Basic First Aid for
Dogs & Cats

1. Put on gloves. Apply firm, direct pressure with sterile gauze or clean cloth — do not lift to check for at least 5 minutes. Lifting disrupts clot formation.
2. If blood soaks through, add more gauze on top — do not remove the first layer.
3. Elevate the affected limb above heart level if possible while maintaining pressure.
4. Once bleeding slows, apply a light pressure bandage using self-adherent wrap. Do not apply so tightly that it cuts circulation — you should be able to slip one finger underneath.
5. Tourniquets are appropriate only for life-threatening arterial spurting when pressure alone fails. Apply above the wound, note the time, and inform the vet immediately — tourniquet time must be minimised.

1. Move immediately to shade and maximum available ventilation — turn on AC if indoors, open car windows if in transit.
2. Wet the entire body with room-temperature water — not cold, not ice. Focus on the groin, armpits, neck, and paw pads where blood vessels are close to the surface.
3. Use a fan to accelerate evaporative cooling. Do not wrap in a wet towel — it traps heat.
4. If conscious and not vomiting, offer small amounts of cool (not cold) water to drink.
5. Measure rectal temperature every 3–4 minutes. Stop active cooling at 39.5°C to avoid overcooling (hypothermia is also dangerous).
6. Transport to vet immediately even if the pet seems to recover — organ damage (kidney failure, DIC) from heatstroke manifests hours later.

1. Stay calm and restrain the pet gently. Do not blindly sweep your fingers into the throat — you risk pushing the object deeper and being bitten.
2. Open the mouth and look. If an object is clearly visible and reachable at the back of the mouth (not in the throat), use tweezers or two fingers to carefully remove it.
3. For small dogs and cats: Hold the animal with head down, support the neck, and apply 3–5 firm but gentle downward shakes to use gravity.
4. For medium-large dogs: Stand behind, wrap arms around the abdomen just below the ribcage, and apply 3–5 firm inward-upward thrusts — the canine Heimlich manoeuvre.
5. If the pet loses consciousness, lay flat and attempt to see and remove the object before beginning rescue breathing.

Common Indian toxins: chocolate, grapes/raisins, onion/garlic, rat poison (brodifacoum), organophosphate insecticides, human NSAIDs (ibuprofen, paracetamol), lilies (cats), bhang/cannabis, toad contact.

1. Call your vet immediately. Provide: what was ingested, estimated quantity, time of ingestion, and your pet's weight.
2. Bring the product packaging, plant, or container with you to the clinic — do not throw it away.
3. Do not induce vomiting unless your vet specifically instructs you to. Caustics, petroleum products, and some insecticides cause severe additional injury on the way back up.
4. If skin or coat contact (insecticide, caustic liquid): Flush affected area with large amounts of water for 10–15 minutes before transport.
5. If eye contact: Flush immediately with sterile saline for 5 full minutes, then transport.

1. Do not put hands near the mouth — dogs and cats do not swallow their tongue during seizures. You will be bitten.
2. Move nearby objects away to prevent injury. Do not restrain the limbs.
3. Dim lights and reduce noise — sensory stimulation can prolong the seizure.
4. Note the start time. Most seizures end within 1–2 minutes. Note any pre-seizure warning signs and what the movements looked like.
5. After the seizure (post-ictal phase): Keep the pet in a quiet, dark room. Offer water when alert. The animal may be confused, temporarily blind, or disoriented — this is normal and passes within minutes to an hour.
6. Do not offer food or any medication without vet instruction during the post-ictal phase.

1. Approach slowly and calmly — an injured animal in pain will bite even a known owner. Muzzle before handling if possible (not if breathing distress).
2. Minimise all movement of the spine. Slide the pet onto a flat, rigid surface — a wooden board, tray, or cardboard — and use it as a stretcher. Support the entire body.
3. Control visible bleeding with direct pressure gauze. Do not attempt to splint or manipulate suspected fractures.
4. Cover with a blanket to maintain body temperature — shock causes rapid heat loss.
5. Do not give food, water, or any medication.

India's medically significant species for pets: Russell's viper (haemotoxic), Indian cobra (neurotoxic), Common krait (neurotoxic, often nocturnal — bite may not be felt), saw-scaled viper (haemotoxic). Most dog bites occur on the face and legs during outdoor activity.

1. Keep the pet as still as possible — movement accelerates venom distribution through the lymphatic system.
2. Keep the bite site at or below heart level.
3. Do not: cut the wound, suck out venom, apply tourniquet, apply ice, or apply any herbal/home remedy. All of these worsen outcome.
4. If safe to do so, note the snake's appearance (colour, pattern, head shape) or photograph it from a safe distance — do not handle the snake. Species identification determines antivenom choice.
5. Transport immediately. Antivenin is the only effective treatment — first aid delays that treatment.

1. Thermal burns: Cool immediately with room-temperature running water for 10–20 minutes. Do not use ice, butter, toothpaste, or any home remedy — these worsen tissue damage.
2. Chemical burns: Flush extensively with large volumes of water for 15–20 minutes. Wear gloves — the chemical is still active and will burn you too.
3. Electrical burns (from chewing cable): Do not touch the animal until the power source is disconnected. Electrical burns cause internal damage that is far more extensive than the surface suggests — urgent cardiac monitoring is needed.
4. Cover the burn loosely with clean, damp gauze. Do not apply bandages tightly.