An injured cat is frightened and in pain. It may be uncooperative or be so frantic that it will attempt to bite or scratch, so wrap it in blankets, or provide other restraining measures that can prevent further injury. Timely action may be vital. It is wise to have a book on pet first aid on hand. Always keep a simple first-aid kit for pets in your home which contains bandages, tape, scissors, a blanket for restraint, and simple medications such as milk of magnesia (antacid laxative); hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting; antibiotic ointments for the eyes and skin; milk of bismuth (antidiarrheal) and mineral oil. Know the location of the nearest veterinary hospital.

Heat Stroke

If the cat is confined to a poorly ventilated car or pen or is exposed to the summer sun for long periods, it can get heat stroke, causing it to become frantic, unconscious, or groggy and gasping for breath. Remove the cat from the overheated place at once and immediately wet it thoroughly with water. Rapid cooling is vital. After this treatment, take the cat promptly to a hospital.

Poisoning

Cats are commonly poisoned because they groom themselves constantly and can ingest toxic substances picked up on their feet or fur. Do not use solvents that are toxic, such as turpentine, gasoline, or kerosene. It is best to let the material harden on the hair and then cut the hair off; it will soon grow back. Cats also like to eat leaves from house plants, but you should try to prevent this because some, like poinsettia, are highly toxic. In cases of suspected poisoning, always seek veterinary advice promptly.

Hair Balls

When cats groom themselves they swallow hair, which can accumulate in the stomach and intestines, causing the cat to vomit. Adding a teaspoonful of mineral oil to the cat’s food three days in a row helps compact mats of hair in the stomach and facilitates passage through the intestines. Then give the cat one to two teaspoonfuls of milk of magnesia on the fourth day to speed the recovery process. If your cat swallows a small object, it will usually pass safely through the intestinal tract and appear in the stool. To facilitate passage of sharp objects such as a needle, feed your cat small pads of cotton soaked in milk. They will surround the needle and escort it on its journey.

Bleeding

Bleeding can be contolled by a firm pressure bandage. Pull a clean sock on to the leg or wrap the cut area with a washcloth or layers of paper towels. Then wrap a bandage firmly over the sock or cloth. Start wrapping at the foot and continue up the leg in a spiral, going above the area of the cut. Transport the cat to a hospital.

Removing Thorns

Deeply embedded thorns and fishhooks require veterinary help, since anesthesia will be necessary. If a fishhook is superficially embedded, try to push the hook through, then cut the barbed end with cutting pliers and back the hook out.  Remove a thorn with tweezers and/or a sewing needle. Puncture wounds are always infected, so treatment is necessary.

Bone Fracture

If a cat falls from a great height or is hit by a car, it will probably have broken bones and be in shock.  If its leg is fractured, immobilize the cat, wrap the leg in layers of towels or newspapers, holding them in place with a cord. Animals with severe injuries are always in shock, so they must be wrapped in towels or blankets to conserve heat (even in warm weather) and promptly taken to a hospital.

Transporting Injured Cats

To move an injured cat, grasp it by the skin of the neck and by the skin of the rump near the tail. Then gently slide it onto a blanket or cardboard box. Pull the cat on the blanket along the ground so that it is moved with the legs trailing behind. Avoid bending the legs or backbone. Wrap blankets around the cat in the box to keep it warm and make it comfortable. A closed box or pillow case may have a calming effect. Then carefully lift the box into the car. If the cat is conscious, keep talking to it quietly reassure it.

Basic First Aid: Injured dogs are frightened and in pain. They may be uncooperative or frantic, so they may attempt to bite or scratch. That’s why it’s important that you first carefully muzzle your injured dog and then wrap it in blankets to prevent any further injury.

Keep a first-aid kit in your home for your pets containing bandages, tape, scissors, materials for making a muzzle and simple medications: milk of magnesia (antacid laxative); hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting; antibiotic ointments for the eyes and skin; milk of bismuth (antidiarrheal) and mineral oil. Know the location of the nearest veterinary hospital.

Muzzling Your Dog: With a sufficiently long bandage, cloth tape or cotton-made cord, make a loop around dog’s nose and mouth, wraping it around several times, and then secure the muzzle by tying a bow behind the dog’s ears.

Bleeding: Minor bleeding can be controlled by using a pressure bandage. Place a clean sock or washcloth on the wound, then gently apply pressure to the wound. If the bleeding doesn’t stop in five minutes, then transport the injured dog to a hospital.

Heat Stroke: If dogs are confined to poorly ventilated cars or pens, or are even exposed to the hot summer sun for long periods, they can have heat strokes, which can cause them to become frantic, groggy or unconscious. Remove the dog from the overheated area at once and immediately wet it thoroughly with cool water. Rapid cooling is vital. If the dog fails to revive in 2 minutes, promptly transport it to the nearest animal hospital.

Fractures and Shock: If your dog is injured from a fall or is hit by a car, it will may have one or more broken bones and be in shock.  If you suspect that a leg or another body part is fractured, immobilize the dog by wrapping the injured area with a towel, blanket or even newspapers, holding them in place with a cord. Animals with severe injuries are usually in shock, so they must be wrapped in blankets, towels or some other protective covering to conserve heat, even in warm weather, and then promptly taken to a hospital.

Transporting an Injured Dog: If your dog is small, gently grasp it by the skin of its neck and rump, then wrap it in a blanket or put it into cardboard box. Avoid bending the dog’s legs or backbone. If your dog is large, gently slide a blanket under it, keeping the backbone straight. Then pull the dog onto the blanket, making sure that its legs are trailing behind. If possible, get assistance in lifting and placing the dog in the car.

Poisoning: If poisoning results from toxic materials that contact your dog’s skin, use lots of soap and water to thoroughly remove the toxins. Do not use solvents such as turpentine, gasoline, or kerosene. If poisoning results from ingested toxins, quickly induce vomitting by administering one or two teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide orally every ten minutes for three doses. Kaopectate should them be given to inhibit absorption of any toxic material that may remain. Seek veterinary advice promptly.

Removing Fishhooks and Thorns: Deeply embedded thorns and fishhooks require veterinary help, since anesthesia will be necessary. If a fishhook is superficially embedded, try to push the hook through, then cut the barbed end with cutting pliers and back the hook out.  Remove a thorn with tweezers and/or a sewing needle. Puncture wounds are always infected, so treatment is necessary

Pet birds may be caged or allowed to remain on perches while the owner is home to supervise their activity. Birds should, however, be confined to cages while their owners are away to avoid accidental injury and other misfortunes.

Unsupervised pet birds allowed “the run of the house” often get into trouble. Not only can they be terribly destructive to the home and its furnishings, but all homes contain objects that can be harmful (directly or indirectly) to pet birds. These include mirrors, windows, walls, house plants, electrical cords, and items containing harmful chemicals. Birds resting on open perches are usually content to remain there, and usually take flight only when frightened by a sudden movement or loud noise. Unfortunately, these “impromptu” flights are taken without a flight plan and birds usually wind up crashing into walls, doors, windows or mirrors because of their confusion and poor depth perception.

The major source of poisoning of pet birds is lead, found in curtain (drapery) weights, curtain pulls, leaded and stained glass, fishing sinkers and ammunition carelessly discarded in ashtrays or dropped on the floor, costume jewelry, and in the lead wrapping around the tops of wine bottles, to name the most common sources. Most caged birds seem to have an affinity, for this soft metal and love to chew on it. Poisoning results from eating even a small amount of lead. Lead poisoning can be successfully treated if diagnosed early enough.

Caged birds allowed unrestricted freedom in the home may eat house plants or chew on electrical cords, resulting in illness and injury. Some unsupervised pet birds chew on macrame, carpet and other similar fabrics and often swallow these materials, resulting in crop and intestinal impactions. Free-flying birds are also more vulnerable to injury from ceiling fans, hot stoves, and attack by pet dogs, cats and ferrets sharing the same household. It is wise not to underestimate the aggressiveness of our 4-legged friends, and to restrict contact between them and pet birds as much as possible. Birds allowed unrestricted freedom and flight within the home may escape through open doors and windows. Most bird owners have the mistaken notion that their bird would never fly away and leave them. Unfortunately, birds that have escaped the owner’s home easily become disoriented when outdoors. This confusion makes return or capture of the escaped bird very unlikely.

The location of the cage and/or perch in the home is important. Some birds thrive in areas of heavy traffic, where they receive lots of attention and are part of the “goings on.” Others seem to prefer more privacy and solitude. A pet bird should never be kept in the kitchen. In addition to the obvious gas fumes and occasional smoke from cooking food, there is another, much more dangerous, threat to birds in the kitchen. Super-heated Teflon and related brand-name non-stick pan coatings emit fumes that are deadly to all birds. This “accident” happens most often when someone inadvertently leaves a pan, coated with a non-stick surface, on a lighted gas or electric range burner. The pan becomes hot and the non-stick coating overheats, emitting toxic fumes. Birds that inhale these fumes die quickly. There are several other considerations when allowing birds unrestricted freedom and flight within the home. Birds flying about may end up in the toilet bowl or in an uncovered pot or pan cooking on the stove. Free-flying birds tend to assume a more dominant posture in their relationship with people, and often become intolerably aggressive.
Drafts

Contrary to popular opinion, drafts are not harmful to healthy pet birds. A draft is really nothing more than a slight movement of air, usually accompanied by a mild temperature drop. A bird’s feathers provide insulation against temperature extremes far in excess of what a draft represents. Drafts are, therefore, usually inconsequential to pet birds. The notable exception to this is the cool and sometimes cold air produced by air conditioners. Most caged birds cannot tolerate the rapid temperature extremes produced by thermostatically controlled air conditioners. For this reason, cages and perches should not be positioned directly beside or beneath air conditioning, heating and ventilation outflows. Further, sick birds should always be removed from drafty circumstances to prevent heat loss.
Night Cage Covering

Covering the bird’s cage at night is open to question. Because of the tremendous insulating capacity of feathers, covering a bird’s cage at night may not be necessary to protect the occupant from the cool drafts during the night when the thermostat is usually turned down. The one exception to this would be on cold nights in colder climates. A benefit of covering your bird’s cage at night is that it provides a regular period of privacy not usually allowed during the day. Further, it tends to keep the bird quiet in the early morning when it would otherwise become active and vocal. If you now cover your bird’s cage at night, continue to do so. If you have not done so in the past and find that your pet bird panics or acts agitated with a cover over its cage…do not continue covering the cage.

Advanced animal care in Salem