top of page

First aid for dogs – what to do in an emergency?

Accidents or acute health problems can occur suddenly in dogs, too. In such situations, quick and correct action can be crucial. As a dog owner, it's important to be familiar with basic first aid measures to keep your pet stable in an emergency until you arrive at the vet. The following explains how to react correctly in typical emergency situations and what first aid steps are necessary for various health problems.

Contents of this page

 

What constitutes an emergency?

Was ist ein Notfall

An emergency occurs when vital functions such as breathing, circulation, or consciousness are acutely impaired, or when your dog's condition deteriorates rapidly.


Typical signs:

  • Severe or persistent bleeding

  • Difficulty breathing, choking, signs of suffocation

  • Seizures, loss of consciousness

  • Collapse, sudden paralysis

  • Suspected poisoning

  • Severe injuries or burns


If you are unsure, it's better to act sooner rather than later!

First priorities in an emergency

Prios

1. Treat life-threatening symptoms first
        e.g.: severe respiratory distress, respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, shock, severe bleeding

2. Next, attend to non-life-threatening illnesses/injuries
         e.g.: fractures, deep wounds

3. Finally, address minor injuries/illnesses
         e.g.: abrasions, small cuts

Examine the dog in an emergency

Hund untersuchen

In an emergency, it is important to first check the dog's vital functions to assess the severity of the situation.

1. Body temperature

  • unter 37,5 °C --> Unterkühlung

  • 37,5 °C - 39,2 °C -->Normbereich

  • ab 39,2 °C --> erhöhte Temperatur

  • über 40 °C --> Fieber

  • über 41 °C --> NOTFALL (Lebensgefahr)

Measurement of respiratory rate

2. Check breathing

  • Breaths are detected by the movement of the ribs, i.e., the expansion and rise of the rib cage, and are counted behind the last rib (see arrow).

 

  • Normal: 10–30 breaths per minute

 

  • Significantly faster, shallow, or labored --> critical!

 

  • Over 40 breaths per minute: anxiety, pain, fever

The picture shows where the dog's breathing rate is measured. This place is at the end of the dog's last rib.

Measurement of pulse rate

3. Measurement of the pulse

  • Normal: 60–120 beats per minute

  • Very fast, weak, or not palpable --> Warning sign!

  • Use the tips of your index and middle fingers to locate the femoral artery and feel or count the pulse.

4. Mucous membranes & capillary refill time

  • Press firmly on the gum with your fingertip so that a whitish spot appears due to the displacement of the blood vessels.

  • Normal: The whitish spot disappears immediately (approx. 1 second).

  • Indication of shock: The whitish spot takes more than 3 seconds to disappear.

uls messen beim Hund an der Oberschenkelarterie

​Measurement of capillary filling time

Kapillare Füllungszeit am Zahnfleisch des Hundes prüfen

Measurement of skin tension
(skin turgor)

5. Skin turgor (fluids status)

  • A skin fold is pulled up on the back of the dog's neck and then immediately released.

  • Normal: The skin fold retracts immediately.

  • Dehydration: The skin fold remains raised.

Hautturgor beim Hund messen
A finger presses on the gums of a West Highland Terrier to measure capillary refill time.

Measurement of capillary filling time

Measurement of skin tension
(skin turgor)

The fold of skin on the dog's neck is pulled up to measure the dog's fluid levels.

Common emergency situations

Notfallsituationen

The stable side position for dogs

- The dog is placed on the side in a stable position on the right hand side of the dog. - The dog's body should be underlaid with soft material so that it is higher than the head. - The mouth is examined to check for any vomit or to remove foreign bodies . The respiratory tract is to be kept free. - Front and hind limbs are stretched out. - If the dog is unconscious, the mouth should be opened and the tongue has to be pulled out.

​The state of shock

Shock is a life-threatening disorder of the circulatory system in which the organs no longer receive sufficient oxygen. Initially, the body automatically reacts to a drop in blood pressure by constricting blood vessels to the brain, lungs and heart to provide sufficient blood/oxygen. However, the longer this condition persists, the lower the dog's survival rate. Causes: - infection - severe blood or fluid losses - heart muscle damage - hypersensitivity reaction - reaction to trauma, fear or pain symptoms: - apathy - weakness - unconsciousness - staggering gait - tremble - cold limbs - weak pulse - increased heart rate - shallow breathing Treatment of a shock condition: 1. Determine the cause (injury, insect bite, etc.) 2. Place the dog in a stable side position 3. Keep airways clear 4. Measure pulse and breathing rate repeatedly and assess the dogs' mucous membranes 5. Calm the dog and keep it warm in a blanket 6. Visit the vet or have them come because the dog requires rapid supply of fluids and other medication into the bloodstream

Poisoning of a dog

If you suspect that your dog has been poisoned, the first thing to do is to examine the dog. 1. Measure pulse rate 2. Measure temperature 3. Assess your dogs' mouth mucous membranes 4. Take out existing residues of the ingested poison of the mouth and take these remains with you to the vet - even if the dog only had contact with poison with the skin or over the respiratory tract! 5. Determine what, how much and when it has been eaten, touched or inhaled 6. Go to the vet immediately! Most common chemical poisons: - rat and mole poison, slug pellets, cleaning and disinfectant products, antifreeze, pesticides, moth poison, bleach, solvents Plants that are poisonous to dogs in whole or in part: - Columbine, boxwood, clematis, Christmas rose - Ivy, yew, monkshood - Hydrangea, lupine, mistletoe - Oleander, rhododendron, holly

When should you go to the vet immediately?

Wann TA?

Don't hesitate and seek veterinary help immediately if:

 

  • your dog is unconscious

  • there is severe bleeding

  • there is difficulty breathing

  • there are seizures

  • poisoning is suspected

Contents of the home first-aid kit

Inhalt Erste-Hilfe-Box

Before you take any specific measures, it is a good idea to have a well-stocked first aid kit for dogs ready. This should contain the following items:

  • A roll of adhesive plaster (e.g. Leukoplast)

  • bandage scissors

  • Curved scissors with (preferably rounded ends)

  • tweezers

  • tick tweezers

  • gauze pads (large and small)

  • compresses

  • Elastic gauze bandages (various sizes)

  • clinical (digital) thermometer

  • flashlight

  • cotton wool (e.g. for padding the bandage)

  • Antiseptic ointment

  • disinfectant for dogs

  • Self-adhesive bandage material (various sizes)

  • disposable gloves

  • disinfectants or wipes

bottom of page