First Aid for your Fur-ever Friends

April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, and the American Red Cross wants to ensure your skills are up to their full pet-tential.

In times when you cannot get to a veterinarian, you may need to give your pet emergency medical care. Here are some steps you can take to guarantee no cat-tastrophes!

Gatsby aka Gatz/Mouse - 4 years old - Loves a good costume… and stealing food.

 Pet First Aid Online Course

The Red Cross offers a free, 35-minute online course for you to learn the basics on caring for your pet in times of crisis. Some benefits are:

• Learn how to check your pet’s vital signs accurately.
• Acquire preventative care skills for your pet.
• Gain the knowledge to recognize and provide first aid for the most severe emergencies your pet may experience.
• Have access to desktop and tablet compatibility providing flexibility to access how, when, and where you want to take the course.
• Obtain Red Cross digital certification provided upon completion.

Cody Hercules - 6 years old – Likes living the good life and playing fetch with his sister, Liza

Pet First Aid App

The Red Cross has an award-winning Pet First Aid app you can download to stay abundantly prepared to keep your pet pals safe and happy. The app is the perfect on-the-go reference guide for pet owners, with systematic instructions, videos, and images for more than 25 common first aid and emergencies. Now you can feel at ease knowing you have fast and effective safety tips whenever you need them!

Bruno - 10 years old – Happiest when napping in the sun 

Pet Safety Preventative Measures

• Make sure all household plants are varieties that are pet-safe.
• Consider latching cupboards shut that contain harmful chemicals.
• Ensure trashcans are properly concealed – pets can ingest bones and other harmful trash items that can cause choking. 
• Keep toilet seats down, especially if using an automatic cleaning system. 
• Make sure all window screens/guards are properly secure to prevent falls from high living spaces. 

Fiona – 3 years old – Will eat anything and everything.

Space and Routine

Dogs and cats alike are creatures of habit and crave routine. If you set up a proper routine for your pet, this will result in overall good behavior and general happiness. Here are some things to make your furry friend the best they can be:

• Food – Give your pet quality food at the same time every day. Not only will they know when food is coming so they will not bother you in the meantime, but this will also keep their metabolism balanced and strong. 
• Quality Time – Whether this is a daily walk, snuggle, or play time in the yard, your pet will find comfort in knowing they have a set period to spend with you. This is also exceptionally important during a move or new living situation. 
• Jobs – Pets like having a job to do to feel connected to their owner. Small tasks like getting the newspaper, chasing a toy, or trying to get a feather at the end of a string all put your pet at ease and feel like they are contributing. 

Pet Summer Safety Preparedness

By Carly Flumer, Volunteer

Summer has arrived and the hot tempatures it has brought along with it are something to take very seriously. Not only do we need to take care of ourselves, but our furry friends, too! Here are some quick tips to keep your pet safe in the sunshine:

1. Never leave your pet in the car! Even if you’re parked in the shade, the inside of a car can quickly reach 120 degrees. If you happen to see a pet inside of a parked car, locate the manager of the store closest to the vehicle. If the owner doesn’t return, call animal control or the police.
2. Don’t put your pet in the back of a car, specifically pick-up trucks. If a driver is to suddenly hit the brakes, undue harm can occur.
3. Watch out for plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides which can be fatal to pets, if ingested. Also, more than 700 plants can produce active or toxic substances which can cause harmful effects to animals.
4. Avoid heat exhaustion by providing your pet with plenty of water by bringing a water bottle and/or a disposable dish during walks or long trips.
5. Spaying or neutering your pet reduces the likelihood of dog bites, which are more likely to occur during the summer months.
6. Finally, make sure your pet is identifiable by a tag with their name, and your address and phone number, on a collar.

For safety tips on the go, download our Pet First Aid App in the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or the Amazon Marketplace.

Helping Service Members Through Loving Paws and a Wagging Tail

Therapy Dog Nikita and Volunteer Ken’s Story

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer

Ken Vierra, who also has been an American Red Cross First Aid, CPR and AED Basic/Professional Rescuers Instructor Trainer for many years, is the proud owner and handler of Nikita, a Keeshond therapy dog. Nikita was born on June 11, 2013, in Charlottesville, VA. When she was nine months old, Nikita started her training at the Sit Means Sit Dog Training Center. After two in-home training sessions, Nikita passed the Canine Good Citizen Certification on June 7, 2014. Following the certification, Nikita attended group classes where she was called “a mini superstar” and deemed ready and able to pass the therapy dog training and exam. A few months later, Nikita graduated as a GoTeam Therapy Dog/Advanced Canine Good Citizen. For over the past three years, Nikita has been a member of the Caring Angels Therapy Dog Organization and in June 2017 Nikita became an Arch Angel, which is an Elite Caring Angel therapy dog.

Since 2016, Nikita has participated in the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Pet Visitation American Red Cross program. In this program, handlers such as Ken regularly bring their therapy dogs into the clinic during the daytime as well as participate in Outreach Events for deploying troops. At the Community Hospital, hospitalized service members interact with the therapy dogs, petting them and receiving affection. This facilitates a unique human-canine bond that can help break down barriers in a way that clinical therapists are sometimes unable to do.

Whereas service dogs are trained to assist an individual with certain tasks, therapy dogs are chosen based on their personalities, such as their ability to always be happy and to show affection. Their handlers dedicate a lot of time and resources to first obtain and then maintain the certified therapy dog status. The dogs are regularly reassessed to ensure that they continue to demonstrate appropriate, positive behaviors.

Ken describes that once he puts the American Red Cross work vest on Nikita, she knows she is in her working role. Whether they spend a few hours at a military outreach event, a full day in a Wounded Warriors clinic or attend group classes, Nikita wears her work vest as a badge of pride. From her Red Cross work and participation in numerous events for other organizations, she has been petted by thousands of children and adults and has been described as a “living teddy bear.” While Nikita gives her loving attention to her adoring crowd, Ken takes the opportunity to educate people about the different services that the American Red Cross provides.

Learn More About Red Cross Therapy Dogs

Pet Safety & Pet First Aid

Written by: Morgan Terry, volunteer

Although Summer is over, residents can still expect the heat to linger around a little longer. That’s why it’s important to be aware of how to keep pets safe as seasons and temperatures change. One way everyone can do this is by taking the new online Red Cross training class for Cat and Dog First Aid. This class gives owners the ability to identify and respond to a variety of pet emergencies until professional assistance is available. Owners will learn how to revive a cat or dog that is not breathing, tend to wounds, check vital signs and maintain health before, during and after emergency situations.

The Red Cross also encourages owners to keep in mind a few helpful tips:

• Never leaves pets in a car on a hot day, not even for just a moment. Even temperatures of only 70 degrees can be dangerous for pets inside a car for only a few minutes.
• Keep an eye on pets around large bodies of water and pools, just like you would a child.
• Know the less obvious signs of illness, such as lack of energy, weakness, agitation or excessive sleeping.
• Always keep your pets on a leash, especially near busy streets and crowded areas.

My friend Andy of Silver Spring, MD keeps his dogs Scrappy and Celeste safe by making sure they have plenty of water when playing outside and keeping an eye on them in potentially dangerous environments, such as a lake or a rocky area.

Get Started!

• Prepare your Pets for Emergencies
• Register for Cat & Dog First Aid
• Download Pet First Aid App