24-7 VETS: Basic first-aid for your dog

Summer provides great opportunities for outdoor time with your dog. Enjoy it while it lasts, but keep in mind some of the following health risks:

Insect stings

Bee and wasp stings cause local pain and swelling. Apply a cold compress to the area for three to five minutes (a bag of frozen peas or ice cubes wrapped in a towel works well). Seek veterinary attention if symptoms persist or worsen.

Severe allergic reactions are rare in dogs, but facial swelling and hives are common. These warrant timely veterinary attention, but typically respond well to treatment with antihistamines. Never administer medications to your pet without consulting a veterinarian; some over-the-counter antihistamines are extremely toxic to pets.

Heat stroke

Dogs pant to cool down. This is less effective than sweating, so dogs are far less heat-tolerant than people.

Overweight dogs, and breeds, such as bulldogs, with compressed airways, are even less able to handle hot weather.

Early signs of heat stress include shade-seeking behaviour, intense thirst and uncontrollable panting.

Stop your pet’s activity immediately and seek shade (or air conditioning) and offer small amounts of water to drink. You can cautiously resume more moderate activity once signs resolve. Continued overheating may progress to life-threatening heat stroke.

Symptoms include weakness, collapse, vomiting, diarrhea or seizures, and require immediate veterinary care. Wetting your dog down with cool (not cold) water and fanning him en route can start the cooling progress and may save his life.

Prevention is better than treatment.

To avoid heat stroke:

1. Keep your dog fit.

2. Avoid exercise during the hottest parts of the day or on extremely hot, humid days.

3. Keep water readily available at all times.

4. Watch your dog closely for signs of heat stress.

5. Remember: there is no safe amount of time you can leave your dog in a parked car. Even with windows partially open, it can quickly become too hot for your dog to prevent overheating. Fatal heat stroke can occur within minutes.

Parasites

Parasites, both internal and external, become active as the temperatures increase. Some, such as ticks and mosquitoes, can transmit serious disease. Many products are available to both prevent and treat many of these parasites.

A discussion with your veterinarian about parasite control is an important part of your dog’s annual preventive health care exam.

Dangerous wildlife

Encounters with skunks, porcupines and snakes are more common during summer months.

In addition to smelling terrible, skunk spray can be irritating and cause red eyes, sneezing, pawing at the face or vomiting. If your dog is showing these signs, and they are severe or persist, contact your veterinarian.

Check your dog’s face and paws carefully for evidence of bite or scratch wounds, which may become infected. As for the smell, commercial products are available, but a combination of three per cent hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dish soap is effective. Tomato juice, vinegar and toothpaste are not.

Porcupine quilling is a serious matter. Quills are barbed, will imbed deeper into tissues and can migrate through the body to end up in the eyes, lungs or heart.

Examination and treatment by a veterinarian is recommended for any case of quilling. Try to prevent your dog from pawing at his face while he is en route; broken quills are challenging to find and remove, resulting in higher risk of infection and quill migration.

Ontario is home to the poisonous Massasauga rattlesnake. While some bites are ‘dry bites’ (where no venom is injected), all bites should be considered dangerous. Signs of envenomation include local pain and moderate to severe swelling.

If you suspect your dog has been bitten:

1. Keep him calm and restrict his movement.

2. Keep the bitten limb below the level of the heart and do not allow him to walk.

3. Do not apply tourniquets, ice or suction to the limb

4. If he was bitten in the head or neck remove or loosen his collar.

5. Seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.


Dr. Jason Donohoe is a graduate of Ontario Veterinary College and worked in a large animal practice until he found his passion in emergency medicine. Donohoe has a special interest in service dogs and has the privilege of working with both the OPP and Canadian military to provide first aid and emergency training to their dog handlers. He currently practices emergency medicine at Toronto Veterinary Emergency Hospital

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