Vicki
Administrator
CPR in Sonoma County is going to the dogs ... and cats
Pet emergency care classes coming to Humane Society
By Laura McCutcheon
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 12:40 PM PDT
The cat might not give a crud if dad is choking on a piece of steak, but the family dog would likely give him the Heimlich maneuver, if he only knew how.
Doesn’t “man’s best friend†deserve the same loyalty?
Allen James thinks so. The American Red Cross instructor, who has been teaching adult, child and infant CPR and first aid since 1998, four or five years ago decided he wanted to incorporate pets into the picture.
“Everyone has dogs and cats and they are pretty much like family members, so do we ignore their medical needs in emergencies? No,†James said.
Pet first aid and CPR classes are not a new concept, but James didn’t think about implementing them into the local ARC chapter until he had a close call with a loved one of his own – Mutley the “chick magnet,†who was a cross between a beagle and a cocker spaniel.
“One day my dog had eaten something and he began to choke and it wasn’t a normal choke. So I responded and gave him abdominal thrusts and he coughed it up. After he coughed it up he ate it again, but that’s what dogs do,†James said. Because James knew how to respond to the incident, Mutley survived and lived to the ripe old age of 17.
James teaches the pet first aid and CPR class about six times a year. Using dog and cat manikins, class participants are shown how to administer CPR to an animal, and also learn other life-saving techniques helpful in the event of an emergency. For example, what to do for pets suffering from the heat or the cold, choking, drowning, or bleeding. Foxtails in the nose, eyes or ears, injured paws, or an allergic reaction to a bee sting, for instance, are also addressed.
The class operates on the same principle as a regular first aid and CPR class, James said. “Everything we do to people, we can to do our cats and dogs. The techniques may be slightly different because of their body shape,†he said. “It’s a valuable program because it really does allow us to give immediate first aid so we can then transport our pets to the vet.â€
First aid is a valuable skill for people to learn, to assist humans and animals alike, said Dr. Nicole Canon, of Animal Hospital of Sebastopol.
“Human and animal physiology is remarkably similar in many ways,†so emergencies that affect animals and people can often be treated in a similar fashion, she said. However, animals and humans differ in how they utilize and metabolize medications, so she suggests never using human medications on animals without the advice of a veterinarian. “You can make a bad problem worse quickly,†Canon said. Benadryl is a human medication that is “safe in appropriate doses for animals†and can be “life saving if given after an allergic event,†such as a bee sting or spider bite, according to Canon, who still advises taking the animal to a veterinarian.
The veterinarian also offered advice on how to help an animal that is losing blood, has a broken limb, or is suffering from extreme temperatures: “Blood loss can severely compromise an animal, as it can a human, so direct pressure with a clean compressive material at the site of bleeding is a good triage step. Cloths can also be used to wrap and stabilize an obviously broken limb, but immobilization of the whole animal is equally important, so they do not exacerbate the trauma.
“Temperature extremes can also be lethal to animals, so cooling or warming techniques appropriate for the situation can be employed while transporting the affected animal to medical assistance.â€
In a traumatic situation, the veterinarian recommends using gentle restraint with blankets or towels which will help minimize movement that could further damage an animal, and also will help protect the people involved from potential bites and scratches. “Boxes, towels and another person to help are key to safely transporting an animal to medical assistance,†Canon said.
People need to think of their safety first, and be prepared to protect themselves when dealing with injured animals. Animals, even family pets, that are hurt or in shock may not recognize their loved ones, or that they are trying to help them, so they can be dangerous and bite or lash out unexpectedly, she said.
“Basic first aid skills and recognition of serious medical issues can prove life-saving for your animal friends. I highly recommend taking a class in first aid as a helpful addition to your skills and knowledge of being a responsible pet owner,†Canon said.
The next local pet first aid and CPR class will be held from 1 to 5 p.m., April 17, at the Sonoma Humane Society, 2345 Highway 12, Santa Rosa (near Sebastopol). Look for the big metal dog sculpture in the driveway.
The class costs $50 and includes a handbook and certification. To register call the Red Cross at 577-7600 or go to www.arcsm.org.
http://sonomawest.com/articles/2010/04/16/the_healdsburg_tribune/news/doc4bc615ecdf79c914000727.txt
Pet emergency care classes coming to Humane Society
By Laura McCutcheon
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 12:40 PM PDT
The cat might not give a crud if dad is choking on a piece of steak, but the family dog would likely give him the Heimlich maneuver, if he only knew how.
Doesn’t “man’s best friend†deserve the same loyalty?
Allen James thinks so. The American Red Cross instructor, who has been teaching adult, child and infant CPR and first aid since 1998, four or five years ago decided he wanted to incorporate pets into the picture.
“Everyone has dogs and cats and they are pretty much like family members, so do we ignore their medical needs in emergencies? No,†James said.
Pet first aid and CPR classes are not a new concept, but James didn’t think about implementing them into the local ARC chapter until he had a close call with a loved one of his own – Mutley the “chick magnet,†who was a cross between a beagle and a cocker spaniel.
“One day my dog had eaten something and he began to choke and it wasn’t a normal choke. So I responded and gave him abdominal thrusts and he coughed it up. After he coughed it up he ate it again, but that’s what dogs do,†James said. Because James knew how to respond to the incident, Mutley survived and lived to the ripe old age of 17.
James teaches the pet first aid and CPR class about six times a year. Using dog and cat manikins, class participants are shown how to administer CPR to an animal, and also learn other life-saving techniques helpful in the event of an emergency. For example, what to do for pets suffering from the heat or the cold, choking, drowning, or bleeding. Foxtails in the nose, eyes or ears, injured paws, or an allergic reaction to a bee sting, for instance, are also addressed.
The class operates on the same principle as a regular first aid and CPR class, James said. “Everything we do to people, we can to do our cats and dogs. The techniques may be slightly different because of their body shape,†he said. “It’s a valuable program because it really does allow us to give immediate first aid so we can then transport our pets to the vet.â€
First aid is a valuable skill for people to learn, to assist humans and animals alike, said Dr. Nicole Canon, of Animal Hospital of Sebastopol.
“Human and animal physiology is remarkably similar in many ways,†so emergencies that affect animals and people can often be treated in a similar fashion, she said. However, animals and humans differ in how they utilize and metabolize medications, so she suggests never using human medications on animals without the advice of a veterinarian. “You can make a bad problem worse quickly,†Canon said. Benadryl is a human medication that is “safe in appropriate doses for animals†and can be “life saving if given after an allergic event,†such as a bee sting or spider bite, according to Canon, who still advises taking the animal to a veterinarian.
The veterinarian also offered advice on how to help an animal that is losing blood, has a broken limb, or is suffering from extreme temperatures: “Blood loss can severely compromise an animal, as it can a human, so direct pressure with a clean compressive material at the site of bleeding is a good triage step. Cloths can also be used to wrap and stabilize an obviously broken limb, but immobilization of the whole animal is equally important, so they do not exacerbate the trauma.
“Temperature extremes can also be lethal to animals, so cooling or warming techniques appropriate for the situation can be employed while transporting the affected animal to medical assistance.â€
In a traumatic situation, the veterinarian recommends using gentle restraint with blankets or towels which will help minimize movement that could further damage an animal, and also will help protect the people involved from potential bites and scratches. “Boxes, towels and another person to help are key to safely transporting an animal to medical assistance,†Canon said.
People need to think of their safety first, and be prepared to protect themselves when dealing with injured animals. Animals, even family pets, that are hurt or in shock may not recognize their loved ones, or that they are trying to help them, so they can be dangerous and bite or lash out unexpectedly, she said.
“Basic first aid skills and recognition of serious medical issues can prove life-saving for your animal friends. I highly recommend taking a class in first aid as a helpful addition to your skills and knowledge of being a responsible pet owner,†Canon said.
The next local pet first aid and CPR class will be held from 1 to 5 p.m., April 17, at the Sonoma Humane Society, 2345 Highway 12, Santa Rosa (near Sebastopol). Look for the big metal dog sculpture in the driveway.
The class costs $50 and includes a handbook and certification. To register call the Red Cross at 577-7600 or go to www.arcsm.org.
http://sonomawest.com/articles/2010/04/16/the_healdsburg_tribune/news/doc4bc615ecdf79c914000727.txt