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🏥 First Aid for Dogs

What to do in an emergency — the knowledge that could save your dog's life

🚨 In Any Emergency

Stay calm. Call your vet immediately. First aid is not a replacement for veterinary care — it's what you do while getting your dog to the vet. Always have your vet's number and the nearest emergency out-of-hours practice saved in your phone.

💨 Choking

Common causes: balls, toys, sticks, bones, and large pieces of food.

Signs: Pawing at mouth, drooling excessively, retching or gagging, distressed body language, blue-tinged gums, open mouth with lunging body movements, unable to bark or make sound.

What To Do

  1. Call your vet immediately (or have someone call while you help)
  2. Open the mouth carefully — if you can see the object and can safely reach it, try to gently remove it with your fingers or blunt tweezers. Be careful not to push it further in
  3. If you can't reach it — for small dogs, you can hold them upside down by their hind legs and shake gently. For larger dogs, place your hands just behind the rib cage and give firm upward thrusts (similar to the Heimlich manoeuvre)
  4. If your dog is unconscious — lay them on their side, open the mouth, sweep fingers across the back of the throat to dislodge the object, then check for breathing
  5. Get to the vet even if you remove the object, as there may be internal damage
⚠️ Important: Never put your hand in a conscious dog's mouth unless you're confident you can do so safely. A panicking dog may bite hard, even their trusted owner. If in doubt, get to the vet as fast as possible.

☀️ Heatstroke

Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency that kills dogs every year in the UK. It can happen during exercise on hot days, in hot cars, conservatories, or any enclosed space. Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds, overweight dogs, and elderly dogs are at highest risk.

Signs: Excessive panting, drooling, bright red gums, vomiting, diarrhoea, wobbling or staggering, collapse, seizures.

What To Do

  1. Move them to a cool, shaded area immediately
  2. Pour cool (NOT ice cold) water over their body, especially the neck, armpits, and groin. Use a fan or open windows to create airflow
  3. Offer small amounts of cool water to drink (don't force them)
  4. Place a wrapped ice pack between their hind legs
  5. Call the vet immediately and continue cooling during transport
  6. Do NOT use ice or ice-cold water — this constricts blood vessels and traps heat inside
  7. Do NOT wrap in wet towels — this acts as insulation and makes them hotter
🚨 Dogs Die In Hot Cars: Even on a mild 22°C day, the inside of a car can reach 47°C within an hour. Leaving windows open a crack makes almost no difference. Never leave a dog in a car, not even for a few minutes.

☠️ Poisoning

Signs vary depending on the poison but may include: vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, trembling, seizures, lethargy, loss of coordination, pale or blue gums, collapse.

What To Do

  1. Call your vet immediately — tell them what your dog has eaten, how much, and when
  2. Keep packaging or take a photo to show the vet
  3. Do NOT try to make your dog vomit unless specifically told to by your vet — some poisons cause more damage coming back up
  4. If poison is on their coat or paws, prevent them from licking it and wash it off if safe to do so

Common Dog Poisons

🍫 Chocolate
🍇 Grapes & Raisins
🧅 Onions & Garlic
🍬 Xylitol (sweetener)
💊 Paracetamol
💊 Ibuprofen
🌿 Lilies & Daffodils
♾️ Antifreeze
🐀 Rat Poison
🍞 Macadamia Nuts
☕ Caffeine
🍷 Alcohol
💡 Slug Pellets: Metaldehyde-based slug pellets are extremely toxic to dogs and tragically common in UK gardens. Even small amounts can be fatal. Use pet-safe alternatives containing ferric phosphate instead.

🩸 Bleeding & Wounds

Minor Cuts & Grazes

  1. Clean the wound with saline solution or clean, lukewarm water
  2. Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or gauze to stop bleeding
  3. If possible, apply a light bandage to keep the wound clean
  4. Monitor for signs of infection (swelling, redness, discharge)
  5. Contact your vet if the wound is deep, won't stop bleeding, or becomes infected

Severe Bleeding

  1. Apply firm, direct pressure with a clean cloth, towel, or clothing — maintain pressure for at least 5 minutes without lifting to check
  2. If blood soaks through, add more padding on top — don't remove the original layer
  3. Elevate the wound above the heart if possible
  4. Get to the vet immediately — severe blood loss is life-threatening
⚠️ Impaled Objects: If your dog has a stick, fence post, or any object stuck in them, do NOT remove it. It may be preventing further bleeding. Stabilise the object so it doesn't move and get to the vet immediately.

🔥 Burns

Burns can be caused by hot water, fire, household appliances, chemicals, or sunburn.

What To Do

  1. Run cool water over the burn for at least 5–10 minutes (longer is better)
  2. For chemical burns, flush with large quantities of water — be careful not to splash chemicals into eyes
  3. Do NOT apply creams, ointments, butter, or any home remedies
  4. Cover loosely with cling film or a clean, non-fluffy dressing to keep it clean
  5. Call your vet — even minor burns should be checked

⚡ Seizures

Signs: Falling to the side, uncontrolled shaking/jerking, stiffness, drooling, loss of consciousness, paddling legs, loss of bladder/bowel control.

What To Do

  1. Do NOT try to hold or restrain your dog — you cannot stop a seizure and you risk being bitten
  2. Move furniture and objects away from them to prevent injury
  3. Darken the room and keep noise to a minimum
  4. Time the seizure — your vet will want to know how long it lasted
  5. Do NOT put your hands near their mouth — dogs cannot "swallow their tongue"
  6. When the seizure stops, give them space. They'll be confused and disoriented — don't crowd or pet them immediately
  7. Call your vet as soon as the seizure ends. If a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, this is an emergency — get to the vet immediately

🩹 CPR (If Your Dog Stops Breathing)

🚨 Call your emergency vet first. Only attempt CPR while someone else calls or if you cannot reach a vet. CPR is a last resort, not a guaranteed solution.

Steps

  1. Check for breathing — watch for chest movement, hold a wisp of fur near the nostrils
  2. Check for a heartbeat — place your hand on the left side of the chest, just behind the front elbow
  3. Open the airway — gently pull the tongue forward until it lies flat, check the throat for obstructions
  4. If no breathing: Close their mouth, seal your mouth over their nostrils, and breathe in until you see the chest rise. Give one breath every 5 seconds
  5. If no heartbeat: Place your dog on their right side on a firm surface. For most dogs, place hands over the widest part of the chest. For barrel-chested dogs, place on their back and compress the midpoint of the chest
  6. Compress 100–120 times per minute (roughly 2 per second), pressing down by about one-third of the chest width
  7. Alternate 30 compressions with 2 breaths
  8. Continue until your dog starts breathing again or you reach the vet

🚗 Road Traffic Accidents

  1. Ensure your own safety first — make sure traffic has stopped and it's safe to approach
  2. Approach carefully — even friendly dogs may bite when in pain and shock
  3. If your dog can't walk, carefully slide them onto a blanket or coat to use as a makeshift stretcher, supporting the head, neck, and back
  4. Keep them warm with a blanket and minimise movement
  5. Get to the vet immediately — even if they appear unhurt, there could be internal injuries
  6. Do NOT give food or water (in case anaesthesia is needed)

🐝 Stings & Bites

Bee & Wasp Stings

Usually cause localised swelling and pain. If you can see a bee sting, scrape it out sideways (don't squeeze with tweezers as this pushes more venom in). Apply a cold compress. Monitor for allergic reactions — swelling around the face, throat, or difficulty breathing requires immediate vet attention.

Adder Bites

The UK's only venomous snake. Most bites occur between April and September. Signs include rapid swelling (usually on the leg or face), pain, lethargy, and sometimes collapse. Keep your dog calm and still (movement spreads venom faster), carry them if possible, and get to the vet immediately. Do not try to suck out venom or apply a tourniquet.

Dog Fight Injuries

Even small puncture wounds from dog bites can become seriously infected. Clean any visible wounds, apply pressure to bleeding, and always see the vet — dog bites often cause damage deeper than they appear on the surface.

🎒 Building a Dog First Aid Kit

Keep a kit at home and a smaller one in your car or walking bag:

💼 Essentials

  • Conforming bandage rolls (various sizes)
  • Non-stick sterile gauze pads
  • Adhesive medical tape
  • Saline wound wash
  • Blunt-ended scissors
  • Tweezers (for splinters and stings)
  • Digital thermometer (dog's normal temp: 38–39.2°C)
  • Antiseptic wipes (pet-safe)

📦 Additional Items

  • Emergency foil blanket
  • Disposable gloves
  • Tick remover tool
  • Cold pack (instant activation type)
  • Old towel or blanket
  • Slip lead (spare lead for emergencies)
  • Muzzle (or a length of bandage to improvise one — injured dogs may bite)
  • Vet's phone number and out-of-hours emergency number
❌ Do NOT include: Human painkillers (paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin are all toxic to dogs), antiseptic creams not approved for animals, or hydrogen peroxide (unless specifically directed by your vet).

🎓 First Aid Courses

Consider taking a pet first aid course — hands-on practice builds confidence for real emergencies. In the UK, courses are offered by:

💚 Remember: First aid is about stabilising your dog and getting them to professional help as quickly as possible. You don't need to be a vet — you just need to stay calm, know the basics, and have your vet's number ready. Those few minutes of first aid could be the difference between life and death.

🔗 Useful UK Resources

📚 Official Guidance

📞 Emergency Contacts

  • Your vet's daytime number
  • Your vet's out-of-hours number
  • Animal Poison Line: 01202 509 000
  • RSPCA (England & Wales): 0300 1234 999