The PetsitUSA Blog

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Pet first aid awarness month – take a pet first aid class Posted: 03 Apr 2010 01:46 PM PDT When I was in high school I learned quite a bit about pet first aid – including how to deal with wounds, seizures, how to do CPR on a cat or dog, and many other skills. Not long after that, my dog Sam collapsed in our kitchen. When I realized his heart stopped beating, I did CPR the way I had been taught. His heart started beating again and we rushed him to the vet. Had I not learned pet first aid and CPR a few months earlier, my dog would have likely been gone that day. Instead, he was with us for a few years after that. As you might guess, I’m a firm believer that everyone who works or lives with pets should know first aid for their cat or dog! I think every pet owner should go through a pet first aid class at least once. It might be that you never use the skills you’re taught, but it only takes one emergency to wish you knew how to help your cat or dog. It totally baffles me when I talk to people who say they don’t need a pet first aid class. I know many dog and cat people who spend money out the wazoo on their pets, but they don’t want to spend the time or money on a pet first aid class. Taking a pet first aid class may not seem as exciting as picking out pet toys, clothes, or fancy treats. But, if you find your pet in an emergency situation all the toys in the world aren’t going to do you any good. It’s a fact that your pet will stand a better chance of surviving an emergency if you are able to apply first aid. In fact, the American Animal Hospital Association estimates that one in four more pets would survive if they’d had first aid during an emergency. In addition to knowing pet first aid though, knowing how to prevent accidents is also important. Such things as household chemicals, holiday decorations, various types of food, and other things in the house can cause problems for your pets. Likewise, the outdoors can pose problems too – traffic, snakes, insects, etc. Knowing how to recognize potential problems and making adjustments so your pets don’t get into them can mean life or death to your pet. If you want to be able to help your pet to the best of your ability in case an emergency happens, please take a pet first aid class! There are quite a few organizations that offer them. I’ve taken a few, and was so impressed with Pet Tech that I became an instructor and now offer classes through Austin Pet First Aid. If you’re in Austin I hope you’ll register for a class, but if you’re in another part of the country, visit the Pet Tech website. There are many Pet Tech instructors throughout the country, but if there isn’t one in your area, please try to find someone else that offers classes and sign up for one!

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