How To Take Care Of An Injured Dog

Unfortunately, many dogs get injured. It is a risk that we run every time we take our four-legged friend for a walk: he could run away, cross the road and – hopefully it never happens – have an accident. For this reason it is very important to educate the dog already as a puppy to walk alongside us and always use the leash. But we all know the instinct of dogs, that if they see a cat or something that catches their attention, they run away.

Here are some tips on how to take care of a dog that has been in an accident, until the veterinary ambulance arrives. And how to give first aid to the animal when it is hit, if it has ingested something poisonous or has suffered an accident of another kind.

How to behave if run over

If your dog has been hit by a vehicle, the first thing you need to do is lay him on the right side and cover him with a blanket. If you don’t have one on hand, you can use a jacket, a shirt or anything that can warm it. Try to keep his head straight so that the passage of air is easier, open his mouth and check that no foreign body is blocking the entry of air.

Observe the animal’s chest to make sure it is breathing. If you load it into the car, it would be better not to place it on the floor, as braking could make the situation worse. If the transport is carried out by ambulance, make sure that it is as less traumatic as possible, accompany him and talk to him, so that the dog feels safe and is not afraid.

If you have a bleeding

If you see that the dog has external bleeding, try to stop it as soon as possible. To do this, place a handkerchief or a piece of cloth soaked in water and press the wound until the bleeding stops. Make sure your dog does not bite or lick the affected area to prevent infection.

If your dog has been run over and apparently has not suffered any damage, we recommend that you take him to the vet anyway, so that he can check him out and avoid the danger of internal bleeding.

If you have a fracture

If the dog has fractured his paw on impact, it is necessary to act very carefully and delicately so as not to hurt him. It is necessary to prevent it from moving and if you are able, you can try to immobilize the limb with a magazine or newspaper, around which you will wrap a bandage.

Accident due to poisoning

It is quite common for a dog to get poisoned: we know that they put everything they find on the street in their mouth or eat the grass in the park. If your dog has eaten something poisonous he will exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, seizures, until he loses foam from his mouth.

If you know what kind of poison your dog has ingested, you must immediately report this to the vet so that he knows what to do. The first thing to do is to make him drink water or milk to try to dilute the poison. You can also try to induce vomiting in the animal to expel the poison, although this is quite difficult.

Home care

If your dog has suffered any accident you must give him first aid and then take him to the vet immediately. He will be the one to evaluate the situation and the specific treatment. The last part is up to you again, when the animal comes home and it will need all your attention to recover from its injuries.

It is important that the place where you take it is as clean and aseptic as possible. The room, the kennel, everything that will be used during the recovery phase must be perfectly clean.

If you have a fracture or injury to one of your legs it is best that it be clean and bandaged. You must avoid that the dog licks the wound and above all you have to change the bandage periodically. If you notice any abnormality while disinfecting the wound, consult your veterinarian immediately.

While it is important to monitor your dog and give him all the necessary care, it is equally important for his recovery that you give him all the love you can. In this way he will not be afraid because he will perceive your tranquility and your attention. As with human beings, feeling loved and peaceful is the most important thing.