First aid

• Muzzles may be improvised from gauze bandaging or even pantyhose.

• Place one or two loops around the nose with a half hitch under the chin.

• Take the material behind the ears and secure it firmly.

• Ensure the muzzle is secure, otherwise the dog may be able to remove it with its front feet.

It is often difficult to obtain co-operation from an injured dog, especially as it is difficult to know whether you are hurting it.

• Remain calm yourself.

• Ask another person to hold and comfort the dog if possible.

• Take your lead from your dog's usual behaviour.

• Some dogs behave better on a table, while others are more compliant when held in someone's arms.

• Use methods that minimise pain to help the dog relax.

• Wash cuts by gently pouring or syringing saline over the wound rather than wiping with a cloth.

• For cuts on the bottom of a foot, place the foot in a container of warm saline and gently move it around.

• Check that the airway is clear.

• Pull the tongue forward so the tip is just through the teeth and close the mouth.

• Place your hands around the closed mouth, using the lips to create a seal.

• Extend the neck to create a straight line from nose to tail.

• Breathe into your dog's nose. The smaller the dog, the smaller the breath should be.

• After giving five breaths, assess cardiac function by feeling for a heartbeat behind the left elbow.

• Continue nose-to-mouth resuscitation.

• Give approximately 12 breaths per minute for small dogs and up to 20 breaths per minute for large dogs.

• Begin cardiac massage immediately.

• Very small breeds: Lay the dog on its side. Place your fingers on one side of the chest and your thumb over the heart, then compress the chest firmly and rapidly.

• Small to medium breeds: Place one hand on either side of the chest and compress the heart between them.

• Medium to large breeds: Place a towel or blanket under the chest, keep the dog's back against your body and compress the chest with both hands.

• It is also possible to resuscitate a larger dog while it lies on its back, although this may be more difficult.

• The ideal compression rate is between 60 and 120 beats per minute.

Resuscitation from full arrest is very difficult, especially in large dogs. Even for humans in the best circumstances, such as an arrest in hospital, resuscitation rates are only about 40 per cent.

However, dogs often go into respiratory arrest before cardiac arrest. This means that a dog may not be breathing but may still have a heartbeat that you cannot feel.

• Place the dog on its side on a blanket.

• Position a towel under its chest.

• Keep the head slightly lower than the heart.

In these situations, dogs can survive if you can keep them breathing until veterinary assistance is obtained.

• Apply pressure immediately to any bleeding wound.

• If an object such as glass is embedded in the wound, do not remove it. Instead, apply pressure around the object.

• Use a clean cloth if possible, but any absorbent material will do in an emergency.

• Once the cloth is in place, do not remove it, as this may disturb the clot and cause further bleeding.

• If blood soaks through, place another cloth on top rather than removing the original one.

• Maintain pressure on the wound by hand or with a firm bandage.

• When bandaging a leg, wrap from the toes upwards. The bandage should be firm but not so tight that it restricts circulation.

• For cuts that are not bleeding excessively, clean and dress the wound.

• If possible, trim the fur around the wound before cleaning.

• Gently clean the wound with a disinfectant or saline solution.

• Apply a non-adhesive layer first to prevent the dressing from sticking to the wound.

• Cover with cotton wool or gauze.

• Secure the dressing with Vetwrap or Elastoplast.

• Ensure bandages are firm enough to stay in place but not so tight that they impair circulation.

• For large dogs, chest or stomach wounds can be firmly wrapped in a towel.

• Secure the towel using Elastoplast.

• Treat bite wounds in the same way as cuts.

• Leave the dressing off to allow the wound to remain open and drain.

• This also makes it easier to monitor for signs of infection.

• If you are certain the substance is not corrosive (such as drain cleaner or washing powder), you may try to induce vomiting.

• If the substance is corrosive, feed your dog milk to help protect the stomach lining.

• Always contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic for advice before attempting to induce vomiting.

• Your vet can advise whether vomiting is safe and explain the correct method.

• Do not attempt to induce vomiting.

• Seek veterinary attention immediately.

• Has unusually pale gums.

• Is experiencing breathing difficulties.

• Has a bloated or swollen abdomen.

• May have had access to rat bait or other poisons.

Rat baits are a common cause of poisoning in dogs. They can cause internal bleeding, although symptoms may not appear for several days after ingestion.

In some cases, poisoning may cause coughing up blood or bleeding from the mouth or anus. More commonly, however, bleeding occurs internally within the chest or abdominal cavity.

• Lift your dog's lip and examine an area of gum that is not naturally pigmented.

• Pale gums may indicate bleeding, shock, illness or pain.

• While not a definitive diagnostic tool, gum colour can provide a useful indication that urgent veterinary attention may be needed.