When your senior pet is injured, your instinct might be to panic. However, keeping calm and acting quickly and confidently can mean a more favorable outcome for your greying pal. The minutes between an injury and emergency veterinary care are essential, and what you do with them can be critical. Instead of panicking, take a deep breath and use these first aid tips to stabilize your senior pet until you reach your family veterinarian or an emergency hospital.
1. How to control excessive bleeding in your senior pet
Pets get into all sorts of scrapes, but if your senior pet has an excessively bleeding wound, you'll need to minimize blood loss until you reach a veterinarian for emergency care. Use a clean towel or gauze to apply firm pressure to the wound for at least three minutes, and then gently lift the cloth to see if the bleeding has slowed. If your pet is still bleeding, maintain pressure while someone drives you and your pet to the nearest veterinary hospital. Avoid wiping the wound; you do not want to wipe away a fresh clot.
2. How to help your senior pet that is having a seizure
Watching your pet have a seizure is scary; your first instinct may be to hold and calm them. However, any stimulation, including light, touch, or sound, may intensify the seizure. First, keep yourself safe. Do not put your hands near the pet's mouth – they will not swallow their tongue or stop breathing. Second, keep your pet safe. Give your pet space by moving any nearby objects, ensure they cannot fall off furniture or down the stairs, and then monitor their seizure. Your vet will want to know how long the seizure lasted and whether or not subsequent seizures occurred. Although most seizures last less than one minute, any seizure lasting longer than five minutes usually requires immediate veterinary care to stop the seizure. After a seizure, your pet may be confused, anxious, or temporarily blind. Keep them calm and prevent them from falling or stumbling into walls. Once your pet is safe, call your family veterinarian or an emergency hospital to determine the next steps to take.
3. How to stabilize your senior pet's broken leg
Broken bones are most commonly caused by a traumatic accident, which can cause bleeding. Focus on controlling your pet's bleeding first since blood loss is a more imminent concern. Once the bleeding has stopped, place your pet on a flat, sturdy board for transport, if possible, and wrap a blanket around them and the board to limit movement. Although you may be tempted to splint your pet's broken leg, an improperly placed homemade splint can do more harm than good, so leave bandaging to the professionals. Consider muzzling your pet before handling them, as broken bones are extremely painful, and your ordinarily calm pet may bite.
4. How to limit toxin absorption in your senior pet
Although toxin ingestion is common in curious puppies and kittens, older pets may accidentally eat toxic food, plants, or medication. If your pet has ingested a poisonous substance, immediately call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) for advice, their number is (888) 426-4435. Veterinary toxicologists on duty will tell you exactly what to do and will assign your pet a case number that you can relay to your veterinarian for further case management. Never try to induce vomiting in your senior pet unless instructed by a veterinarian because there are times that vomiting can do more harm than good.
5. How to calm your senior pet's allergic reaction
Insect bites and stings are the most common cause of allergic reactions but animals can also have allergic reactions to vaccines, medications, chemical and other environmental exposures. Allergic reaction signs include:
- Itching
- Hives on your pet's face or body
- Redness
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
If an insect has stung your pet and you can see the stinger, remove it by firmly running a flat object, such as a credit card, over it. Do not grasp the stinger with your fingers or tweezers, as you can squeeze more venom into your pet. Immediately call your veterinarian, who may instruct you to administer an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, before additional treatment of your pet.