Do You Know Pet First Aid?

Until about a year ago while planning for the opening of A Dog's Dream, I never realized there was such a thing as a Pet First Aid course. Thankfully, I haven't had to use it on any of the dogs in daycare or grooming or my little man, Eddie. However, I can say that every now and then something causes me to stop and think of what I might do in a given situation, and I am so happy that I took the course and know what to do in an emergency.

Unlike other blogs, I am not going to put everything I learned down for you to read because I strongly believe being at the Red Cross with a trained instructor and practicing the skills (albeit on stuffed animals) is such a valuable experience. Not only do you learn how to check for what's "regular" for your dog (what healthy gums look like and the normal temperature), you are taught how to quickly identify when something may be amiss that's not completely obvious. We learned how to give dogs CPR, what to do in the case of a dog going into shock, how to properly bandage wounds, etc.

Some blogs on Pet First Aid suggest that taking the course may be an easy way to save some money on veterinary care. Although it may save some unnecessary trips to the vet for minor problems, I would never recommend that you use this course to supplement the care of a fully trained veterinarian. However, if a serious accident were to happen, having the knowledge of the best way to treat your dog on the way to the vet may mean the difference between life and death.