First aid for dogs: how to help your dog in an emergency
Dog emergencies usually happen unexpectedly. Comparis explains what you can do in typical emergencies so you can provide first aid.
11.06.2024
iStock/huettenhoelscher
1. Dog emergencies: check the condition of your dog
Has your dog had an accident or is it behaving differently? If so, you should first check the dog’s vital signs.
Important: if something does not seem normal to you, please call your veterinarian. Only they can provide the right help. Describe the symptoms in as much detail as possible.
Key vital signs include:
Breathing: dogs usually take 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Important: panting does not count as breathing. So check the breathing rate if your dog isn’t panting.
Pulse: you can feel it on the inside of the thigh of the hind leg. Normal heart rates are:
for large dogs: 80 to 100 beats per minute
for small dogs: 100 to 120 beats per minute
Body temperature: normal values are between 38 and 39 degrees Celsius. You can measure the temperature of your dog with a fever thermometer in the dog’s anus. Before inserting the thermometer, use petroleum jelly/Vaseline or gel to lubricate the thermometer.
Mucous membranes: the mucous membranes should be pink. Discoloration indicates emergencies and illness. You can check the colour of the mucous membrane on the gums or conjunctiva.
Capillary filling time: after applying pressure, how long does it take for the gums to return to their normal colour? Normally, this should take less than two seconds.
Good to know:
Each dog has slightly different values when it’s at rest. For this reason, you should check your dog’s values at a calm moment. This will help you better assess an emergency situation.
Excitement and stress can increase breathing rate, pulse and temperature.
Small dogs usually have higher values than large dogs.
A visit to the veterinary practice or veterinary hospital in the event of an emergency can quickly become expensive. You usually pay a flat-rate contribution plus treatment costs.
Pet insurance can help cover the costs. However, the exact coverage varies from one insurer to another. It’s worth comparing the range of deals.
2. Important emergency measures for dogs
Depending on the situation and symptoms, you may need to take a different approach in an emergency. However, the aim of the measures should always be:
Stabilize the dog
Prevent further harm
Prepare the dog for transport. You can then take the dog to the vet’s practice as soon as possible.
Here are the key techniques:
In the event your dog is unconscious, the airways are kept clear in the recovery position. This also allows you to perform a cardiac massage.
If the dog is conscious and has difficulty breathing, do not move it into the recovery position. Let it sit or lie as it feels most comfortable.
Keep the following in mind when it comes to the recovery position:
Place padding on the ground. This could be a blanket or jacket, for example.
Place the dog on its uninjured side. If both sides are injured, the padding should be clean.
The head and spine should form a straight line. The front and hind legs should not touch. It’s best to pull the legs apart a bit.
If the dog is unconscious, the mouth must be the lowest point of the flat dog. This allows blood and vomit to run off. Tilt back the head.
The dog's mouth should be open and the tongue should hang out. Otherwise, there is a risk of suffocation. If vomit is still in the mouth, remove it with your fingers.
Does your dog appear to have stopped breathing? If so, you should start mouth-to-nose resuscitation as soon as possible. Before resuscitation, check whether the dog still has a pulse. If not, do chest compressions instead.
Move the dog into the recovery position.
Keep your dog’s mouth closed. This way, no air will escape.
Blow into both nostrils of your dog with your mouth. The dog’s ribcage should rise and fall slightly. If you wish, you can place a cloth between your mouth and the dog’s nose. Do not breathe too hard, as dogs’ lungs are smaller than human lungs.
The frequency of breaths should be similar to the dog’s normal breathing rate. This means 12 to 20 breaths per minute.
After three to five breaths, check whether the dog is breathing on its own again.
Check the pulse regularly for cardiac arrest.
Perform a cardiac massage (also known as chest compressions) if your dog no longer has a pulse. The dog first needs to be placed in the recovery position. When doing the chest compressions, keep the following in mind:
Place both hands behind the elbow, where the elbow meets the ribcage while lying down. Depending on the shape and size of the dog, the location and manner (only available in German) of the cardiac massage may vary.
The frequency should be 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
With each compression, push in the rib cage by about a third. There should be no pressure on the chest at all between compressions.
Maintain the following rhythm during the cardiac massage:
30 times chest compressions
twice mouth-to-nose resuscitation
If there are two of you, split these tasks between you: one person does the cardiac massage, the other person does the mouth-to-nose resuscitation. Briefly stop the cardiac massage for resuscitation.
3. What should I watch out for with dog emergencies?
An emergency is a stressful situation for you and the dog. However, it’s important that you keep calm. If you are calm, you can usually make better decisions.
Also, reassure your dog and deal with it calmly. If you are stressed, this can be transferred to the dog, making first aid more difficult.
As a rule, assess the situation before you act.
Inform your veterinary practice as soon as possible. Explain the situation as accurately as possible. This way, the practice staff can prepare and give you the right tips.
Also in the event of an emergency: your safety comes first. Remove yourself and your dog from the danger zone first.
Then take care of your safety using a leash and muzzle. After all, animals that are wounded and suffering from shock often react differently than usual. So the dog might struggle or refuse to be helped.
In the case of a chin loop, the following applies:
You can tie the mouth with a bandage. However, you can also put a muzzle on the dog.
Important: you should not restrict the mouth in certain situations. Such situations include:
Shortness of breath and injuries to the chest
Injuries to the head or mouth
Vomiting
Blood or foreign material in the area of the nose or throat
Cardiovascular problems
State of shock
Suspicion of poisoning
Short-nosed breeds
If the emergency situation has arisen due to two fighting dogs, separate the dogs from each other. Here, too, ensure your own safety. Therefore, use objects or distractions to separate the dogs. This could be loud noises or a large piece of cardboard. Do not reach between the animals.
If the dogs have bitten onto each other, do not separate them by pulling on the leash. Use objects and distractions in this case, too.
Once you have stabilized the dog, you can take it to the veterinary practice or veterinary hospital. Please note:
When carrying the dog, turn the dog so that the injured side points away from your body.
If limbs are injured, allow them to hang.
If you suspect a pelvic fracture, allow the rear part of the body to hang.
Large and heavy dogs can be transported with a blanket. If you are alone, you can pull the blanket. If there are two of you, you should carry the blanket. If you suspect a spinal injury, use a board.
4. How can I prepare for an emergency?
Keep phone numbers at hand
Always have your veterinarian’s number at hand. This way, you can quickly make a call if an emergency happens.
Find out in advance about contacts outside the opening hours of the veterinary practice. For example, ask for the emergency service or the mobile phone number. Some practices have a recorded message with an emergency contact outside opening hours.
Practise with your dog
Practise going through an emergency with your healthy dog. You and the dog will then know the important measures. This will also help you get to know the dog’s normal vital signs. Key actions include:
Measure fever
Check the pulse rate
Apply a bandage
Check the colour of mucous membranes
Important: never practise resuscitation and cardiac massage on a healthy dog.
You can also attend a dog first-aid course. There you’ll be taught the right things to do. You can also often practise chest compressions and resuscitation on a doll.
5. Dog pharmacy supplies for emergencies
Have some dog pharmacy supplies at home in case of an emergency. Adjust the emergency pharmacy supplies according to the needs of your dog.
Gauze bandages
Elastic bandages
Self-adhesive bandages
Cotton wool
Swabs
Sterile compresses
Dressing packets for pressure dressing
Adhesive tape or plaster rolls
Bandage scissors
Disinfectant spray
Saline for rinsing
Wound ointment
Charcoal tablets or activated charcoal for poisoning and diarrhoea
Diarrhoea medication
Vaseline for inserting the fever thermometer
Dog’s medication
Disposable gloves
Disposable syringes
Disposable razor to remove fur from the wound area
Tweezers
Tick tweezers
Wooden spatula
Cool pack
Emergency blanket or thermal foil
Fever thermometer
Torch
Small plastic bags: this allows you to collect samples of a poison, for example. You can also use it as a garbage bag.
Muzzle or chin loop
Dog shoe or baby sock
Good to know: some stores offer first-aid kits for dogs. Check the equipment of the kit before buying.
6. How to proceed in the event of typical dog emergencies
Depending on the emergency, you need to take certain measures. You can find an overview of common emergencies here. This list is not exhaustive.
Important: if you are unsure, take your dog to the veterinarian.
Heavy bleeding
You should stop heavy or pulsating bleeding as soon as possible. To do this, apply direct pressure to the blood vessel or the bleed site with one finger.
Then apply a pressure bandage:
Place a sterile wound cover or swab on the wound. If neither is available, a clean piece of fabric will suffice.
Place a pressure pad on the wound. This could be a rolled-up gauze bandage, for example.
Now put on the bandage. Apply enough pressure on the bandage to stop the bleeding. Ideally, you should use self-adhesive bandages.
Go to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Loosen the pressure dressing as soon as possible. After all, areas below the bandage will otherwise no longer be supplied with blood.
Important: if something is stuck in the wound, do not remove it. Removing the object will increase the risk of further injury and bleeding.
Light bleeding
For a minor injury, you usually don’t have to go to the veterinarian’s practice. But take care of the wound.
Clean the wound. This can be done with a syringe filled with saline solution, for example.
Remove small splinters and fragments with tweezers. Make sure that no further injuries occur.
Disinfect the wound.
Cover the wound with a clean cloth or wrap it in a bandage.
If the wound does not heal or even worsens, go to the veterinarian’s practice.
Paw injuries
Clean the wound in the same way as for a light bleed.
Place a swab on the injured area.
Pad the areas between the toes with cotton wool. Remember also the thumb claw and the wolf claw on the hind leg.
Wrap the cotton dressing around the paw. Start at the top. Then go around the front of the paw and place the cotton wool under the paw in two layers. Then wrap the paw and leg. The important thing is to:
wrap the bandage from the outside to the inside. This way, you won’t accidentally twist the leg.
wrap the cotton wool one joint higher than the wound.
Wrap the adhesive bandage around the paw. You can do this using the same technique as with the cotton dressing. Important: wrap the adhesive bandage not quite as high as the cotton dressing. Otherwise, it might constrict the leg.
Stick the dressing to the leg using self-adhesive bandage.
Stick the self-adhesive bandage under the paw in a star shape. Then the dressing will not open with movement.
Important: protect the dressing from dirt and moisture. Put a sock over the dog's paw for walks. If it rains, use a plastic bag.
Typical symptoms of a bone fracture are:
Visible pain
Shock symptoms may present
In the case of a bone fracture in the leg:
lameness
no load bearing on the leg
swelling
possibly a bend in the leg
In the case of a fracture in the area of the spine: paralysis
In the case of a jaw fracture: bleeding from the mouth, nose or ears
If the pelvis is broken:
severe weakness in the hind legs or even paralysis
blood in the urine
bleeding from the anus
In the event of a broken bone, take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Allow injured limbs to hang down during transport. If you suspect a back injury, transport the dog on a board.
Avoid moving the dog’s limbs or head. You can cool the injured area. Do not attempt to reposition broken bones.
Open bone fracture
In the case of an open bone fracture, there is a higher risk of infection. This kind of injury also tends to bleed heavily.
Stop the bleeding if this happens. Cover the wound with sterile swabs or cloths.
In the event of respiratory arrest, perform mouth-to-nose resuscitation. In the event of cardiac arrest, carry out a cardiac massage. Check breathing and pulse regularly. Have the dog examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Shock means that the dog’s circulation is disrupted to a life-threatening degree. There may be too little fluid in the bloodstream. As a result, the organs will no longer receive enough oxygen. There are various causes of shock.
Symptoms of a state of shock are:
The dog is weakened.
You observe a listlessness and an absence of emotion (“apathy”). The dog may also be unconscious.
The dog staggers or collapses.
The mucous membranes are pale to white. The capillary filling time is longer than two seconds or you can no longer tell.
Extremities such as paws, the tail end and ears are cool. You may also observe trembling.
The dog takes shallow, fast breaths.
You can only feel a weak pulse. The heart beats faster than normal.
Take the dog to the veterinarian’s practice as soon as possible. Transport it in the recovery position. Keep the dog warm with blankets.
An allergic reaction can occur after an insect bite, for example. However, medications can also cause allergic reactions.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction or allergic shock vary depending on the severity. If you notice any of the following symptoms, take your dog to the vet:
The dog collapses
Shortness of breath
White or red mucous membranes
Swelling on the face
In the case of an insect bite, there may also be swelling around the bite. You can cool insect bites. If there is still a stinger at the site, remove it. If the insect bite is on a leg, keep the leg still.
Is the insect bite in the throat area? Then go to a veterinary practice as soon as possible. This can lead to life-threatening swelling.
Heat exhaustion, heat strokes and sunstrokes in dogs are life-threatening. If the body overheats, a dog can no longer regulate body temperature effectively. This is because dogs don’t have sweat glands.
The symptoms of heat stroke or sunstroke can vary greatly. Symptoms may include the following:
Increased panting and rapid shallow breathing
Excessive salivation
Bright red mucous membranes to begin with. Over time, they turn pale to bluish.
Staggering gait and problems balancing
Restlessness or trembling to the point of panic
Accelerated pulse
Exhaustion and cramps
Vomiting
Impaired consciousness or unconsciousness
Important: don’t count on the body temperature you feel. Especially in the case of sunstroke, this is often still in the normal range.
Difference between heat stroke and sunstroke
In the case of a heat stroke, the entire body of the dog overheats. No sunlight is necessary.
With a sunstroke, only the dog’s brain overheats. It doesn’t have to be warm for that. Prolonged direct sunlight on the head or neck of the dog is enough to cause sunstroke.
In case of heat stroke or sunstroke, you need to cool your dog. Move your dog into the shade or a cooler room as soon as possible.
Shower it with tap water. But it shouldn’t be too cold. Start with the paws and work your way towards the body. Stop actively cooling the body once it falls below 39.5 degrees Celsius. This way, you avoid hypothermia.
If the dog is unconscious, put it in the right recovery position. If you can’t detect any breathing, start with mouth-to-nose resuscitation. If you don’t feel a pulse, you should also do chest compressions. Take the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Important: don’t pour ice-cold water over the dog. The sudden change in temperature can be life-threatening.
Eaten something poisonous
The symptoms of poisoning depend on the poison. Look out for these signs:
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhoea
Excessive salivation
Discoloured mucous membranes
Nervousness and restlessness
Trembling
Breathing difficulties and respiratory distress
Tachycardia
Cramps
Weakness
Problems moving
Signs of paralysis
Circulatory problems including unconsciousness
Breathing problems
Blood in urine, faeces or vomit
In some cases, symptoms of poisoning only appear after a few hours or days.
If you suspect poisoning in your dog, go to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Don’t try to make the dog vomit.
Not only conventional poison is dangerous for dogs. Some plants and human stimulants can also cause poisoning symptoms in dogs. This includes:
Lilies
Tulips
Chocolate
Coffee
You can find more toxic food and plants in our article on providing a safe environment for dogs.
Foreign object swallowed
If a dog has eaten a foreign object, this is usually indicated by these symptoms:
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Fatigue
Loss of appetite and vomiting shortly after eating
Flatulence
Lack of defecation
In some cases, dogs vomit out the swallowed object straight away. If not, go to the veterinarian. Otherwise, a swallowed object can lead to a dangerous intestinal obstruction.
A gastric torsion is a life-threatening emergency. If you see symptoms, go to the veterinarian’s practice as soon as possible. This is because there are no first-aid measures for gastric torsion.
Look for the following signs:
Bloated, hard abdomen. Over time, the abdomen can gas up like a drum. Touching the abdomen hurts the dog.
Restlessness and a constant changing of position between walking, standing and lying down.
Curved back, known as the prayer position
Choking and unsuccessful vomiting. The dog may vomit foam.
Excessive salivation
Strained breathing
Pale mucosa in the mouth
Deterioration of the dog’s general condition including circulatory shock
Preventing gastric torsion
You can reduce the likelihood of gastric torsion:
Give the dog two to three meals throughout the day instead of one large one.
The dog should not run wild for at least an hour after eating.
Place your dog’s food bowl on the ground. Don't raise it.
This article has been checked by a specialist. Nevertheless, as a rule, you should contact a veterinarian in case of doubt. This will ensure that your dog is treated properly.
This article was first published on 11.06.2024
