Helping your dog in a Crisis
Most of us really love our dogs but do you know what to do for your dog in an emergency? I sure didn’t until recently. I knew of a few signs of dehydration and some low blood sugar indications as I have previously owned a diabetic dog. Beyond that I was basically clueless.
Not long ago I stumbled across an app for your smart phone developed by the American Red Cross. It’s free and once downloaded it provides an amazing amount of material for you to assist your canine buddy.
This app is very handy and is divided into sections that include understanding what is normal for your dog. Then it lists a whole host of issues your dog may encounter including allergic reactions, breathing problems, burns, choking, collapse and the list goes on and on. It even provides information on how to do CPR on your dog. The bottom line here is for you to be knowledgable enough to assist your dog and prep them for a trip to your vets office.
The Red Cross also offers CPR training and a certificate for pet CPR. You can actually take this very affordable class online and receive your certificate. I commend the Red Cross for offering this as well as the phone app. With the explosion of pets and owners in the last decade this is very worthwhile information to have on hand in an emergency. If you can familiarize yourself with what is normal for your dog (based on breed, size and age) then you’ll quickly recognize when things aren’t so normal and get to your vets office as soon as possible.
So learn to help your dog in a crises —whether through a class or an app —know the signs when your dog is in danger.