Pet First Aid & CPR Pet Safety

Muzzle for Safety

5/6/2014

We would all like to think "our" pet is the best but if your leg was broken you can't say how you would react when someone tried to assist you. Movement and stress aggravate the pain already associated with a trauma. For your safety and that of your pets please muzzle your pet "BEFORE" you begin any treatments.

Also take the time to check your environment. Is it safe? Administer care only if the conditions are safe for you to do so.

Step 1 - Make a loop in the center of a leash, a piece of ribbon, gauze
Step 2 - Put over muzzle with cross on top
Step 3 - Under the muzzle crisscross then pull back to behind head
Step 4 - Tie with a bow (do not knot)

Your pet should be able to breathe fine with this muzzle on. You want it tight enough to stay on but not so tight that you can't slip a finger between the red ribbon and your pets muzzle.

Practicing on your pet while help you to become familiar with the technique and your pet will become accustomed to the procedures too. This means when an emergency occurs you won't be adding the extra stress this could cause if it was an unfamiliar role for you both to be in.

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Can you take an "exotic" to the Pet ER?

1/28/2014

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The short answer is, "probably not." ???!!!??? WHAT?!?

So I got to thinking about it today, what if my mini pig had a pet emergency and it was after my day vets hours? Could I take her to the local 24 hour Pet ER?

I called and they said, "well, we have 6 veterinarians and one of them is an exotic vet but she does not work after 6PM." So I called another and they flat told me they wouldn't accept an exotic and told me to call the first place I already called. So I looked up the local 24 emergency vet clinics on my phone and began calling them... all. Yep, I called them all. After about 20 offices I got tired of trying to find an emergency vet. Can you believe this?

What would have happened to my pet by now if I had waited until 3AM on a day my mini pig or "exotic" had an incident? I keep having to remind myself that it was better I was doing this now then later and back to my mission to find an emergency after hours vet for exotics I went.

I really don't understand it, though I am not a doctor of veterinarian medicine but I would have thought that stabilizing an animal was stabilizing an animal regardless of species. But apparently I am wrong.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL YOUR LOCAL 24 HOUR EMERGENCY VETERINARIANS OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY WILL HELP YOUR MINI-PIG OR OTHER EXOTIC IN CASES OF EMERGENCY!!!!!

I live in Orange County California, if you live here I have done your homework. This company is open 6 PM till 8 AM Monday through Friday and Saturday noon until Monday mornings. Generally anytime your vet is closed.
Orange County Emergency Pet Clinic has 2 locations;
12750 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove 714 537-3032
1474 S Harbor Blvd., La Habra 714 441-2925 (It's 1/28/2014) This location will be moving right up the street next month to 3920 N Harbor.
Same city & Number

While you may have ? better luck admitting your mini pig to a vet in a rural area, I think I'd still call to make sure, especially since many times these 24 hour clinic can be many minutes away from your locations. If you are a city pig, call now before you find yourself at a door that might turn you away!

I never thought about this until today and I'm glad I did. At least now I know where I can take my "exotic" when I need a Pet ER!

Debra Jo Chiapuzio

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Brushing our pets teeth!

1/28/2014

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What if, you NEVER brushed your own teeth? Ewwww..... Yuck. Not to mention the health issues that could arise. Not brushing your teeth allows plaque to harden and turn into tartar, redness and inflammation follow (Gingivitis) then the gum lines start to recede and bacteria goes directly into the blood stream!

Bacteria that gets into the bloodstream can damage major organs and shorten your pets life! An average size dog that has his teeth brushed on a daily basis can live to be fifteen to seventeen years old; that same dog without dental care will most likely live to be only eleven.

So now we know we should brush our pets teeth so what to use and how to do it? Well, there seems to be some controversy on that. Many say you need to use pet toothbrushes, but when I called 20 dental care clinic I couldn't get one to me that I "HAD" to do that, so I use a soft human toothbrush. Then there was the issue of toothpaste and once again I couldn't get a technician to tell me I "HAD" to use toothpaste. They were more concerned with just "knocking off" the debris at the line of the gum and tooth.

What I do know is that pets can't have fluoride, so don't use human grade toothpaste. They also don't need SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) that's the stuff that makes toothpaste foam, heck once I found out it was a detergent used as a de-greaser even I quite using it on myself and went to a "natural" brand. So you can use nothing, maybe a natural brand from a health food store or pet toothpaste. Pet toothpaste is not necessary it is more for us then them but it does taste good and can be a good training tool or just a good reward for proper pet hygiene.

One of the responses I hear most often is, well I tried it and my pet doesn't like it. I don't care if my pet likes it or not, I want her to live longer. Speaking of which if you have an older pet and you have never brushed their teeth before, please have your first cleaning done by a professional. You don't want to knock off years of tartar and plaque only to have them digest it. Get them clean, then keep it up!

How? Well start small. Maybe just do the upper right quadrant and tomorrow do the other side. Then do just the bottom right quadrant and follow the next day with the rest of the lower jaw. Soon you may be doing the whole uppers in one brushing. But before you know it you'll be teeth brushing! You can use toothpaste or just brush and and then put some on as a reward! However you choose to use the toothpaste remember our pets have a much more sensitive taste pallet then we do so they just need a smidgen. And as a training technique avoid the word "no" and try to reward them for a positive achievement!

So you have a cat? Or a potbellied pig? OOL Well they can all benefit from a healthy gum line! Learn how you can restrain your cat to best accomplish the task without a cat scratch or two and our potbelly actually meets me in the bathroom every morning along with our dog Emma Zen because it has become part of their routine! She even waits with open mouth! :-)

While our pets teeth will yellow naturally with age, a clean gum line will help assure more years with a healthier pet. The American Veterinary Dental Society records 98% of dogs with bad breath suffer from gum disease, and 80% of our canine friends will develop it before they are three!

I know what it's like to have a healthy mouth and so do my pets! So go find that "extra" toothbrush and give Fido a healthier routine of his own!

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The wild side

9/18/2012

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Did you know this was a sign of a feral cat? Some organizations capture, spay and neuter and then release feral cats back to the wild. And while this does tremendously help unwanted population in feline control, you could still be subject to the cons of those on the wild side. Feral cats, rats, possums and host of others can spread disease through feces, bites and parasites. These diseases can then transfer from wild to domestic pets and in some cases from animal to human. There are many procedures you can implement to help safeguard your environment and keep you and your pets safe. Taking Pet First Aid & CPR can help you to become more proactive in your pets health in areas you may have not considered as a part of your pets health!

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Do you know where your dog is most likely to get in trouble?

9/4/2012

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EVERYWHERE!!!!
Animal proofing your home and/or office is the easiest way to prevent the need for pet first aid. Many know to pick up toys and items a dog may choke on, or to tie up curtain cords or put the fish bowl out of reach. But when is the last time you saw your pet’s environment from their level? That's right get down on all fours and look at your home. I found pennies, a sandwich bag tie, extension cords and some paper clips: and that was just in the living room! Pennies, diaper rash lotion, suntan oils, nuts and bolts contain zinc which can cause liver poisoning: aka Jaundice! Would you know what signs to look for? Do you know how to make your dog vomit? Would you know what to do if your pet suffered a discomfort or illness due to its natural nature.. (Chop chop chop) Pet proofing your home is the easiest way to prevent the need for pet first aid and CPR and taking a Pet Safety Course and applying just one technique before you get to the vets office saves 25% more pets! (Statistic by the American Animal Hospital Association) Check your pet’s environment, arm yourself with pet first aid knowledge and be prepared for one emergency almost all pets have just because their line truly is: i eat stuff!

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Bandaging your pet

8/11/2012

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A unique way to spend some quality time with your pet is to play the game of doctor with them! Take gauze or an ace bandage or some flex wrap and
practice practice practice. This creates a few different scenarios that could come in handy in the case of an emergency. First of all it familiarity for both you and your pet! You will learn how to make a bandage stay in place on a leg or an ear or a tail, while your pet learns that the bandages are nothing to fear.
The last thing you want your pet going through is the fear of being wrapped up during the already stressfulness of an urgent situation.

These games also allow your dog’s trust in you to bond. They can become accustomed to being restrained and this will allow them to more comfortable when the real emergency arrives.

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Muzzle for Safety

Can you take an "exotic" to the Pet ER?

Brushing our pets teeth!

The wild side

Do you know where your dog is most likely to get in trouble?

Bandaging your pet

Debra Jo Chiapuzio

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