Dog crisis leaves no time to paws

Ever given CPR to a dog or bandaged a cat’s bleeding ear? Gayle joins an animal first aid course run by the PDSA

As the vet nurse describes in gory detail how a dog’s wagging tail sprayed blood all over the surgery walls, I feel a familiar sense of nausea and lightheadedness wash over me. I’m perspiring profusely and fear a fainting episode may be about to strike.

Fifteen minutes into an animal first aid training course run by the PDSA and I’m a wreck.

I breathe deeply, grab three chocolate biscuits and a strong cup of coffee and sit back down.

As a lover of all animals and proud owner of a black Labrador, I’ve always loved the idea of being a vet. That’s probably never going to happen but it would be good to have a few veterinary skills up my sleeve.

That’s why I’ve joined this fantastic – and free – pet first aid course run by the PDSA and supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

This particular session takes place at Woodland Trust Scotland’s headquarters in Perth where a group of staff and volunteers are equally passionate about animal health and welfare.

Community and education vet nurse Emma McDonald first talks about recognising “normal” in terms of an animal’s temperature, pulse rate, demeanour, breathing and capillary refill time (how quickly blood returns to gums after pressure is removed).

She then shows us how to find a heartbeat, using lovely collie Leo.

“Lay the pet on its right side, pull the elbow back and feel underneath,” she instructs.

With summer round the corner, heatstroke is another consideration and one which can cause irreversible brain damage and death.

“Over-exercise in the heat, being shut in a car or conservatory with no ventilation, hairy coats...all these things can quickly lead to heatstroke,” says Emma.

I ask if it’s OK to smash the car window if you’re really worried and of course, Emma can’t comment, but I know what I’d do.

“If your pet is overheating, bring its core temperature down slowly by pouring small amounts of water onto it,” she advises.

Next up is bandaging. If your pet is bleeding, the aim is to get it to stop and keep the wound from becoming contaminated.

“No bandages? Use a sock, tea towel or clothing,” says Emma.

“Remove debris, clean the wound with salt water and apply gentle pressure to stop the bleeding unless it’s a penetrating wound, like a stick, which you should leave alone.”

For minor cuts, Emma recommends Manuka honey which she calls “magic juice”.

We all have a shot at bandaging Leo’s head and ear and I’m pretty impressed with my attempts, although I’m not sure how Leo feels about it.

The rest of the session takes us through bloat, seizures and poisonings and I’m shocked by the quantity of potentially toxic substances around us, including mould which is hugely toxic.

Videos of dogs and cats having seizures are harrowing to watch but worthwhile. “They might appear vacant, dazed, unsteady and restless, or they might be having a full-on fitting episode,” says Emma.

We also learn how to deal with a choking pet, opening the mouth to check for obstruction, pulling its tongue out and tweaking out the offending object with tweezers.

An alternative is to adopt the “wheelbarrow pose”, the equivalent of the Heimlich manoeuvre.

The highlight of the session (for me at least) is learning to how give a dog CPR.

In a few hours, I’ve gained a wealth of valuable information. Ultimately, knowing what to do in an emergency can be the difference between life and death and I now feel (quite) confident I’ll be of some use if I ever stumble upon a sick or injured animal.

For information, see www.pdsa.org. uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/pet-first-aidcourse