Pet First Aid Guide

If your pet experiences a veterinary emergency, knowing how to react by providing appropriate first aid care may help save their life until you can get them veterinary attention. Read our Santa Monica Pet Medical Center team’s pet first aid guide to ensure you are prepared to help your four-legged friend in case of an emergency. 

What to do if your pet ingests a toxin

Numerous common foods and household products are toxic to pets. Ensure you learn about common pet toxins so you can better protect your four-legged friend from these substances. Examples include chocolate, xylitol, antifreeze, lilies, and rodent poison. If you know or suspect your pet has ingested or has been exposed to a toxin, follow these tips:

  • Remove the substance — Take the substance away from your pet to ensure they can’t ingest more poison.
  • Read the label — Check the product label and follow the instructions provided for human exposure. For example, if the label says wash your hands with soap and water, wash your pet’s skin thoroughly with mild soap and water.
  • Seek help — Call Santa Monica Pet Medical Center or Animal Poison Control to get expert advice on how to provide care for your pet.
  • Be prepared — When you call our facility or a poison control line, providers will ask you about the substance your pet has ingested or to which they have come in contact. Be prepared to provide the following information:

- Your pet’s species, breed, age, sex, and weight
- Substance ingested or to which they have been exposed
- The product label, so you can convey ingredients and concentrations
- The signs your pet is exhibiting
- The time at which your pet was exposed
- The amount of the substance your pet ingested

  • Bring along the packaging — When you are bringing your pet to our facility or an emergency hospital, bring along the product packaging as well as any material your pet may have vomited.

What to do if your pet experiences a traumatic event

If your pet is hit by a car or falls from a high elevation, they may sustain internal injuries that aren’t outwardly obvious, and they need a veterinary evaluation. If your pet experiences a trauma, before you call our Santa Monica Pet Medical Center or an emergency facility, follow these tips:

  • Check your pet — Check your pet for obvious injuries and bleeding from the mouth, nose, or rectum so you can relay these findings to the veterinary team.
  • Stay calm — Stay as calm as possible and keep your pet warm and quiet.
  • Muzzle your pet — An injured pet may bite. Muzzle your pet, and keep your face away from their mouth.
  • Keep your pet confined — When transporting your pet, confine them to a small area, such as a pet carrier, to help reduce their risk of additional injury.
  • Seek immediate veterinary care — Immediately bring your pet to our facility or your closest emergency veterinary hospital.

What to do if your pet is bleeding

If your pet is bleeding, use a clean towel or cloth to apply firm pressure for at least three minutes. If the bleeding is severe (i.e., does not stop after three minutes, or the blood soaks through the applied towel), follow these tips:

  • Add layers — Rather than removing the blood-soaked towel to replace it, add layers to prevent disturbing forming blood clots.
  • Apply a tourniquet — If the injury is on a limb, tighten a belt above the injury to help decrease bleeding.
  • Seek immediate veterinary care — Continue holding pressure on the wound and seek immediate veterinary attention.

What to do if your pet has a seizure

Seizures are upsetting, but if your pet has an episode, the most important thing you can do is stay calm so you can provide the care they need. If your pet experiences a seizure, follow these tips:

  • Move your pet — Move your pet away from furniture and other objects that may cause injury during the seizure.
  • Time the seizure — Time the seizure so you can relay this information to your veterinarian.
  • Video the seizure — If possible video the seizure, so your veterinarian can observe the episode.
  • Call your veterinarian — Once the seizure stops, contact your veterinarian to get advice on how to proceed.
  • Seek immediate veterinary attention — You should seek immediate veterinary care if your pet has two or more seizures in a 24-hour period, the seizure lasts longer than five minutes, or if you know or suspect your pet has ingested a toxin.

What to do if your pet experiences heatstroke

Pets, especially flat-faced (i.e., brachycephalic) breeds, and senior and overweight pets, have a high heatstroke risk. The condition’s signs include lethargy, excessive panting, thick, ropey drool, confusion, diarrhea, and collapse. If your pet overheats, follow these tips:

  • Move your pet — Move your pet to a cool, well-ventilated area.
  • Take your pet’s temperature — Use a rectal thermometer to take your pet’s temperature so you can monitor their condition and relay the information to your veterinarian.
  • Cool your pet — Pour lukewarm water over your pet, concentrating on their neck, abdomen, and groin.
  • Seek immediate veterinary care — Continue to cool your pet and take them to the nearest veterinary hospital.

Pet first aid kit

Keep a pet first aid kit in your home and in your car if you travel frequently with your pet. Stock the first aid kit with the following items:

  • Your pet’s medical records
  • Medications your pet is currently taking
  • Digital rectal thermometer
  • Spare leash and collar
  • Gauze rolls for dressing wounds and muzzling an injured pet. However, do not muzzle your pet if they are vomiting.
  • Clean towels
  • Nonstick bandages
  • Adhesive tape
  • Bandage scissors
  • Disposable gloves
  • Flashlight
  • Tweezers for removing foreign objects
  • Saline solution to flush wounds or eyes
  • Large syringe to administer oral treatments or to flush wounds
  • Antibacterial ophthalmic ointment 

Pet first aid is not a substitute for veterinary attention but may help save your pet’s life until a veterinary professional can provide care. Contact our Santa Monica Pet Medical Center team if you suspect your pet is experiencing a health emergency. Depending on your pet’s condition, we may refer you to a 24-hour critical care facility.