The What Where When Who and Why?
So WHAT is Dog First Aid?
This is the immediate temporary care of a dog and the aims are:
· to preserve life
· to prevent any condition for worsening (and minimise pain)
· to promote a good recovery
The aims are exactly the same as human first aid, you may need to make a few alterations to your approach due to biological differences, a dog has four legs, we only have two but essentially, they are the same.
It is the first 10/15 minutes of first aid you can provide for a dog which may save its life. This in, turn allows the dog to be presented at a veterinary practice in possibly a more stable condition with the potential for a more positive outcome.
By taking part in a dog first aid course you will be gaining not only valuable skills but the confidence to help your dog if you ever find yourself in an emergency situation. Our courses cover bleeding, fractures, what to do if your dog was choking or bitten by a snake and lots more!
REMEMBER though that any first aid you provide is NOT a substitute for veterinary treatment and after any emergency, you should seek the advice of a vet as soon as possible.
BE PREPARED & CARRY A DOG FIRST AID KIT WITH YOU WHEN OUT & ABOUT. Not sure which one to buy then contact us and we will help you out.
WHY Dog First Aid?
If your dog is anything like ours, it is very much a family member. If you were to speak to my husband or children, they will tell that I place the dog above them in the pecking order!
We think nothing of attending a human first aid course and as a mum, when my children were younger, I even took a paediatric first aid course. Why would we not want to do the same thing for our canine companions?
There are 9 million dogs in the UK. That is a lot of dogs potentially needing first aid at some point in their lives.
WHO can perform Dog First Aid?
Basically...anyone! If you are going to attempt to perform first aid on someone else’s dog, you need to get the owner’s permission ( as long as that isn’t going to take along time if they aren’t nearby) In law, dogs are classed as possessions.
Keep it simple and treat what you see. However, DON’T pretend to be a vet. Unless you have been to university, passed all the exams and had your name entered on the register at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons you can’t pretend otherwise. You cannot give a diagnosis of any diseases and injuries including diagnostic tests. You cannot give advise based on such diagnosis. You cannot provide the medical or surgical treatment of dogs or perform surgical operations. ( although farmers can perform minor procedures on their own animals)
It is quite difficult give an exact list of do’s and don’ts with dog first aid but the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons states:
“ provided what is done, is done in order to save an animal’s life or to stop its pain or suffering, and is done as an interim measure until a veterinary surgeon’s services can be obtained, it is unlikely that, in most cases, there will be subsequent argument that what has been done has gone beyond first aid.”
WHERE and WHEN can I learn dog first aid skills?
There are a number of companies offering to teach you dog first skills either as a practical session or online. I personally believe that taking part in a hands on practical session will cement in your memory what has been taught. Our courses are very much a mixture of listening, talking, watching and hands on to facilitate different learning styles. If you have been on a course, you already know this! If you haven’t, have a look at the list of courses we are offering at the moment to find the nearest one to you.
If you haven’t been on a course yet, persuade 3 of your friends to sign up and you go free. If you have been on a course, get your fee refunded in full by hosting a dog first aid course. Contact us on 0800 994 9624 or email info@allwindsdogfirstaid.co.uk to find out all the details.