Abrasions 
– Scrapes to the skin’s top layers – can be shallow and heal easily or large and more serious. Your dog may lick or scratch the area, which may appear red or ooze blood. What Can You Do? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Wash your hands and put on non-latex, powder-free disposable gloves. Apply a sterile, water-soluble (not petroleum-based) lubricant, so hair does not contaminate the wound while you shave the area. Clip hair around the area gently with grooming clippers or, as a last resort, scissors. If using scissors, do not cut too close to the skin and be sure to keep the scissors parallel so that you’ll be less likely to poke the skin if your dog moves suddenly. Flush the wound with warm water or saline solution (add 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 quart of warm water to make solution) to remove the skin lubricant. Then wash the wound with water or saline solution to remove any remaining dirt or debris. If necessary, wet a gauze sponge with sterile saline solution to clean any remaining debris. Take your dog to the veterinarian if the abrasion is larger than a quarter, seems painful, is red, does not begin to heal after 2-3 days, oozes a yellow or foul-smelling discharge, or if you are unsure of its depth or severity.

Bleeding Control

There are two types of serious bleeding. Arterial bleeding, characterized by rhythmically spurting blood, is more rapid and profuse and therefore more difficult to stop. Venal bleeding is slower and less profuse. It is much easier to stop and less dangerous.

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What You Can Do

• 1. Wearing nonlatex, powder-free disposable gloves, hold a piece of gauze, wash cloth, or other clean material over the bleeding site and apply direct pressure. If the material becomes soaked through, do not remove it but apply another cloth over it. Do this repeatedly if necessary. Direct pressure is the safest way to stop bleeding until you can reach a veterinary hospital. For your conscientious attention to details. Dog First Aid Bleeding Control There are two types of serious bleeding. Arterial bleeding, characterized by rhythmically spurting blood, is more rapid and profuse and therefore

• 2. If bleeding has not stopped and blood is spurting, in addition to direct pressure over the wound, hold the area just above the wound with your hand in an effort to close off the blood vessel. If blood is flowing heavily but not spurting, hold the area just below the bleeding site to close off the blood vessels.

• 3. If this fails to stop the bleeding, apply a pressure bandage. • Wrap gauze or other soft material around the wound just tight enough to stop the bleeding. Do not make it too tight. • Secure with tape. • If you wrapped a limb, check repeatedly for swelling of the toes or toes that become cold; these indicate your bandage is too tight, in which case you will need to loosen it.

• 4. If the limb does not appear to be broken, elevate the limb above the heart while continuing to apply direct pressure.

• 5. If none of the above techniques work, apply hand pressure to pressure points (see below).

• 6. Take your dog to a veterinarian immediately.

 

Pressure Point Technique To use the pressure point technique, apply firm, even pressure to the appropriate pressure point.

•  Bleeding on the front limbs. Press three fingers up and into the armpit on the side with the bleeding limb.

• •Bleeding on the back limbs. Press three fingers on the area of the inner thigh where the leg meets the body wall on the side with the bleeding limb.

• Bleeding of the head. Press three fingers at the base of the lower jaw (the angle just below the ear) on the same side and below where the bleeding is occurring.

• Bleeding of the neck. Press three fingers in the soft groove next to the windpipe (which feels round and hard) just below the wound on the side of the neck where he bleeding is occurring. Do not apply pressure to the windpipe itself, and do not press on both sides of the neck at once.

 

When using pressure points to control bleeding, you must release pressure slightly for a few seconds at least every 10 minutes. This helps prevent permanent damage. IMPORTANT: Avoid using the neck pressure point on any animal suspected of having a head injury, unless you feel the animal’s life is in immediate danger. Be sure you do not restrict breathing.

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Tourniquet Technique

Use only on the limbs. Never place a tourniquet around the neck.

• 1. Wrap a strip of cloth or gauze (about 2 inches wide) twice around the limb above the bleeding area. Do not make a knot.

• 2. Tighten the gauze or cloth by wrapping each end around a rigid object, such as a stick.

• 3. Turn the stick slowly and just enough to stop blood flow. Write the time on a piece of tape on the tourniquet.

• 4. Loosen the tie for several seconds at least every 10 minutes to help avoid permanent tissue damage.

• 5. Be aware that the interrupted blood supply may cause your dog to lose the limb.

• 6. Take your dog to a veterinarian immediately.

Note: Pressure points and tourniquets should be used only as a last resort, in a life-or-death situation. (For example, the animal has lost enough blood to lose consciousness.) Persistent decreased blood flow to the area may cause severe damage.