Emergency Pet Care

In the event of an earthquake, fire, accident, or other emergency, it may be necessary for you to provide first aid to your pet. Pet first aid is immediate and temporary care given to your injured pet until it can be taken to a veterinarian for more definitive medical care and attention.

Recognizing an Emergency

Get to know your pet's behavior and health. Use that knowledge and your common sense to recognize when your pet is experiencing a health emergency.

Watch for:

• Crying, whining, or yelps
• Bleeding or obvious deformities
• Unusual odors in the pet's environment, such as gas, smoke, or chemical
• Unusual behavior, such as dizziness, confusion, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Signs of shock, including:
  • Rapid, weak, or absent pulse
  • Unconsciousness
  • Cool limbs
  • Rapid, slow, or difficult breathing

Emergency Action Steps

• Check: Is the scene safe? If not, seek help. Check the injured animal only when it is safe to do so.
• Call: Telephone for help, but do not call 9-1-1 for an animal emergency. Start with your veterinarian, emergency animal hospital, local animal control, or humane society. If you suspect poisoning, call the ASPCA's Poison Control Hotline (1-888-426-4435, $55 fee) or the Pet Poison Helpline (1-800-213-6680, $35 fee).
• Care: If it is safe to do so, provide first aid as needed and transport your pet to a hospital, veterinarian, or shelter for further care.

Prepare a First Aid Kit

Keep a first aid kit on hand for yourself and include items to make it "pet-friendly," including:

• Telephone numbers for your veterinarian and a veterinary urgent care clinic
• Record of your pet's vital signs (normal pulse and breathing rates), health and vaccination records
• Photographs of your pet in case it should become lost

Basic First Aid

• Consult your veterinarian for more complete advice on providing first aid to your pet, especially if it has any ongoing health issues.
• Check for breathing. Administer rescue breathing or CPR, if needed.
• Control bleeding. Carefully apply pressure to the wound.
• Warm the animal. Wrap a thermal blanket around the animal's body.
• Elevate. Place a blanket beneath the animal's hind end to slightly elevate it. Do not do this if you suspect a neck or back injury.
• Transport your pet to a veterinarian or animal hospital immediately.

Take a Pet First Aid Class

• PetUtopia, (503) 646-5937
  Class offered quarterly. Fee: $45
• American Red Cross, (503) 528-5655
  Will provide space at their headquarters or will send an instructor any day and any time to a place that works for the participants. The cost to the sponsoring company, individual or group is $187 plus $22 per participant (with some per-participant price reductions available for larger groups).