Buster lies quietly bandaged as part of an emergency first aid class put on at VESCONE. (John J. Crookes photo)

Daily News Tribune
Published: 9/20/05
By: Carrie Simmons / Daily News Staff

WALTHAM, Mass. - Massachusetts may not be at major risk for hurricanes but local veterinarians are encouraging pet owners to prepare for disasters and learn basic first aid to help pets in need.

"We don't have hurricanes but what about snowstorms? What if you lose power?" asked veterinarian Amy Shroff, co-owner of the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center of New England on Bear Hill Road. "Even on a really small level, preparation is really important."

During a workshop last night, veterinarian Heather Chalfant told pet owners to take their animals with them if they need to evacuate their homes. She encouraged them to prepare a first aid kit stocked with hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting, saline solution to clean wounds, Benadryl to treat insect bites or other allergic reactions and bandaging materials.

An emergency kit should also include vaccination documents, medication, a collar with a pet's name, a list of family members or friends willing to take the pet and important phone numbers for vets and animal hospitals, as well as recent photos of any pets.

"With Hurricane Katrina there have been thousands of animals who have been found," said Chalfant. Shelters have posted hundreds of pictures on Petfinder.com to try to reunite the pets with their owners.

Jeanne Curry of Waltham listened intently last night as Chalfant demonstrated how to apply a temporary bandage to a wound and use a blanket as a stretcher.

Curry was walking her dog Shanti on Forest Street last winter when a driver turned in front of the pair as they crossed a side street in a crosswalk. Curry grabbed her dog to avoid getting hit and they both fell to the ground.

"There is so much traffic now even when you are walking your dog and crossing in a crosswalk," said Curry. "Drivers don't even see you. They are looking at the street."

Chalfant also showed pet owners how to find a pulse and a heartbeat and take a dog's temperature.

"It is important to learn what is normal for your pet so you can know what is abnormal," she said. A healthy dog or cat should have a temperature between 100 and 102.5 degrees and take 20-40 breaths per minute with relatively little effort. If a dog is extending its head and pointing its elbows out or if a cat is panting, they are probably having difficulty breathing, Chalfant said.

Pet owners can check a small animal's heart rate by cupping the pet's chest while the animal is on all fours. The pulse for a larger dog can be found on the inside of the thigh toward the hip joint.

Cats should have a pulse of 120-180 beats per minute while dogs should have a pulse of 70-120 beats per minute in a calm state.

A dog or cat's gums should be pink, Chalfant said. White gums could indicate anemia while blue gums indicate respiratory or cardiovascular problems. If a dog or cat has ingested Tylenol, which is toxic to animals, their gums might turn brown.

Before anything else, a pet owner or someone who is helping a sick or injured animal should protect himself against injury, Chalfant said.

"A dog or cat that normally would not bite can injure you if they are in pain," she said. "If it is a dog that you don't know you need to make sure that you are safe first."