The Dog Owner Club

Bleeding, when it is from the skin, is a natural process to wash bacteria and dirt from a damaged area. However, it can be dangerous if it is coming from a cut artery or vein, if it comes from the lungs or an internal organ, or from a highly vascular area (i.e., one well supplied with blood vessels). Examples of the latter are the tongue and, in the male dog, the penis.When blood is noticed from the nose, mouth or anus give nothing by mouth. Keep the patient warm and quiet until attended to by a veterinary surgeon. For ordinary wounds on limbs a clean bandage, tied over the injury firmly but not too tightly, will soon stop local bleeding. Bathing with cold water will also steady or stop local haemorrhage. Cold water is certainly of value in cases of injury to the penis. Ice packs or cold water swabs laid on the sheath will soon ease the flow of blood, which can be dangerous if no action is taken.

Arterial haemorrhage. When an artery is severed haemorrhage is profuse. The blood comes in regular gushing spouts, bright red in colour, and in such cases prompt action is necessary to prevent a severe and possibly dangerous loss of blood. A bandage or handkerchief should be tied tightly above the point of haemorrhage; severed arteries are usually on a limb and therefore bandaging can be managed quite adequately. When this has been done, tie another bandage or handkerchief firmly over the wound itself.

These measures will control or stop the bleeding until the animal is properly attended to by a veterinary surgeon.

Venous haemorrhage, or bleeding from a severed vein, is not so severe as with arterial bleeding. Blood will well out often quite rapidly but not in spurts. The haemorrhage is darkish in colour, and not the bright red of arterial bleeding. The limb should be firmly bandaged over the bleeding area and if this does not stem the flow of blood within a few minutes a second bandage should be tied tightly immediately below the injury. This latter bandage should be slowly loosened after 10-15 minutes if help has not come by then. If the bleeding re-starts, apply this bandage again. The bandage over the actual wound should be touched only by the veterinary surgeon, unless it should slip before he arrives.
All cases of arterial or venous haemorrhage should be kept still, warm and quiet.

Treatment Of Heart attacks
Heart attacks are not as common in dogs as in humans, but they occasionally occur, mostly in very old dogs. Heat-stroke is one main cause of this type of collapse but in susceptible animals a variety of minor states might predispose or cause an attack. Generally speaking, over-fat dogs are most subject to heart conditions. Animals which have suffered previous heart, lung, liver or kidney disease or injury, are also potential cases of heart failure, or embarrassment.

Treatment. Remove predisposing cause if possible, e.g., if from overheating, remove to cool room. Open the mouth to ensure adequate ventilation and air-intake, and if the animal is unconscious the tongue should be drawn out of the mouth as far as is possible. Lie the animal on its right side, with the head lower than the rest of the body. A little ammonia or smelling-salts held within a few inches of the nose will stimulate by reflex action respiration and heart action. A few drops of neat brandy placed on the back of the tongue will also help. Keep the patient absolutely quiet, and if at all cold cover the body with a blanket and place a hot water-bottle or bottles along the spine. Do not cover the head at all and keep a free area at this end to ensure that the patient can breathe freely.

Cleaning the mouth with cotton wool soaked in cold water has a stimulating effect and can be repeated frequently. Allow no water to trickle down the throat as in an unconscious animal this may enter the windpipe.
In some mild forms of heart attacks the animal remains conscious and quite sensible. There is in such cases, however, a shortness of breath, panting, probably a staggering gait, and the gums and tongue may appear bluish or cyanosed.

However, with adjusted management, stimulants and careful attention to diet, most heart cases may go on quite happily for an amazingly long time. Cases of heart attack usually regain consciousness within 2-5 minutes of the attack but are often too weak to stand for half an hour or so afterwards. Any exertion must be avoided, and it is as well for someone to sit with the animal to prevent it fretting and trying to exert itself unnecessarily. Whilst such cases are not likely to be curable, your veterinary surgeon will be able to prescribe suitable stimulants and advise on diet and handling, or suggest the best course to be adopted. It is important to make sure that the heart is the real cause of the trouble; disease of several other organs can produce conditions resembling heart conditions.

Filed under: Dog Care, Dog Health