CANINE FIRST AID AND EMERGENCY CARE

By: Dr. Mike Lappin, DVM

FOREIGN BODIES

Can occur at almost any region of body. Porcupine quills, splinters, grass awns (seeds) fishhooks, bones and sticks in mouth. Ears, eyes, skin, in nose, ingested.

Symptoms:
1. Obvious object in body part
2. Rubbing eyes, shaking head, lameness
3. Vomiting, diarrhea

First Aid Treatment:
1. Remove foreign object if possible
2. Cutting shaft of porcupine quill will allow it to deflate
3. If unable to remove will need to see vet
4. Fish hook, pad additional hooks before trying to remove. Push barb thru skin and cut barb off.
Then back rest of hook out.
5. Clean and apply topical antibiotic.