Having a dog is a lifestyle choice. They soon become a valued member of your family, and you ultimately shape your life around them and their well-being too. If the day ever comes when they get hurt either through an accidental injury or something more catastrophic, you need to be prepared. This looks like many different things. This article explains all about how to help your treasured dog if they become hurt.
Immediate Action
In the first moments after the injury occurs, time might feel like it has slowed down. Your brain will be in panic mode while you assess what has happened and what the consequences of this are for your pet. There are some immediate things that you can do to help your dog.
Do Whatever You Can to Make Them Safe
Sometimes, just like with people, moving your dog is not the best idea. It might exacerbate their injuries and cause further damage, or it might not even be possible. Where you can see a clear path forward and you have made all the necessary observations as to how safe it is, it is time to do whatever you can to make them comfortable and remove them from danger.
- Keep them warm with any spare layers of clothing
- Do not remove any objects that are stabbed into the animal
- Only pick them up if you have access to the whole body and can do so safely without causing further damage
Emergency Vet Attendance
If the injury looks substantial, it is always safer to see a vet. Emergency vets can be expensive; however, they are often the only option to ensure your dog gets the help they need. Finding an expert travelling pet hospital is easier than ever, and there are some companies that truly outshine their competition in this area. So, always lean on someone reliable because your dog is more than worth it.
Be There for Them
The best thing any owner can do in this situation is present for their dog. Dogs and their primary person have a unique bond, and they will feel comfort from your presence. Even though it may be hard, and you might feel useless, sticking by their side and offering your voice as a reassuring companion will help more than you know. Just like when you’re feeling poorly or stressed out, and your pet comes to you to show you they’re here no matter what, you get to return the favour.
After the Fact
Once you have dealt with the immediate aftermath in the best way possible, your dog has received medical treatment if necessary, and you are now in the chapter of recovery, this is new territory for both of you. There may be some adjustments that need to happen, and regardless of how big or small, these are it can be difficult to implement and bounce back. For life post-incident, there are often five core areas that owners have to adapt to.
Adjusting Your Outdoor Space
If your dog has compromised a leg, whether it is lost forever or in a pot while it heals from a break, your outdoor space will need some tweaking to make it safe. They will not be able to exert themselves while recovering, so things like steps and drops need to be made safe. Try to cordon off a completely neutral and appropriate area of the outside space that they can have their nature fix in and you can stick with them to supervise.
Accommodating Injuries
No matter how serious or small the injury, there are bound to be accommodations. Your house, in addition to the garden area, will be a hazard until they are better once more. This means you have to up your level of supervision and support. Their walk schedule will likely be interrupted, which could lead to some adverse behaviour for a while. Your animal might be stressed or in pain, and you are its key advocate in these circumstances. Ensure they have all the pain medication they need, complete comfort and warmth, and are not left alone while they return to health.
Managing Downtime with an Active Breed
Injuries in active breeds are harder to navigate. Your dog will naturally have a bigger amount of pent-up energy that they need to release, and will undoubtedly be yearning for uncapped zoomies once more. However, as sorry as you feel for them, it is in their best interests to restrict their movements until everything is as it should be. Keep them on a lead during their outside time, and try to move towards more gentle games and increase the one-to-one affection ratio as well. The more attention they get, the easier this transitional period will be for both of you.
Tips for Administering Medication
Helping your dog take their medicine, as every dog owner will know, is difficult. Some breeds take it better than others, and some are easier to fool. However, plenty of dogs out there know what we’re trying to do and have clever (but cheeky) ways of avoiding what needs to be done. The best tip for medication aversion behaviour is to use their favourite food to get the job done. The liquid medication is undeniably easier to inject into a tasty sausage, but tablets can be broken up. Always monitor your dog to make sure it has actually gone where it should go because appearances can be deceiving.
Staying Up to Date with Vet Appointments
Finally, attending all the follow-up appointments is non-negotiable. A vet is the only person who can tell you the progress of recovery and adjust treatment plans too.
When your dog gets hurts it is naturally extremely distressing for both of you. It is essential that you seek medical attention to assess the extent of the injury and receive the most appropriate and nurturing course of action moving forward. While some accidents are easy to return to normal life afterwards, others are more debilitating and will require some big adjustments. Your pet needs you to be their voice and advocate for their needs, so listen and speak up and do what’s right for your dog.
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