April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month. How prepared are you for an emergency situation with your pet? What if you can’t get your little buddy to the vet quick enough? Do you know what to do in some of the most common emergencies? Pet first aid is important for any pet owner to know, it can help save your pets life if you are unable to seek professional care. This time of year is starting to get warmer outside. That means longer walks, traveling to the beach, mountain climbing and more. Heat exhaustion can be dangerous, even fatal, for dogs. It is important to be able to act quickly and be able to recognize symptoms of heatstroke/exhaustion. Dogs suffering from heat stroke will normally exhibit some or all of the following symptoms:

Restlessness

• Panting

• Increased respiratory rate

• Increased heart rate

• Excess salivation

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

Heatstroke- Excessive panting and bright red gums or tongue are two major signs of overheating, as well as any temperature above 104 degrees. The normal body temperature for your pet should be between 99-102.5 degrees. As the symptoms progress and the dog’s temperature rises, signs become more serious.

Weakness

• Staggering

• Gasping

• Gum color may become brick red, then purple or blue (cyanosis)

• Seizures

• Coma

• Death

This can be devastating for uninformed or unsuspecting pet owners. Having the proper knowledge and skills to react to these situations will help alleviate much of the panic and stress pet owners often experience. Fortunately, there are some simple things that you can do to protect your dog from the dangers of heat exhaustion.

The very first thing you need to do, is remove your pet from the heat and place them in a cool area.

Check their temperature.

Use a hose to spray your pet with cool water, or place your pet in a cool bath. While doing this, re-check their temperature to see if it’s going down. You can also try placing water soaked towels on their head, neck, feet, and/or abdomen area. Provide cool drinking water for your pet. Keep this up until your pets temperate is back to normal and seek immediate veterinary care afterwards.

Warm weather is here and remember to never leave your pets in a parked car, and watch for signs of overexertion. Being well equipped for the heat when you have your pet with you is also important. The H-Duo travel cup made by Dexus makes that a breeze. This bottle is split in half, one side is for you, and one side is for your pet.

Attached is a removable, and collapsible companion cup to ensure your pet stays hydrated on those warm days.

Another item that is important to keep handy this summer is the Chillz Cooling Wrapz. This washable, durable cloth will stay cool for hours once it’s been wet with cool water. Make sure you’re prepared for the heat we’re sure to endure this summer. Be sure to stop by the store if you need any of these items. Or throw them in your shopping cart right now.

Look for next weeks blog. We will give you tips on wound care.