Pet First Aid Tips by Arden Moore

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
First Aid On the Go

This past week it was my privilege to work with Arden Moore for the first time. As a master certified first aid instructor, she was a shoe-in for the job as our guest expert at the #Pet1stAid Twitter Party. I learned a lot of new things to keep me on my toes going forward, as my Fidos and feline continue to get into mischief that sometimes requires quick action.

Arden is an inspiring woman. An animal behavior consultant and the author of 24 pet books, Arden hosts the Oh Behave Show on PetLifeRadio.com and is the creator of National Dog Party Day™. You'll also find her on FourLeggedLife.com. And if you enjoyed Arden's tips on pet first aid you'll also want to check out her other site: petfirstaid4u.com.  

Next up, watch for her appearance at #Coupaween, our Halloween safety party in which Arden will be sharing safety tips while we give away Halloween costumes and accessories from Coupaw. This is sure to be fun AND educational!

Now I'd like to share some of Arden's wisdom and excellent advice, just as she shared these tips during our #Pet1stAid Twitter Party:

• Pet stung by a bee? Use OTC antihistamines containing only diphenhydramine. 
• When you change your clock 2 x a year, inspect and update your pet 1st aid kit contents. 
• Enroll in a #Pet1stAid class and learn what to do in pet emergencies when minutes count! New CPR protocols!
• Dogs react to our energies, so calmly restrain them before applying Eye Wash to remove bugs. 
• Scrape off jellyfish from beach dogs with a credit card and rinse with salt water or vinegar – never fresh water! 
• Don’t delay: New CPR protocols call for 30 chest compressions, then 2 mouth-to-snout breaths and repeat. 
• 3 CPR positions for cats and dogs, depend on size and are called side-to-side, barrel-chested and taco. 
• Mother Nature strikes all zip codes. Practice pet disaster drills once a month and have 3 go-to places.
• Never pull swallowed string from a choking dog – you can cause internal injuries. Do rescue breathing.
•  1st aid kit items: Sharpie, post-it pad, spare sock, shoelaces, paint stirrers, spare leash, glow stick.
• Gums don’t lie! Healthy cat/dog gums are bubblegum pink – not white, pale, bright red or gray. 
• Dog ears should never smell like dirty socks. Do the sniff test monthly and rinse ears as needed.
• Stomp and shout before touching a pet you suspect is unconscious. Always protect yourself first! 
• Include in pet disaster prep kits: Dr. Emmo's Wound Care Spray Wash and Gel. Ideal for cuts and scrapes.  
• Pack hydrogen peroxide in pet 1st aid kit. Use to induce vomiting if pet swallows something poisonous. 
• Perform monthly snout-to-tail wellness assessments and call vet if detect any new bumps or changes.
• Treat heat stroke in pets with cool water – never iced cold water. Don’t shock your pet’s system! 
• Ticks post year-round threats in every state to dogs and cats who need year-round tick prevention meds. 
• Remove tick on pet with tweezers, grab tick by head and pull. Never use nail polish or petroleum jelly.