Discussing Everything You Need To Know About The Month Long Holiday That Promotes Pet First Aid Education
The entire month of April is widely acknowledged and celebrated as Pet First Aid Awareness Month. This very special month-long pet themed holiday aims to raise awareness about pet injuries and how to administer medical care for pets in emergency situations. This article will cover the importance of this holiday, how to be prepared for emergency pet situations, and how you can get involved with this wonderful & educational holiday.
A Holiday About Pet First Aid
As previously mentioned, the goal of this holiday is to raise awareness about the importance of pet first aid and being prepared for pet emergencies. Too often do pet owners find themselves in emergency situations with their pets and are utterly unprepared. Here at My Dog Walker & Pet Sitting, we value and treat our pets like family. When it comes to family, nothing is more important than their safety and well being.
How To Be Prepared For Emergencies
The best way to handle any pet emergency situation is to be properly prepared. In any given emergency situation, time is valuable. When faced with an emergency situation, you won’t have time to pick up medical supplies from the store or watch some YouTube videos about CPR. You need to be prepared for nearly anything. This section will break down the different ways you can prepare yourself to handle any emergency situation life throws at you.
Supplies:
Having a first aid kit on hand and knowing exactly where it is located is essential for being prepared for emergency situations. Basic medical supplies you should always have in your first aid kit include things like bandages, cotton swabs, gauze pads, adhesive tape, alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment, scissors with a blunt end, disposable gloves, ice packs, and tweezers. These are just a few examples of what your first aid kit should contain. For a more comprehensive list of what your pet first aid kit should contain, check out the A.S.P.C.A. website by clicking here.
Emergency Prevention:
In most sports, the best offense is a strong defense. This applies to protecting your pets as well. The best way to handle pet emergencies is to prevent them from happening in the first place. If you are a pet owner, then we suggest “pet proofing” your home. This entails making your home as safe as possible for your pets. For example, using childproof latches to keep cabinets and trash can lids secure, putting cleaners, chemicals, laundry supplies, and medications on high shelves so they’re out of reach for your dog, and keeping all human food locked up and out of reach as well. By taking these preventative measures, you can stop an emergency before it happens.
Have A Plan In Place:
Realistically, you can’t plan for everything. However, you can be as prepared as possible for most given emergency situations. We suggest having a general plan in place for general emergency situations. Have emergency phone numbers readily available such as your local veterinarian, nearby emergency veterinarian hospital, and pet poison hotline. Similar to a fire drill, you should routinely practice what steps you will take in an emergency situation so you won’t waste any time during the heat of the moment.
How You Can Get Involved
This April, we encourage you to celebrate this wonderful holiday by being more prepared for pet emergencies. Emergencies happen when we least expect them and we want you and your pet to be ready to handle them. Whether it’s stocking up on emergency supplies, pet proofing your home, or having an emergency plan in place, you can handle nearly any emergency by being properly prepared. We hope this article helped shed some light on how to better handle and be ready for whatever life throws at you and your pets. Happy Pet First Aid Awareness Month and stay safe!