If he becomes injured or ill, contact your veterinarian immediately. However, knowing basic first aid could help save his life. To begin with, you should be aware of vital statistics that are normal for your pet.
PULSE AND HEART RATE
• Cats: 150-200 bpm
• Small dogs: 90-120 bpm
• Medium dogs: 70-110 bpm
• Large dogs: 60-90 bpm
The pulse should be strong, regular and easy to locate. The easiest place to locate a pulse is the femoral artery in the groin area. Place your fingers on the inside of the hind leg and slide your hand upward until the back of your fingers touches the abdomen. Gently move your fingers back and forth on the inside of the hind leg until you feel the pulsing blood. Count the number of pulses in 15 seconds and multiply that number by 4. This will give you the beats per minute (bpm).
TEMPERATURE
• Normal temperature for dogs
and cats: 100-102.5 degrees
• Rectal thermometer should be
almost clean when removed
• Abnormalities are indicated
by blood, diarrhea, or black,
tarry stool
HANDLING AN INJURED ANIMAL
Any animal injured or in pain can bite or scratch. Even the friendliest of pets must therefore be handled with care. If you are accidentally bitten or scratched, seek medical attention; dog and cat bites can become infected quickly!
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