Ensuring your dog’s well-being involves preparation, proper nutrition, and engaging activities. This article covers essential first aid basics, including how to create a dog-specific kit and handle emergencies until professional care is available. It also explores the role of food textures in your pup’s diet, helping you choose between the variety of options available. Ms. Howell also shares a creative holiday enrichment idea to keep your dog entertained and stress-free during the festive season.
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Patriot’s Pet Chronicle - Volume 1, Issue 3-December 2024 - first aid basics- holiday enrichment and dog food texture guide (pages 3-4) By Mackenzie Howell (Mackenzie Howell has worked in the pet care arena for half a decade, with a special interest in pet nutrition and enrichment. She serves PPC as business support, and when not maintaining her pet “zoo,” Ms. Howell loves spending time with her family, reading a good mystery novel, or cooking up something delicious!)
(PAGE 1) Canine First Aid Basics - Basic first aid for your pet is a life skill, and one that should be consistently maintained. Your pet cannot help themselves and may not even display signs of an issue before it’s too late. Having basic first aid supplies on hand and readily accessible and understanding simple procedures can make emergency situations far less stressful for you and your pet.
It’s important to have your pet’s veterinarian on speed dial and consult them during any medical situation. First aid procedures can be vital to slow down an injury or reaction, but there are many occasions in which vet care is still necessary. If you must take your dog to the vet in this sort of event, be careful to transport them as carefully as possible, to avoid further injury. In the case that you must transport an immobile large dog, you may need the help of another person to fully life your dog’s entire body.
Also remember that dogs in an emergency situation do not behave as usual. When an animal is in pain, or under stress, they will be more prone to acting out in a potentially violent way. Keep your hands and face out of bite range when working with a dog in an emergency situation unless absolutely necessary.
There are several supplies which are necessary for a basic first aid kit, but your kit should also be personalized for your pet’s needs. For example, if your dog needs a specific prescription medication for a medical condition, it’s a good idea to keep some on-hand in your first aid kit in case of an emergency. It’s also a good idea to review your pet’s first aid kit regularly, to ensure that items aren’t expired or damaged. The idea of a first aid kit is to be prepared, so stay ahead of the curve!
What to Keep in a basic canine first aid Kit:
Basket muzzle (evaluate fit for the best “breathability” for your dog)
Elizabethan Collar (AKA E-Collar or “cone of shame”)
Disposable gloves
Flashlight
Thermometer and lubricant
Cold packs
Tweezers
Styptic powder
Wound cleaning and disinfection supplies
Cotton balls
Gauze pads and roll/vet wrap
Scissors
Clean cloth
Hydrogen peroxide
Saline eye wash
(PAGE 2) During emergency situations, stay calm and focus on these four steps:
Secure your Pet!
No matter what the situation may be, it’s important to make sure your pet is as stable and secure as possible. This will vary depending on what’s going on, but the general idea is to prevent further injury to your dog. Ensure that they are properly restrained, but still able to properly breathe normally (if applicable). Apply a basket style muzzle (again, if applicable) to prevent accidental bites during the emergency.
Observe the Threat!
Observe your dog, and if necessary, take notes on their condition and the time. Figure out what’s causing the issue, if possible, and decide whether you can safely conduct a first aid procedure or should bring your pet to their veterinarian. No matter what, always be ready to bring your pet to a veterinarian if the issue escalates.
Ensure needs are Met!
These strategies are not foolproof but can be a good reference with some common emergencies. Always evaluate the situation for your pet as an individual, and be ready to proceed with veterinary care.
External bleeding:
Apply pressure to wound, seek vet care if bleeding continues for longer than ten minutes, if bleeding stops, sanitize and dry the area, and keep it bandaged.
Burns: Seek vet care after any burn to monitor and prevent infection.
Heat: Use a cold compress and run cold water over area
Chemical: Flush burn with running cold water for several minutes
Poison: Always bring your pet to the vet!
Do not induce vomiting unless the vet recommends!
Find “evidence” of what was consumed, including packaging or leftover materials. This can be vital to determine what caused the issue and how to proceed.
Allergic Reactions: Anaphylaxis can be fatal, always seek vet care.
Give the pet a vet-approved dose of antihistamine to slow down symptoms.
Heat Stroke:
Move the pet to a cooler, ventilated spot, rinse pet with cool water, and take them to vet.
Choking:
If the pet can still breathe, seek emergency care.
If the pet cannot breathe, use the external extraction technique (XXT) or modified Heimlich, followed by canine CPR if necessary (see Emergency Techniques).
Call your Vet!
There are some situations which require the veterinarian’s attention no matter what and others which may simply require you to keep the vet in the loop. Either way, it’s important to make your pet’s veterinarian aware of any medical emergencies that have occurred. Your veterinarian will also have helpful tips and medical advice to help you through the ordeal, specifically tailored to your pup!
Emergency Techniques:
XXT Method:
Place pet on their back, with neck straight. For larger dogs, you may need to straddle (but not squeeze) the ribcage.
Locate foreign object and trachea (this should be more visible with an overhead view).
Position your hands/fingers in a diamond shape, with your thumbs slightly apart, and your middle fingers pushing into the corner of your dog’s mouth to aid in opening their jaw.
Eject the obstruction by pushing with your thumbs down and toward the mouth.
If your dog is not breathing when foreign item is removed, keep their neck straight, cover their mouth, and blow two breaths into their nose.
If dog is still not breathing, begin CPR (see below).
Modified Heimlich Maneuver:
Position yourself so that your dog’s back is against your chest.
Wrap your arms under your pet’s ribs.
Use a one handed fist (or fingertips, for smaller dogs) with your other hand cupped around it to thrust five times into the belly-area, under the ribs.
If this doesn’t work, try giving five blows to the dog’s middle-back, between the shoulder blades.
Be sure to check to see if the object has been dislodged (or at least loosened, where you may be able to manually remove it) during the process.
Canine CPR on the next page...
(PAGE 3) At Home enrichment: stocking stuffer fun
Emergency Techniques Cont’d - Canine CPR: This is only to be done if your pet is not breathing, as it can cause significant injury. Find more details about recommended techniques at www.redcross.org.
Check your dog’s pulse by locating the femoral artery (inside of rear leg, around the inner thigh). If pulse is present, do not proceed with CPR. If pulse is not present, proceed with CPR.
Lay your dog on their right-hand side (unless they have a barrel-shaped chest, in which case they should be laid on their back).
Carefully open your dog’s mouth and position their tongue to the back of their teeth. Check for and remove any obstructions (see above).
For small dogs: Find the heart by bending the left front leg, the area where their elbow meets their chest is about where their heart is. Place both hands over this area and push hard to the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees (at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute).
For large dogs: Place both hands over the widest part of the sternum directly on top of each other and push hard to the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees (at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute).
Check for heartbeat and breathing every two minutes, continue this until your pet receives veterinary care.
Why Us? - Mindset Matters
To call me a helicopter pet parent would be an understatement. My pets are my babies, and when I’m not with them, it’s extremely important to me that I know they’re in safe and loving hands. I know firsthand how difficult it can be to hand your pet off to a facility you don’t yet know.
At Patriot’s Pet Care, we understand that your pet is truly a member of your family. Our team is made up of pet lovers and parents just like you, who treat each and every dog who walks through our doors like our very own. The men and women who make up the PPC staff are endlessly enthusiastic in their love of our furry companions. They are constantly coming up with new and innovative ways to enrich the lives of the pets under their care, from personal photoshoots to pool parties.
It’s hard to fake passion, and even more challenging to cover a lack of it. At PPC there’s no need to fake a thing. Our staff is guided by an intrinsic love of pet care, and strives to uphold a pet-first mindset in every aspect of their workday.
At Home Enrichment:
Christmas traditions are some of my favorite parts of the entire year! So why not establish a new tradition with your pup? There are tons of ways to include your canine companion in the festive fun this December, and while simply spending some extra time with them can absolutely make your pet’s day, an at-home enrichment activity can send them over the moon!
To Create the Stocking Stuffer Activity:
Select an unused Christmas stocking (these can be found nearly anywhere around the holiday season, even discount stores), just ensure it’s not sentimental! You can also use a clean long sock (bonus points for festive colors).
Take a clean, but unused T-shirt and cut it into strips. These should be small enough to be flexible and easy to stuff, but not small enough to be a major choking hazard. If you’re concerned with your pup’s destructive tendencies, try using strips of cabbage, yes cabbage, instead!
Begin stuffing the stocking with layers of your pet's favorite dry food or treat and strips of the T-shirt fabric or cabbage. Ensure the stocking is packed tightly enough that your pup won’t be able to remove their prize too easily.
Give your dog their stuffed stocking! Be sure to monitor your dog while they search through the layers to find the morsels within to ensure they aren’t accidentally damaging or ingesting the fabric.
(PAGE 4) dog food texture guide - Stocking Stuffer Activity Cont’d -
Why is it great?
Not only do dogs want to work for their food (yes, I promise it’s true!) but giving them a challenge can be satisfying and fun. And even though your pet may not fully understand the concept of festive holiday colors or symbols, they will still appreciate the extra time spent with them and any extra treats or food! Besides, you can’t tell me that the Stocking Stuffer Activity isn’t an adorable photo shoot opportunity!
Bark-worthy Bites: A Guide to Dog Food Textures:
When you stroll through the dog food aisles at your local pet supply store, it’s likely that you’ll be bombarded with a plethora of options. From bags and cans to frozen and refrigerated containers, you can rest assured that there are many choices available when it comes to your dog’s meals. The brand isn’t the only difference; each food has a specific texture which should be just as important in your pet food selection process. How can you know that you’re picking the best food for your dog? What are the options when it comes to dog food textures?
Dry dog food, often produced in the form of kibble, is the most popular form of dog food on the market. Unfortunately, it can also be the least nutritious option. Kibble, whether cooked through extrusion or baked, is typically extremely processed, and the heat required for the cooking process removes a lot of natural nutritional value. Dry dog food is often very carb-heavy and is often made up of a denser concentration of filler ingredients. That being said, this food is the most affordable and is extremely easy to find! There are hundreds of dry dog food options available on the market, allowing for a huge variety of formulas.
Wet dog food offers an abundance of textures, like morsels, shreds, chunks, and pate! As the name implies, this food offers more hydration to your pet, but it can also be highly processed. Wet dog food can be more palatable than dry dog food, because of its increased scent and taste, but it can also contain gelling agents which may cause digestive upset for some dogs.
Freeze-dried dog food blends the convenience of a shelf-stable food with the nutritional value of raw or gently cooked ingredients. These foods are dehydrated, and bacteria are typically killed off using HPP (high pressure processing), which heightens the safety of feeding. Freeze-dried food can also pose dental benefits to your dog, as it has a porous nature which scrapes the teeth as your pet chews.
Fresh, or gently cooked, pet food is relatively new to the game, but a viable option nonetheless! This food is typically cooked sous-vide, which means that it’s cooked in a vacuum sealed back in temperature-controlled water. This process is ideal to retain as much of the ingredients’ natural moisture and texture, while killing off pathogens found in raw meat. This gentler style of cooking is great for preserving nutrients and offering a healthier option, but it can be very expensive and must be refrigerated.
Frozen pet food is primarily made up of raw options, which many consider to be the gold standard of pet food. Because this food is uncooked, the natural moisture and nutrients are preserved entirely, which leads to highly digestible (and palatable) food. Now, this may be a controversial take, due to the potentially dangerous pathogens that can be found in raw meat, we’ll get to this in a future issue. The most important consideration is to do your own research and consider what is best for your pet as an individual.
All types of pet food can potentially contain filler and low-quality ingredients, but not all cooking processes are equal when it comes to your pet’s nutrition. No matter what option you pick, it’s important to keep in mind that a fed dog is best. It’s not always economically feasible to select the most nutritious option, but by choosing the best option for your budget and your pet, you’ll achieve the most balance. It can be hard to remember to feed ourselves properly, much less our pets. Give yourself grace and take baby steps. You may not have the time or money to feed your dog a fully freeze-dried diet, despite the potential health benefits, but you might be able to sprinkle on a few pieces as a topper! Every good thing must start somewhere, so take advantage of the resources you do have available and make those small steps toward your pet’s healthiest self!
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