the animal

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assess any injuries and apply first aid as needed

take great care to load the animal without causing further damage

allow the animal to position itself comfortably in the transport vehicle

cats, birds and native wildlife should be put into a box or cage

Moving unconscious patients

Unconscious or immobile accident victims should be left where they are (providing they are out of further danger) until examined, if practicable. All unconscious animals must be assumed to have head and spinal injuries until proven otherwise and must be treated accordingly.

Remember:

if you do need to move them, use a stretcher or board to lift the patient, keep the patient as still as possible

if the animal is too large to lift, ring the veterinarian to attend on site

secure the area to prevent further injury to yourself or the patient

continue to take vital signs until the veterinarian arrives.

Remember, animals with suspected spinal injuries should be supported on a hard surface, not a blanket or towel.

Using stretchers

When carrying a stretcher use two people and keep the dog level to the ground to prevent it sliding off. It is a good idea to strap the animal if you are able to do so.

Stretchers are used for:

suspected spinal fractures

collapsed and/or unconscious animals

any animal where handling is too painful

conscious animals that cannot walk–be careful that they do not try to jump off the stretcher and injure themselves further.

Stretchers have to be:

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Learning topic: Apply basic first aid to animals

strong

rigid enough to support weight of animal

transportable–eg wood or hardboard sheets.

Makeshift stretchers can be made from:

wire mesh with two handlers to pull it tight between them

sacks mounted on 2 wooden poles

a blanket (but not for spinal injuries as you cannot keep the spine straight).

Moving a conscious patient

Unless the patient has injuries that restrict their ability to walk, it is advised to allow the animal to make their own way to the transport vehicle. You may have to give assistance by providing support or encouragement, being aware of the potential danger of injury to yourself if the animal is in pain.

Some methods of support could include:

stand alongside the animal and allow them to lean on you

use a sling (eg towel) under their belly to help hold them up

slide a blanket under them and lift it at the corners

allow the animal to walk into a box or cage and lift into the vehicle.

Warning: Always be attentive and alert as the patient may feel sudden pain and attack you at any time.

Principles of restraint

No matter what species you wish to handle or transport there are some basic principles to safe handling of animals. These should be adhered to as closely as possible to avoid injury to yourself and the patient.

Holding the animal

Hold it in such a way as to avoid stress and discomfort to the animal while allowing the animal to be safely examined and treated.

The safety of the handler/s and animal must be considered, as well as veterinarians’ safety.

Knowledge of the animal species

A good knowledge of the species and its normal behaviour is very important when considering handling and restraint. Understanding of different

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temperaments within a species is very important, for example recognising signs of impending aggression in dogs and cats.

Methods of restraint

Sometimes chemical restraint is safer and so may be preferable to physical restraint. This refers to using drugs to sedate and/or immobilise the patient. At other times, physical restraint may be preferable, depending on the species, injury, temperament, available resources etc. Physical restraint may be applied with hands or tools, such as towels, gloves (for smaller animals) to crush, ropes, bail (for larger animals).

The pictures below show the different methods of restraint for different species and injuries.

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Learning topic: Apply basic first aid to animals

Some species are too dangerous to attempt to handle. Injured wildlife need expert handling and the best action is to call a wildlife rescue group to assist.

The RSPCA website (www.rspca.org.au) has information on appropriate methods to restrain different animals.

Assisting the veterinarian

Whether you are working with a veterinarian or bringing a patient to one, you may be required to assist them when examining and/or treating the animal.

Things to remember when assisting a veterinarian

Follow directions carefully

Restrain the animal Observe, report and record

restrain the animal as requested

ensure safety of yourself, the vet and the animal

give a clear and concise history of the injury

pass equipment as needed restrain appropriately for species of animal, and veterinarian's requests

report any first aid already administered

carry out follow-up treatment as directed

reassure the animal observe animal and report its condition to vet, especially if it deteriorates

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regularly check animal's condition

  record any treatments given

house or release the animal safely as required (ie native or domestic animal)

  record animal details accurately

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