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First Aid. Bites, Stings, Seizures. Bites and stings. The only venomous snake native to the U.K. is the Adder . Dogs are more commonly affected than cats as they are more likely to disturb a basking adder. . Clinical Signs.
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First Aid Bites, Stings, Seizures
Bites and stings • The only venomous snake native to the U.K. is the Adder. • Dogs are more commonly affected than cats as they are more likely to disturb a basking adder.
Clinical Signs Very painful swelling, dull and depressed, distressed and occasionally collapsed.
Treatment • Anti – venom available from hospitals • Steroids to reduce swelling • Antibiotics to prevent infection • Keep as quiet and still as possible • Wash area properly (but carefully) in soap and water • Cold compress to limit swelling and relieve pain
Wasp and Bee Stings • Often found in the animals mouth
Clinical signs • Swelling • Salivation • Discomfort • Pawing and rubbing at mouth
Treatment • Bee sting • Bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoon in 250ml water • Scrape the sting away before it has time to embed itself in the tissue. • Wasp sting • Vinegar a 50; 50 ration in water, wasps rarely leave stings behind.
Poisoning • A poison is a substance which can cause illness or death if taken in sufficient quantities
How can the animal be poisoned? • Ingestion = eating or drinking • Inhalation = inhaling noxious fumes (chip pan fat) • Absorption = through the paws, eyes and mucus membranes Poisons may affect the internal organs by circulating in the blood stream
First Aid treatment – PoisoningPrevent further absorption of the poison • Speak to vet immediately • Induce vomiting, if the poison is not corrosive or ingestion has been within 4 hours. • If the poison has been inhaled then administer plenty of fresh air or oxygen. • If absorbed through the skin then flush with copious amounts of water.
Remove poison • By emesis (induce vomiting) You can use the following to induce emesis • Washing soda crystals (walnut size) • Salt water (2 teaspoons in a cup of warm water) • Mustard and water (2 tsp in a cup of warm water)
Seizures There are many causes of seizures; some of the most likely causes of seizures in a first aid situation are as follows:- • viral or bacterial infections • intracranial trauma • Hypocalcaemia (low calcium levels in blood) • hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) • Hypokalaemia (low potassium levels) • poisons (cyanide, metaldehyde and lead)
What to do if your dog has a seizure • Ensure that the animal is on the floor away from any objects. Do not allow it to fall off furniture or down stairs. Use mild restraint with a blanket to place it on the floor. • To prevent choking, ensure that collars or leashes do not get caught on protruding objects.
What to do cont. • Keep your hands away from the mouth. The animal is not aggressive during a seizure, but it has no control of its jaw muscles and may bite anything put into its mouth.
What to do cont. • Dogs cannot swallow their tongues. Therefore, do not attempt to muzzle the animal, give it any medication, or manually restrain the tongue during a seizure. • The animal may pass stool and urine; these actions are involuntary
What to do cont. • Most seizures last less than one minute and are not life threatening. • If the animal has repeated seizures for more than five minutes and fails to regain consciousness between seizures, it is in status epilepticus. • The effects of these seizures may result in death, so it is important to treat the animal as soon as possible.
Activity • Complete the assignment sheet on: first aid procedures for common animal injuries and ailments (P10)
