Quick action can save pet's life

Kathleen Harpley, also known as Nannimals-Animal Nannies -- is a work in progress, continually evolving, spreading like water to bring life to the arid farthest reaches of the forest bed.

Her newest turn is to fertilize the wasteland of pet first aid, the gulf in which pet owners too often find themselves, somewhere between cluelessness and life-saving action to stabilize a pet in a crisis.

"According to the American Animal Hospital Association, one out of four or more pets could be saved if just one pet first-aid technique had been used," she said.

Pet Tech PetSaver program was founded 10 years ago by Thom Somes, best known as the "Pet Safety Guy," creator of the first national training center dedicated to pet first aid.

"I always liked teaching and emergency first aid.... It's really great when two of your passions come together," he said.

The classes are designed for pet owners, who learn how to assess for injury and wellness, understand the vitals, manage bleeding and shock, deal with stings and bites, choking, seizures and care for senior pets.

Life-saving lessons

Three weeks after Harpley took her first class, in 2001, she saved her own dog's life. Celina, her German shepherd, started vomiting and foaming at the mouth. Her chest doubled in size -- symptoms of bloat, a twisted stomach -- and Harpley rushed her to the hospital, where she was taken to surgery immediately. It was a best-case scenario. The pre-surgery episode was over in 45 minutes.

"Another fact that blows my mind," said Somes, "is that 60 percent of all vet visits are emergency in nature."

Not understanding the irreversible nature and severity of the symptoms, pet owners too often wait to see if they go away. Celina's bloat was a good example.

Safety is emphasized heavily.

"Statistics show that preventable accidents are the leading cause of death in pre-senior dogs and cats," said Harpley. "People leave the rat poison and antifreeze out."

It's her goal to empower pet owners to save their animals through the skills and knowledge they have gained from class.

"You can stabilize the pet before it gets to the vet,"  she said. "If the pet has cut himself, you can stop the bleeding and treat the shock."

Pet assessment

Pet owners should perform a muzzle-to-tail assessment at least once a week with their animals, she says. This gives you a benchmark. Mark down the location of any lumps and bumps for subsequent comparison.

Here's how it's done:

Get on the dog's level and relax. This is a great bonding exercise. Start with the nose.

"You don't want it dry and cracked, or so wet it's dripping," said Harpley. "It needs to be moist. If not, that's a sign something is going wrong."

Check your dog's nose, look for lumps or bumps or irregularities. Move to the mouth, which should be sweet smelling. Gums should be bubble-gum pink, with the exception of chows, which might have pink and black gums. Teeth should be white, not yellow, a sign of periodontal disease.

Move up the head to the ears. They shouldn't be smelly or tender. Odor might indicate an infection.

"If there's an odor, it's probably bacteria, maybe a yeast infection, which you find in cocker spaniels, where moisture stays trapped," she said. "If the ear canal is black, it might be ear wax or maybe an infection, too."

Check the eyes for clear lenses and any sign of infection, such as oozing, an indication of trouble. Feel the head for lumps and bumps or other irregularities, touching every inch as you go. Feel for deformities in the backbone, lumps -- don't freak over lumpy Labs, which develop fatty tumors as they get older.

Run your hands up and down the legs, give them a squeeze. Feel the feet. Pads should not be split or cracked, especially this time of year. Look between the pads, making sure nothing is crusted up in there.

Check the belly for lumps and bumps and look at the skin underneath the fur for discolorations. Feel around. Remember that males and female dogs can get breast cancer.

"Kalvin, my kitty, a pinstriped tuxedo, has a small bump on his belly," said Harpley. "I'm keeping an eye on it."

"Move into the fun part," she said. "Look for redness, swelling, odor. The anal sacs in dogs sometimes need to be expressed. Check the tail. Make sure it's not tender, that range of motion is there and it doesn't hurt."

First-aid emergencies boil down to three scenarios:

• The pet has a heartbeat and is breathing.

• The pet is not breathing, but has a heartbeat. This requires "pet rescue breathing."

• The pet has no heartbeat and is not breathing, which necessitates CPR.

"We're trying to create an awareness," said Harpley.

Reference: www.ohio.com

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