First aid advice for pets

Sometimes our pets can get into very compromising positions and give us quite a scare.

To avoid panic in these moments, we have compiled First Aid information to assist you in the most common situations.

Just remember to keep yourself and your pet calm and contact us immediately for assistance if you’re unsure of the next step or begin to panic.

 

Bee Sting

Symptoms:
Mild swelling, hives, redness, itching or irritation

What should you do?

  • Remove sting by scraping it sideways
  • Apply a cold pack to the affected area
  • Keep your pet cool, calm and well hydrated
  • Monitor your pet foe the next 6 hours in case of delayed hyposensitivity response

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT pull the sting out by squeezing the venom sack on top of the sting
  • DO NOT panic!

Call GEOvet immediately if:

  • Your pet has facial swelling or hives
  • Your pet has difficulty breathing
  • Your pet acts abnormally
  • You are worried!

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

 

Bite Wounds

Symptoms:
Puncture marks, lacerations, bleeding.

What should you do?

  • Make sure you don’t get bitten as well!
  • Apply pressure to any bleeding
  • Keep your pet cool, calm and offer water

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!

Call GEOvet immediately if:

  • Your pet has difficulty breathing
  • Your pet acts abnormally
  • Wounds require surgical intervention and antibiotics
  • You are worried!

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Bleeding

Symptoms:
Visible blood (external)
Swelling and bruising (internal – although not always noticeable)

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool, calm and well hydrated
  • Apply pressure
  • Elevate affected area

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!

Call GEOvet immediately if:

  • Your pet has pale gums
  • Your pet acts abnormally
  • You are worried!
  • Bleeding hasn’t stopped after 5 minutes

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Broken Leg

Symptoms:
Non weight bearing on that leg
Visible bone protrusion

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool, calm and offer water
  • Immobilise your pet

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Can't go to the toilet

Symptoms:
Squatting and straining

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool, calm and offer water
  • Call for veterinary advice immediately
  • Male cats – this is an EMERGENCY

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Choking

Symptoms:

  • Neck outstretched, gagging, coughing
  • Cannot keep water or food down

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool and calm

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Coughing

Symptoms:

  • Harsh, gagging or a soft wheezy cough
  • What should you do?
  • Keep your pet cool, calm and offer water

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!

Call GEOvet immediately if:

  • Your pet has difficulty breathing
  • pale tongue or gums
  • The cough is escalating and your pet appears to be in distress
  • Your pet acts abnormally
  • You are worried!

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Diarrhoea

Symptoms:
Watery faeces

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool, calm and well hydrated
  • If your pet is not vomiting and is otherwise acting normally, feed a bland diet (boiled chicken and rice) for a few days to see if diarrhoea settles

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!
  • Call GEOvet immediately if:
  • Your pet has difficulty breathing
  • Your pet acts abnormally
  • You are worried!
  • Your pet is also vomiting as severe hydration may ensue

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Heatstroke

Symptoms:
Sever panting, lethargy
Hot to touch, may be in shock
Normal temp should be <39 Celsius

What should you do?

  • Wet your pet completely with a hose and place under a fan or air-conditioner,
  • Keep them calm and offer water
  • Seek veterinary help immediately. Multi-organ failure can ensue, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!
  • DO NOT WAIT AND SEE IF THEY WILL BE OKAY

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Hit by car

Symptoms:

May be in shock and not moving
Possible broken bones, wounds and bleeding

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool and calm
  • Ensure your own safety
  • Transport your pet onto a sturdy makeshift stretcher or towel
  • Get them in a car and get them to the Vet immediately

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!
  • DO NOT WAIT AND SEE IF THEY WILL BE OKAY

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

  • Also see broken bones and bleeding

Limping & Sore Paw

Symptoms:

  • Lameness, Holding up foot, licking sore area
  • Swelling, possibly a wound will be evident

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool, calm and offer water
  • Strict rest. Outside to toilet on a leash only
  • Check for infection (call vet if you notice pus, swelling or bleeding)
  • Call vet if your pet is still limping after 24 hours

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT panic!

Call GEOvet immediately if:

  • Your pet has difficulty breathing
  • Your pet acts abnormally
  • You are worried!

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Rat Bait

Symptoms:
Unlikely to show any symptoms for 2-4 days
Stops blood from clotting, causing internal bleeding

After a few days: lethargy, lameness, pale gums, coughing, swelling, inappetence, blue or green pellets in faeces or vomit

What should you do?

Seek veterinary help immediately. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT WAIT TO SEE IF THEY ARE OKAY

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Snail Pellets

Symptoms:
Twitching, possibly progressing quickly to seizures
Racing heart rate, vomiting, diarrhea, rigidity and respiratory failure

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool and calm, do not get bitten
  • Seek veterinary help immediately. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT WAIT TO SEE IF THEY ARE OKAY

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Poisoning - other toxins

Symptoms:
Possibly vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, lethargy
Any abnormal behaviour

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool, calm and well hydrated
  • Seek veterinary help immediately. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • DO NOT WAIT TO SEE IF THEY ARE OK!

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Seizures

Symptoms:
A seizure is any sudden and uncontrolled movement of the animal’s body caused by abnormal brain activity
Seizures can be caused by epilepsy, toxins, low blood sugar, brain tumours and a host of other medical conditions

What should you do?

  • Protect the pet from injuring themselves during or after the seizure
  • Record the time the seizure begins and ends. Keep them cool
  • Seek veterinary help immediately. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting a vet
  • Don’t allow yourself to be injured by trying to restrain them
  • Do not place your hands near the pet’s mouth
  • Do not try to ‘shock’ them out of a seizure. It will end when it ends

Call GEOvet immediately for further advice.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

 

Snake bite

Symptoms:
Possible vomiting, weakness, paralysis, dilated pupils, drooling (symptoms may not be apparent immediately)

What should you do?

  • Keep the pet calm and immobile; carry if necessary
  • Get your pet to the vet immediately, even if you are unsure and only suspect that they may have been bitten by a snake

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting your vet
  • DO NOT touch the wound site in any way
  • DO NOT tourniquet the site
  • DO NOT try to catch or kill the snake

Seek veterinary help immediately. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422

Vomiting

Symptoms:
Retching or obvious vomiting
Stomach convulsions

What should you do?

  • Keep your pet cool, calm and offer lots of water
  • Withold food for 12 hours and offer bland rice and boiled chicken

What you shouldn’t do!

  • DO NOT administer medications without consulting your vet
  • DO NOT panic

Call GEOvet immediately if:

  • Your pet has difficulty breathing
  • Your pet vomits more than twice in a 24 hour period
  • Your pet acts abnormally
  • You are worried!

24 hour Emergency Service: 9754 4422