Keep one in your car and backpack!  Step-by-step instructions for dealing with all types of dog emergencies, especially those common to active or working dogs.  Learn to: determine the seriousness of an injury or illness, administer emergency CPR, care for a dog with eye, chest or internal wounds, transport a dog to safety, splint a broken bone.

PUBLISHER’S COMMENTS

Learn invaluable life-saving skills for the types of emergencies your dog could encounter on a hiking or hunting expedition, or when involved in any outdoor activity.  You’ll want to carry it everywhere!

AUTHOR’S COMMENTS

            This book provides basic instruction on matters of canine first aid.  It is a good working manual for the types of emergencies you might encounter when out in the field.  I have included guidelines for illness or injury.  The preventive health and first-response accident information is intended to be an adjunct to regular veterinary care, not a replacement.  Take your dog to visit his veterinarian regularly, and know and respect your dog’s limitations, as well as your own.

            Outdoor recreation with dogs involves risk.  To enjoy a safe backcountry experience with your pet, learn as much as you can from this book.  Read it in its entirety.  Be careful and cautious and, as much as possible, prepare for the unexpected.  Life is fragile.

            Effective initial treatment and safe transport of an injured dog to a veterinarian are critical elements of first aid.  Successful treatment of many of the injuries and conditions described herein may be beyond the scope of your ability.  You may want to go into the subject in more depth.  Veterinarians, veterinary schools, adult education classes, and various animal associations offer courses in canine first aid. 

            Injuries and illnesses often eventually require professional medical care for resolution.  Take care not to get in over your head in matters of your dog’s health and welfare.  If there is any doubt, consult your veterinarian.  That being said, however, the way you handle the problem in its early stages often will determine how well or quickly the dog recovers, or even if the dog recovers at all.  Administering dog first aid requires knowledge, preparation, and a dog that can be effectively handled and restrained.

            The information presented here is based on my personal experiences during twenty-five years of veterinary practice, and before that, another twenty-five years of following my veterinarian father around the big open areas of northern Montana, outdoor dog country indeed.  The first aid procedures and related preventive health recommendations herein are my own medical opinions. 

Sid Gustafson, DVM

AUTHOR’S BIO

Dr. Sid Gustafson was born in Conrad, Montana, and raised on a ranch near the Two Medicine River on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.  His veterinarian father and artistic mother, along with Cinder, a black Labrador, were responsible for his lifelong compassion for animals.  He graduated from Washington State University in 1979 as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.  He lives, writes, and practices in Montana with his children, Connor and Nina.  He is the author of two other books, the literary novels Prisoners of Flight and Horsemen.  His next guidebook will be Horse First Aid.

REVIEWS

“…easy to read and concise, and includes detailed photographs to make first aid procedures easy to follow.”  (Dog & Kennel)

“From choking to shock and porcupine quills to snake bites, First Aid for the Active Dog is an invaluable resource…” (The Cassette)

“From mouth-to-nose…pet owners can learn health-related facts and techniques for their dogs.”  (Doug Crowl, Reporter-Herald)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Wild Animal Problems                          

Chapter 2 Limp Tail Syndrome                              

Chapter 3 Gastrointestinal Issues                          

Chapter 4 Bloated Abdomen                                 

Chapter 5 Internal Bleeding                        

Chapter 6 Vomiting                         

Chapter 7 Diarrhea                          

Chapter 8 Eyes, Ears and Mouth                           

Chapter 9 Eye Problems                            

Chapter 10 Ear Problems                           

Chapter 11 Tooth and Mouth Problems                

Chapter 12 Bites, Stings and Poisons                              

Chapter 13 Ticks, Fleas and Insect Bites             

Chapter 14 Poisoning                                 

Chapter 15 Snake Bites                             

Chapter 16 Removal of Foreign Objects              

Chapter 17 Fish Hooks and Lines                         

Chapter 18 Porcupine Quills                                  

Chapter 19 Temperature Related Exposure        

Chapter 20 Cold                              

Chapter 21 Heat                              

Index  

EXCERPT

Dog First Aid Tip

Dogs really don’t get mild colds like people.  If a dog has a runny nose and gobs of goop in his eyes and is not feeling well, this is often a sign of serious disease, especially if accompanied by a fever.