First Aid For My Giant Schnauzer

Last weekend I had my first experience with giving doggie first aid. I don't know how it happened but at the dog park Wolfgang hurt himself. He had a dime size piece of skin missing from behind his left front leg. It was really gross. It looked like he was poked with a stick.

The worst part was that my pup was in pain and I didn't know how to help him. Was this severe enough to take him to the emergency room? After all I didn't want to be that parent that brings their dog to the emergency room every time Fido sneezes.

When we got home my husband immediately looked up how to do doggie first aid. Here are some very helpful websites.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=20

http://www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?ID=81&sid=3

So we followed the directions on the web and called the vet the following Monday. To my relief it's not a bad as it looks. It will leave a scar but Wolfgang will be OK. He's also on antibiotics just in case. We keep a t-shirt on him to keep the wound clean and to keep his tongue off of it. He looks so cute with a t-shirt on.

I also learned that the American Red Cross offers a pet first aid class. I'm going to take this class the next time it is offered at my local chapter.

http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/pets.html