Dealing with Emergencies
Remember that an emergency is a life-threatening situation. The purpose of first aid is to keep the dog alive until he can receive veterinary help. By dealing with it quickly and calmly, you can greatly increase your Lab's chances of survival. Here's how to recognize some common emergencies and what to do for them.
Bleeding
No matter what kind of injury your Lab has, if he's bleeding, that's what should be dealt with first. Dogs can bleed to death in a matter of minutes if blood flow isn't controlled quickly. The first thing to determine is whether the bleeding is from an artery (bright red and spurting) or from a vein (darker red and slower flowing). Arterial bleeding is most serious, but in both cases, you need to put pressure on the wound and keep it there until bleeding stops.
Tourniquets can do more harm than good and should be used only as a last resort. Ask your veterinarian to show you how to apply one. Never use a tourniquet on any wound that can be controlled by direct pressure.
Using sterile gauze bandages (ideally) or in a pinch any type of cloth — from a towel to a T-shirt — apply firm, consistent pressure to the wound. It may take five to ten minutes for bleeding to stop completely.
Traumatic injuries, such as being hit by a car, and certain poisons can cause internal bleeding. Signs of internal bleeding are bleeding from the nose, mouth, or rectum; coughing blood; blood in urine; pale gums; and collapse. Keep your Lab warm and get him to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Bloat
Sometimes referred to as gastric torsion or gastric dilatation volvulus, bloat occurs when the stomach fills up with gas and fluids and then twists. It's sort of like blowing up a balloon and tying it off. Bloat usually affects large, deep-chested dogs, including Labrador Retrievers.
You can help prevent bloat by feeding your Lab three times a day instead of once or twice. Restrict access to water immediately before and after meals, and limit the amount of water he drinks at one time. Strenuous exercise directly after eating can lead to bloat, so put your Lab in his crate for a nap after every meal.
The trapped gases and fluids cause abdominal pain, signaled by shallow breathing or a dull, vacant, or pained expression. The stomach looks stretched out and sounds hollow like a drum if thumped. Other signs of bloat include pacing restlessly, sluggish behavior, gagging, drooling, and unsuccessful attempts to throw up. Because the stomach is tied off, a dog with bloat is unable to vomit or belch. As the condition worsens, the pulse weakens, the gums become pale, and the dog collapses.
Bloat is not a condition where you want to take a wait-and-see attitude. If you even suspect it's a possibility, take your Lab to the veterinarian or to the emergency hospital if it's in the middle of the night. The earlier bloat is recognized and treated, the better chance your Lab has of surviving.
The veterinarian will pass a long plastic or rubber tube through the mouth and into the stomach, allowing air and fluid to escape. X-rays can determine whether the stomach is twisted, a condition that requires emergency surgery to return the stomach and spleen to their correct positions. Suturing the wall of the stomach to the abdominal wall helps prevent bloat from recurring.
Broken Bones
Your Lab might break a bone from a bad fall or from being hit by a car. Assume that a bone is broken if your Lab can't stand on a leg, if a bone is protruding through the skin, or if the dog can't move (a spinal injury, perhaps). Immediate veterinary care is a priority, but first you need to stabilize the dog.
After muzzling him for safety, pad a movable flat surface, such as a board or tarp with blankets or towels. Lay the dog on it and secure him so he doesn't fall off. If the break has caused an open wound, cover it with sterile gauze pads or a clean cloth, wrapping the cover loosely with a bandage to keep it on. Don't try to set a broken leg. It's most important to keep the dog warm and get him to a veterinarian quickly. After treatment, broken bones take eight to twelve weeks to heal.
Choking
Your Lab can choke if something gets caught in his throat, such as a piece of rawhide. Suspect an obstruction if your Lab is pawing at his mouth, gagging or retching, or having difficulty breathing. If coughing doesn't dislodge the object and your Lab is conscious, get him to the veterinarian to have it removed. Trying to get your fingers around it to pull it out can push it further into the throat.
If your Lab loses consciousness because he can't breathe, lay him on his side, open his mouth, pull his tongue forward, and sweep your fingers through the mouth to see if you can grasp the object and remove it. Then perform rescue breathing or CPR if necessary. If it doesn't come out easily, move on to the Heimlich maneuver.
If the Heimlich maneuver doesn't work, try holding the dog's hind legs in the air and thumping his back between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. When the object is dislodged, perform rescue breathing or CPR as needed. Take the dog to the veterinarian for an exam to make sure he's okay.
To perform the Heimlich maneuver on a dog, hold him with his back against your chest and your arms around his waist. With your hands at the dog's upper midabdomen (just behind the last rib), make a fist with one hand and grasp it with the other hand. Quickly thrust up and in with the fist four or five times. This forces a burst of air through the larynx, which should dislodge the object.
Deep Cuts or Lacerations
Stop bleeding as described above. When bleeding has stopped, clean the area around the wound with povidone iodine or chlorhexidine to reduce the risk of tetanus or other infection. Be sure not to touch the wound with either product, as they can sting and irritate the skin. Then flush the wound with tap water until it looks clean. Don't rub the wound with anything — not even a gauze pad — or you could start the bleeding again. When the edges of a wound gape open or when cuts or lacerations are more than ½ inch long, the veterinarian should close the wound with stitches.
Electrocution
Chomping into a plugged-in electric cord or coming into contact with downed wires can cause burns or even death from electric shock. If you find your Lab unconscious near an electrical outlet, never touch the dog. Shut off the main power and pull the plug. Then administer rescue breathing or CPR as needed. If CPR is effective, take the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible for further treatment.
Dogs that are shocked but don't lose consciousness may cough, have difficulty breathing, drool, or have a strange odor in the mouth from electrical burns. Take them to the veterinarian. Mouth burns from electrical shock can heal on their own, but some dogs develop an ulcer at the burn site. If the ulcer doesn't heal, it may need to be removed surgically.
Fishhooks
Labs were originally fishermen's dogs, and they still enjoy being out on boats and around water. If you enjoy fishing with your Lab, there's a chance that he may one day have a sharp encounter with a fishhook. Keep a pair of wire cutters handy for just such an eventuality.
A fishhook stuck in the skin must be pushed all the way through in the direction the barb is going. Don't try to pull it out. When the barb is visible, you can then cut it off with the wire cutters and pull the rest of the hook through. Treat the resulting puncture wound as described on page 257.
If your Lab swallows a fishhook or has the hook embedded in his mouth, don't try to remove it on your own. Get the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible. To prevent such an injury, keep fishhooks well out of reach, and pay attention to the surroundings any time you're walking your Lab around a lake or other area where fishing is common.
Heatstroke
Too much activity on a hot, humid day can lay your Lab low with heatstroke. Supervise your Lab's activity level in the dog days of summer, and make sure he always has plenty of fresh water and access to shade if he's outdoors. Never leave your Lab shut up in a car or truck on a hot or even a sunny day. Even if the windows are cracked and the car is parked in the shade, temperatures can reach dangerous levels in a matter of minutes.
Signs of heatstroke are heavy panting and difficulty breathing. The tongue and mucous membranes appear bright red. Your Lab may drool thick saliva or start vomiting. Body temperature can rise to 104°F or higher. If left untreated, the dog goes into shock, collapses, and dies. Never let the situation become this dire.
At the first signs of heatstroke, move the dog into an air-conditioned area if possible and begin cooling him with cold water. Bathe him with wet towels or use a spray bottle to wet him down. You can also place the wet dog in front of a fan to help lower his temperature. Take the dog's temperature every ten minutes. When the temperature falls below 103°F, you can stop cooling the dog and dry him off.
Take the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Heatstroke is associated with breathing problems, seizures, and other serious conditions, which can develop hours after the dog has seemingly recovered.
Hypothermia and Frostbite
Just as heatstroke is caused by extreme heat, hypothermia and frostbite result from extreme cold. Hypothermia is excessively low body temperature. Frostbite, which often accompanies hypothermia, occurs when a part of the body — usually an extremity such as a paw or ear — freezes.
The Lab's double coat helps protect it from hypothermia. Nonetheless, puppies and old dogs, dogs submerged in cold water for long periods, and Labs without the correct double coat can fall victim to this condition. Signs of hypothermia include shivering, lethargy, and a body temperature below 95°F (remember that a dog's normal temperature range is 100 to 102.5°F). To treat hypothermia, warm the dog by wrapping it in blankets. Dry wet dogs thoroughly. Call the veterinarian if the dog's temperature is below 95°F.
Suspect frostbite if your Lab's skin looks pale white or blue. Apply warm compresses to the frostbitten area until the tissue begins to regain color. Take the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible. You may have heard that it's a good idea to massage frostbitten areas or to rub them with snow or ice, but that's not true and can cause further damage.
Insect Bites and Stings
Bees, wasps, and other insects can inflict stings or bites that cause allergic reactions. These reactions can include hives (raised circular areas on the skin), swelling, rashes, itching, and watery eyes. Minor reactions, such as a rash or itching can be treated with calamine lotion or a paste made of baking soda. Ice packs help reduce pain and swelling.
A bite or sting on the face or neck can cause dangerous swelling that closes off the dog's airway. Anaphylactic shock is a systemwide reaction characterized by agitation, diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and collapse. Any time your Lab has these signs, take him to the veterinarian immediately.
Poisoning
Labs will eat just about anything on the off chance that it might be food, and poisons are no exception. Snail bait, putrefying animals, garbage, drugs, rodent poisons, antifreeze, household medications, plants, and insecticides are all sources that can poison your Lab. Here's what to do if your best efforts at Lab-proofing your home and yard fail.
If you see your Lab eat something that you know or suspect is toxic, the first thing to do is to confirm what its ingredients are. Look on the label or call the National Animal Poison Control Center (contact information listed in Appendix A). Depending on the substance, you may be advised to induce vomiting by giving the dog hydrogen peroxide. The usual dose is one teaspoon for every 10 pounds the dog weighs. Give the appropriate amount every twenty minutes, up to three times, until the dog throws up. After the dog vomits, give a 5-gram tablet of compressed activated charcoal from your first-aid kit. The activated charcoal prevents absorption of any remaining poison in the dog's stomach. Take your dog to the veterinarian for further treatment.
Antifreeze has a sweet taste, and antifreeze poisoning is common in dogs. Signs of antifreeze poisoning are depression, vomiting, and seizures. The dog may have an uncoordinated walk, as if it's drunk. If you see these signs, take your dog to the vet immediately.
Do not induce vomiting in the following instances:
When the dog has already thrown up.
When the dog is unconscious, convulsing, or having problems breathing.
When the dog has swallowed an acid, alkali, cleaning solution, household chemical, or petroleum product.
When the dog has swallowed a sharp object.
When the label on the substance advises against inducing vomiting.
Some poisons are absorbed through the skin. If your Lab comes in contact with a toxic substance, flush the area with water for thirty minutes, then bathe the dog in lukewarm water. Be sure to wear plastic or rubber gloves to protect yourself from the poison.
If your Lab gets into the garbage or eats a dead animal, he can suffer bacterial poisoning. Suspect garbage poisoning if your Lab appears to have a stomach ache, has bad breath, vomits, and has diarrhea. Garbage poisoning can be fatal, so don't hesitate to take your Lab to the vet if he shows these signs.
Signs of poisoning may not become apparent for several days. Suspect poisoning if your Lab is weak or shows signs of internal bleeding, such as nosebleeds, or bleeding from the mouth or rectum. Take him to the veterinarian immediately. If possible, bring the packaging of the suspected poison with you.
Puncture Wounds and Animal Bites
Puncture wounds are caused by sharp, pointed objects, such as nails, barbed wire, or jagged pieces of wood. Treat a puncture wound the same way you would a bite wound. As long as you clean the wound promptly, your Lab shouldn't need a tetanus shot.
If another animal bites your Lab, it's important to clean the wound as soon as possible. Bite wounds are chock full of bacteria from the other animal's mouth. If you know your dog has been bitten, stop any bleeding and then clean the wound with povidone iodine or an 0.05 percent solution of chlorhexidine, a disinfectant that's effective against bacteria, viruses, fungus, and yeast. If you suspect the animal that bit your dog was rabid, notify your veterinarian immediately. If the bite is severe, your Lab may need stitches. A course of antibiotics can help ward off any infections.
Don't attempt to treat a snakebite by sucking out the venom, making cuts over the wound, applying ice, or washing the wound. All of these actions are either dangerous to you or can make the situation worse.
Labs that spend a lot of time in the field are at risk of snakebite, as are dogs that live in areas where snakes are common. Teeth marks in the shape of a horseshoe usually indicate a bite from a nonpoisonous snake. An exception is a bite from the venomous coral snake, which also leaves a horseshoe-shaped mark. The bite of a poisonous snake leaves fang marks (one or two bleeding puncture wounds in the skin) and usually causes pain and swelling. Signs of poisoning from a snake bite include restlessness, panting, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, an uncoordinated gait, shallow breathing, and shock. Left untreated, a bite from a poisonous snake can kill a dog.
If your Lab is bitten by a poisonous snake, keep him still to prevent the venom from spreading too rapidly. Carry the dog if you can, and get him to the veterinarian as quickly as possible for antivenin, supportive treatment, and antihistamines. Clean and care for the wound as described on page 257.
