The Importance of Pet First Aid

Our team at K9 Gentle Dental recently took part in a Pet First Aid course from Walks “N” Wags. We know how important it is to be knowledgeable about pet first aid, which is why we ensure all of our staff is certified. You can also look at c2cfirstaidaquatics.com for more certificate courses. Walks “N” Wags hosts training sessions all over Canada and it’s easy to join. (Read on for more information about how to sign up for one of their pet first aid courses.) Although we hope to never have to use them, having the skills to deal with emergency situations could save your dog’s life. Here are some of the main reasons why pet first aid is so important.
	“The Walks “N” Wags pet first aid course was such a great, information-filled experience. Living in a multi-pet household, and working with animals daily, I have a better knowledge for injury and illness prevention and am ready for any emergency.” -Amanda, K9 Gentle Dental Staff
Emergency Care The sad fact is, emergency situations happen all the time and you never know when it might happen to your pet. Walks “N” Wags teaches emergency preparedness with a complete list of steps to take. They also teach skills like pet CPR and artificial respiration that can make a huge difference in the outcome of a serious accident. Other subjects include bone injuries, ear injuries, eye injuries, choking, frostbite, burns, and so much more. When we attend these courses, almost everyone has a story of when they were involved in or were a bystander to a serious accident involving a pet. The chances of being involved in such a situation as a pet owner sometime in your life are quite high. Having Pet First Aid skills will prepare you for situations like that, and increase the chances of a happy outcome, whether it is your pet or a stranger’s.
“I used to go to the dog park at Trout Lake in East Vancouver almost every day. I always had my pet first aid kit with me in the car. Unfortunately, dogfights are part of the dog park life. Luckily, my own dog was never injured, but many times other dogs were scraped or bitten and my first aid kit and training came in very handy. Not only was I able to help clean the wounds immediately, I was able to do a basic assessment of the injuries, which always helped calm the owner down. “ -Hannah, K9 Gentle Dental Staff
Preventative Care Knowing what to do in an emergency situation is amazing, but what about avoiding preventable injuries? They teach that too! Poisoning is a serious problem in pets. Especially since there are many human foods that are lethal to pets, and some of them aren’t common knowledge. Most people know that anti-freeze is deadly to dogs. But did you know that grapes are also poisonous to dogs? The Walks “N” Wags course teaches a wide range of poisons, how to spot them, and how to deal with them should your pet come in contact.
“The Walks “N” Wags pet first aid course was informative and added to my knowledge of animal health, nutrition, and first aid procedures. It was interesting how some procedures were different from human first aid and I really enjoyed how much of a focus there was on prevention!” -Ada, K9 Gentle Dental Staff
But What About Vets? The pet first aid course is certainly not a substitute for veterinary care; it’s an add-on. The skills and knowledge you are taught are to give the best care to the animal at the time of emergency and on the way to the vet’s office. They teach you skills like how to approach, how to restrain, and how to transport an injured animal. These are all skills you will need in an emergency situation in order to get the animal to the vet’s office. Other skills like dealing with bone or eye injuries are also meant to deal with the emergency right away before you can reach a vet’s office.
“While working at a restaurant, I packed leftovers for a customer. Luckily, I overheard him talking about giving the food to his dog. The dish contained a lot of raisins, which can be toxic to dogs. I told the customer and he was very relieved to have been told, but also shocked that he didn’t know. Some toxins really aren’t common knowledge, so I’m really glad I learned about them at the pet first aid course.” -Hannah, K9 Gentle Dental Staff
I’m in! How do I sign up? There are different programs out there, but we really love Walks “N” Wags. Check out their website here: http://www.walksnwags.com You can find classes in your area, and online resources, and you can even become an instructor! Good luck!