First Aid for Search and Rescue Dogs

Sebastian E. Heath

West Lafayette, Indiana

 

Introduction

Veterinary care for Canine Search and Rescue teams, who work under conditions, such as following an earthquake, may not be readily available. If a search dog is injured in the field it may have to be treated by a physician or Emergency Medical Technician. Experience has shown that under these conditions practical guidelines are needed for both handlers and emergency physicians to provide optimum care for the dog until it can be transported to a veterinarian.

The guidelines are not intended to replace veterinary services, nor is intended to substitute the extensive knowledge and expertise of veterinary critical care specialists. Some of the advanced procedures such as examining a dog’s eye for foreign bodies or placing an intravenous catheter should be reserved only for qualified veterinary health professionals.

 

Restraint techniques

These procedures demonstrate the safe and appropriate methods for restraining a dog, so that a veterinary care professional can safely attend to it.

1. Lateral Restraint

• The handler should command the dog to lie down.

• Kneel with knees against the dog's back.
• Place left fore arm on the dog's neck; hold the dog's lower (left) front limb with left hand.
• Place right arm across the dog's flank; hold the dog's lower (left) hind limb with right hand.
• Shift weight over the dog's body.

2. Seated Restraint

• The handler should command the dog to sit.

• Kneel behind the dog.
• With the left arm reach under the dog's neck and hold the dog's head in a locked position.
• With the right arm, grasp the dog's right elbow and extend this joint.

 

Muzzling a Dog

This procedure demonstrates the safe and appropriate method for muzzling a dog, so that a veterinary care professional can safely attend to the dog.

Procedure:

1. Place a 2 inch gauze tape (approximately 4 feet long) below the dog’s jaw.

2. Circle the gauze around the dog’s muzzle. Tie a half knot above nose and tighten.

3. Bring the loose ends of gauze back under jaw. Tie another half knot and tighten.

4. Bring the loose ends of the gauze under and behind the ears, tie in a firm bow at the back of the neck.

Alternatively, a fitted muzzle can be used.

 

Examining and treating the eye

Principles:

• This section is intended for dog owners and handlers to know how to restrain their dog in emergency situations for examination and treatment of an irritated or injured eye. It is also intended to demonstrate the procedure to veterinary personnel in training, and to guide non-veterinary medically trained personnel to perform this procedure under emergency conditions.
• This section is NOT intended for non-qualified persons to perform this procedure.
• Injured dogs’ eyes should always be thoroughly examined by a veterinarian before applying any treatments.
• Always remember to approach a dog's eye with instruments or drops from above and behind the frontal plane.
• Restrain the dog in a sitting position.

Procedure:

1. Common irritations to the eye are dust, pollen and foreign bodies. A common sign is for the dog to squint. Sometimes dogs will scratch at an irritated eye, which can quickly make it worse.
2. The handler should hold the dog's head with one hand around the jaw, gently pulling down the lower eyelid. With the other hand pull up the upper lid. Saline or anesthetic drops and flushes are administered to the affected eye from above.
3. To examine under the third eyelid, once the eye is anesthetized, a second person should use a non-traumatic thumb forceps to grasp the third eyelid. To do this safely the second person’s hand should rest on the dog's cheek under the affected eye. Gently grasp the third eyelid and pull it out to expose the entire underside of the lid. If a foreign body is found, first attempt to flush it out with a saline solution. If this does not remove the foreign body, use a cotton tipped swab to gently dislodge it. If the foreign body cannot be dislodged, bandage the entire eye shut and immediately seek veterinary advice.

 

Bandaging upright Ears

The purpose of bandaging an injured ear is to prevent further injury, which can result from the dog scratching the affected ear, and to prevent blood spattering every time the dog shakes it’s head.

Always have injuries to your dog examined by a veterinarian.

Procedure:

1. Fill the inside of the ear with a ball of cotton wool. If possible, cover the wound with a gauze pad.

2. Fold the ear forward onto the dog’s head. Cover the back of the ear with a gauze pad.

3-5. Gently wrap a gauze bandage over the ear and gauze pad.

6. The wrap should cover the affected ear from behind and in front. Leave plenty of room for the other, uninjured ear to move. Secure the gauze wrap with tape

Bandaging floppy Ears

The purpose of bandaging an injured ear is to prevent further injury, which can result from the dog scratching the affected ear, and to prevent blood spattering every time the dog shakes it’s head.

Procedure (in this example the dog has a semi erect right ear):

1. Place a gauze pad behind the ear.
2. Fold the ear over the gauze onto the dog’s head.
3. Cover the inside of the ear (now exposed to the outside) with another gauze pad.
4. Gently wrap a gauze bandage over the ear and gauze pads.
5. Leave plenty of room for the other, uninjured ear to move freely (here the non-bandaged ear is shown). Secure the gauze wrap with tape.

 

Bandaging the Foot

Principles:

• Restrain the dog in a lateral position.
• Be sure to apply even pressure over the whole surface of the padding.
• Be sure the bandage is only so tight that your finger can fit between the middle toes of the dog. This will allow normal blood flow.
• To keep the bandage from slipping incorporate some hair into the tape at top of bandage.
• Always have injuries to your dog examined by a veterinarian.

 

Cut foot pad

These commonly bleed a lot. Apply pressure until bleeding stops.

• Flush the wound with saline until clean.
• Flush the wound with an antiseptic solution.
• Bandage as described below.

 

Broken Toe Nail or fracture at the base of the toe nail

These are often very painful.

• Muzzle the dog before starting your examination or any treatments.
• Restrain the dog in a lateral position.
• Using forceps, firmly grasp the toe nail, and quickly twist off the nail in the direction to which it is deviated.
• Bandage as described below.

 

Bandaging the Foot: Procedure

1. Dry the foot and put strips of cotton between the toes.
2. Cover the affected pad or toe nail with a non-stick dressing.
3. Cover the walking surface of the foot with gauze squares.
4. Wrap the foot with cotton. The cotton wrap should leave the two center toes exposed and extend to 1 inch above where the top of the adhesive bandage will be.
5. Wrap the cotton covered foot with stretch gauze using gentle, even pressure.

6. Wrap the cotton covered foot with stretch gauze using gentle, even pressure.
7. Check the tension of the bandage. Your finger should fit snugly between the exposed toes.
8. Complete the bandage with a final layer of adhesive elastic wrap.
9. The exposed cotton wool can be folded back on to the bandage and secured with 2 inch adhesive tape.

 

Bandaging a Lower Leg (in this example a hind leg)

Principles:

• This technique may be needed if a dog breaks it’s leg, or dislocates a joint, below the stifle (knee) or elbow.
• It is recommended to splint the leg with a very thick bandage only until veterinary advice can be sought.
• The inside surface of the bandage, which is against the skin of the dog should have as few folds as possible.
• The final bandage should be about as thick a the dog’s waist.
• This is only a temporary bandage.

Procedure:

1. Stick two 1 inch wide strips of adhesive tape to either side of the dog’s leg, from the toe to the hock. Leave about 1 foot of tape free beyond the toe.
2. Wrap the leg several inches thick with cotton.
3. Tightly wrap the cotton with cling gauze.
4. Stick the free ends of the adhesive tape to either side of the cling gauze.
5. Complete the bandage by firmly wrapping elastic adhesive tape around the outside.
6. Leave the tips of the toes exposed. Leave the top of the cotton bandage exposed, or fold it down and cover it with tape.

 

Bandaging the tail

Principles:

• The purpose of bandaging an injured tail is to prevent further injury and to prevent blood from spattering when the dog wags it’s tail.
• A tail bandage should not be so tight as to prevent normal circulation of blood.
• Injuries high on the tail do not require the entire tail to be bandaged, but special care must be taken to prevent tight bandages that cut off the blood supply.
• A tail bandage should be as light as possible.

Procedure:

1. Clean and prepare the injured site.
2. Trim the hair away from the injury, but not from the entire tail.
3. Cover the injury with an absorbent gauze pad. Wrap the injured part of the tail with 1 or 2 layers of cotton gauze.
4. Wrap the cotton with cling gauze.
5. Make sure that the hair is folded away from the bandage.
6. Complete the bandage with a layer of adhesive elastic tape.
7. Incorporate some of the hair of the tail under the final layer of the adhesive tape to act as an anchor for the bandage.

 

Placing and intravenous catheter

Principles:

• This section is intended for dog owners and handlers to know how to restrain their dog in emergency situations for placement of an intravenous catheter. It is also intended to demonstrate the procedure to veterinary personnel in training, and to guide non-veterinary medically trained personnel to perform this procedure under emergency conditions.
• This section is NOT intended for non-qualified persons to perform this procedure.
• Placement of an intravenous catheter or administration of any treatments via this route should never be performed without a diagnosis and veterinary trained personnel who can monitor the progress of the dog’s condition.

Procedure:

1. Restrain dog in a sitting position. Hold the dog's fore limb so that the handler's thumb reaches over the center of the dog's fore limb and the handler's fingers are wrapped around the inside of the dog's limb.
2. Using firm pressure the handler should rotate his/her right hand outward and push leg forward (this will raise the cephalic vein). To stabilize the vein, the emergency veterinarian should hold the dog's fore limb and place his/her thumb on the outside of the cephalic vein.
3. Insert the catheter.
4. Secure the catheter first with a short strip of tape below the catheter connector.
5. Next, secure the catheter with a long strip of tape above the catheter connector.
6. Adhere the catheter to the dog's limb with the long strip of tape above the catheter connector by wrapping it around the dog's leg.
7. Cover the entire catheter with a light bandage.

 

Medical Emergencies

If you are ever concerned about any potential medical problem that your dog may have you should seek professional veterinary advice. Under field conditions emergencies will occur, but much can be done to prevent these and reduce their impact. Most of all your dog should be current on vaccinations and parasite control medication. You should only consider working your dog if he/she is fit enough to do at least as much as will be expected of him/her. A sound nutritional and exercise program is paramount to good health in dogs, as it is in humans. Working dogs should also always be maintained on their staple diet when working away from home. Changes in a dog’s diet, including feeding unfamiliar tid bits or treats, predisposes to diarrhea and other conditions.

As an owner or handler, you can help your dog by knowing it’s normal resting heart rate and temperature. Owners and handlers should also be familiar with how to measure these and their dog’s pulse and capillary refill time. Written copies of their dog’s medical history, including vaccination status should accompany them whenever they travel. The dog’s regular veterinarian can help demonstrate these procedures and provide this information.

 

Shock

Shock results from circulatory failure. Dogs in shock are weak and lethargic or may collapse. Their heart rate is persistently elevated, pulse may be weak, the mucus membranes are pale and the capillary refill time is slow. Shock is often associated with dehydration, which may be the result of excessive fluid loss or inadequate fluid intake. Excessive fluid losses occur during work, and can be exacerbated by medical conditions such as diarrhea and kidney disease. Other predisposing causes of shock are ill health before the dog starts work, over working the dog, working dogs in hot climates (hyperthermia), working dogs in excessively cold climates (hypothermia), dehydration, exhaustion, heart failure and exposure to toxins. If you are concerned that your dog is in early or advanced stages of shock do NOT exercise him/her further. Seek veterinary advice immediately.

 

Diarrhea

There are many causes of diarrhea, which can be benign and related to excitement, through to life threatening conditions, where extensive fluid loss can lead to shock and death. A diagnosis of the cause of the diarrhea should be made by a veterinarian in every circumstance, so that appropriate preventive and therapeutic recommendations can be made. Changes in feed and water may predispose dogs to developing diarrhea.

 

Insect and snake bites

Insect and snake bites occur relatively commonly in working dogs. For some snake venom there are specific antidotes, but these can only be given with reliable effectiveness if the snake has been correctly identified. Therefore, always try to get a good description of the snake that bit your dog. However, do not endanger yourself in the process! Symptomatic treatment for insect and snake bites is to cover the bite site with ice packs until veterinary advice can be obtained. Ice packs cool the site, reduce blood flow and swelling.

 

Bloat

Bloat is always a life threatening emergency, therefore, veterinary intervention must always be sought as quickly as possible. Bloat will cause the dog’s stomach to swell with gas and cause great discomfort. Severe distention of the stomach may be life threatening as it may compress the dog’s heart. All breeds of dogs, but especially those with deep chests, are predisposed to bloat. Irregular feeding intervals and large meals before work increase the likelihood of a dog bloating. Heavy work in hot, humid environments without adequate rest and water Simple preventive measures are to avoid feeding large meals at infrequent intervals and to avoid feeding a dog less than two hours before work. Working or playing in hot, humid environments should be accompanied by plenty of rest and access to water.

 

Hazardous materials and poisonings

Working dogs may be exposed to a great variety of hazardous materials and poisons. Dogs may ingest and inhale toxins, or absorb them through their skin. If you are concerned that your dog has been exposed to a toxin, you should first avoid further exposure to the substance by the dog, and exposure of yourself and other people to a contaminated dog. Use protective clothing when handling the contaminated dog. Externally contaminated dogs may be washed with liberal amounts of soap, e.g., Ivory or Joy (not detergent) and water. To treat ingested or inhaled toxins veterinary advice should be sought. The National Animal Poison Control Center can also be consulted by phoning: 800.548 2423 or 900.680 0000.

 

Oral and respiratory obstructions

Obstructions to swallowing and breathing make dogs gag and wretch. Some dogs may also shake their heads, paw at their mouths or cough persistently. If the problem persists or appears life threatening to the dog carefully, and considering your own safety, restrain the dog and see if you can identify the problem and remove it. If you do not succeed, seek veterinary help promptly.

 

Contact Information

Sebastian E. Heath Vet MB, MPVM, Dipl. ACVIM, ACVPM

Purdue University

School of Veterinary Medicine

1248 Lynn Hall

West Lafayette, IN 47907-1248

Phone: 765.496.3102

Fax: 765.496.2641

Email: seh@vet.purdue.edu

 

The guidelines on Veterinary First Aid are extracted from the book Heath SE, O’Shea A. "Rescuing Rover, A First Aid and Disaster Guide for Dog Owners" Purdue University Press, 1207 South Campus Courts-E, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1207; phone 800.933.9637 ($12.95).