I belong to one of the Internet Bulletin Boards on pets, and I always cringe when I see something posted along the lines of the following, "My dog was hit by a car an hour ago. He doesn't see to be hurt, but he whines when he tries to get up. Is this an emergency and should I take him to the vets?" You'd think that people would understand when they're dealing with a potential life-threatening situation. But often they don't know what signs to look for. I know my vet's office hours. It's a lot easier (not to mention less expensive) if I bring one of the dogs up to the vets before they close than to call for an emergency afterward. So if a particular symptom is borderline, ie. The dog's been vomiting for nearly a day, then I'll have the dog examined during normal business hours. That way the vet, the dog, and maybe even me will get a good night's sleep. I don't know about you, but I'm not my best at "0300 dark", and I doubt that my vet is either. In August of 1983, I learned this lesson the hard way. Prince had been hospitalized for blood in his urine, but was otherwise fine. I had picked him up and he was acting the way he always did. He seemed fine. Around midnight, he started with bloody diarrhea and vomiting. I woke my vet up soon thereafter, but he told me to give Prince some Pepto Bismol and that if the condition persisted, he'd see us in the morning. This didn't look like a minor case of stomach upset, but something more serious. Had Prince not been inoculated for Parvo, I probably would have been concerned about that, but I wasn't. So I figured, hey the vet knows what he's doing. Prince didn't make it to the morning. Most likely he contracted a strain of Parvo at the vet's. Either way, by the time I decided that I had an emergency on my hands, it was too late. Would the situation have been different if I had insisted that I had an emergency situation? I'll never know, and twenty years later I still wonder if I let me friend down. Now it's bad enough to lose a friend regardless of the circumstances. But to have to endure that along with the guilt of "missing something" elevates the pain to a whole new level. Most metropolitan areas have at least one emergency veterinary hospital that operates 24/7. Find the one nearest your home and write down the phone number in a prominent location. That way you'll know where to look if you ever need it at three in the morning. Better yet, program the number into your cell phone because that's the phone you're going to grab on your way out the door. Most emergency clinics like a "heads up" so that they can be ready for you when you arrive. Then remember this. Some of the procedures that can rectify these emergencies require more than one pair of hands. Bloat is one of those, and bloat doesn't give you a lot of time to get organized. Once a dog starts to bloat, irreparable damage can occur in under a half-hour. This means that you might not have time to wake up your vet, convince him or her that your dog's bloating, have the vet marshal his or her resources (ie. Wake up the hospital's vet tech, etc.) and still have time to save your dog. And a lot of sole practitioners don't have that necessary second pair of hands at midnight. I don't know about you, but I don't have the constitution to help during surgery. We all like to go to the veterinarian that we know and are used to. However emergencies by their very nature don't allow you that luxury. Worse, the responsible German shepherd owner has to know which symptoms require a midnight run to the veterinary emergency medicine center and which don't. Once again, let me remind everyone that I'm not a vet. But over the forty odd years that I've been owned by German shepherds, these symptoms have elicited a reaction from me that no doubt has helped my dogs live a long and healthy life. Here are Rick's "panic" symptoms: 1. Vomiting that persists for over a day. Here I worry about dehydration (you should now the color of your dog's gums in his or her healthy state. If that color becomes pale, dehydration's present.) I know that dogs eat grass and sometimes other things that aren't great for their digestive system. As a result sometimes they vomit up the alien morsel, and that's fine. But persistent vomiting and something's going on. 2. Vomiting blood. I don't fool around with this. If I see it, it's time to get to the vet's. 3. Cuts or lacerations which I can't stop the bleeding myself, or which appear to be deep. Prince had this knack for stepping on broken glass. If there was a piece of glass anywhere within a mile of where we were, he'd find it. Once cut, it's hard to stop the bleeding on a dog's pads. On the other hand ears bleed profusely but can usually be stopped by applying pressure. 4. A temperature over 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit always precipitates at least a call to the vet's. Anything over 104.5 deg. F. and I'm calling for an appointment. I don't like firm standards like that, and I've gotten to the point where I know my dog's average temperature (quiet, at rest). For example Shalimar's normal temperature is 100.5 deg. F. So for her a low grade fever is anything above 101.5 deg. F. If she's much above 102, I start monitoring her more closely. Every shepherd that I've had cringes when they see me coming with a jar of Vaseline and my (really their) thermometer. I recall King dealing with a bout of diarrhea that had me concerned. I had already contacted the vet and he wanted me to keep track of King's temperature. Suffice to say that I knew that I shouldn't be taking his temperature when he saw me coming and "smiled". I found out why he was "smiling" soon after. 5. Symptoms of bloat. If you don't know what that is, check the article entitled, "My Bloat Notes" as well as other Internet references. Bloat scares me more than anything else because shepherds are notorious for getting bloat. Worse the experts haven't been able to pinpoint the cause(s). Dogs have bloated after eating horse grain and then drinking a lot of water. Others have bloated after having a single "munchie bone". I don't feed my dogs within an hour and a half after they've been out playing. And I don't leave them for two hours after they've eaten. And everyone that thinks about inviting me out to dinner knows that. Holiday dinners away are always fun because they're scheduled around when my dogs eat. I guess there's nothing wrong with that. It makes more sense than scheduling them an hour after "Uncle Harry" arrives. Because bloat is such a serious problem, I'm going to reproduce the symptoms that Cassandra listed in her excellent article on the subject. • excessive salivation/drooling • extreme restlessness/pacing • unproductive attempts to vomit/defecate • evidence of abdominal pain (whining and tenderness in the
stomach area) • abdominal distension • rapid breathing/panting • cold/pale mouth membranes 6. Blood
in your dog's stools. There's blood and then there's blood. Blood that appears red and
that is easily discernible certainly justifies a call to the vet. But blood that is dark
(a caveat here is in order. I often give Shali Pepto Bismol for her sensitive stomach.
Pepto Bismol remnants in the stool appear like dark blood), tarry, and odorous is another
story. If you see the latter and you've just started your dog on Rimadyl, stop the drug
immediately and notify your vet. Last June, I started Shali
(She was 15 last January) on Rimadyl. I was pretty sure (absent definitive x-rays) that
she had some arthritis, and figured that the Rimadyl could help her. After all she was
over fifteen, and you have to figure that a do that's off the age scales is got to have
something going on that a pain reliever like Rimadyl would help. And besides, I had had my
last male shepherd, King, on Rimadyl for over two years without a single problem.
Nonetheless I've read enough about canine NSAIDs to know to be careful. For a week everything was
fine, then the dark, odorous, tarry blood showed up in her stools. Obviously the Rimadyl
had caused hemorrhaging somewhere in her GI system. We immediately took her off the
Rimadyl, and started her on Sucralafate to help stop the bleeding and heal her stomach. Since I got Rex in 1957,
I've shared (for lack of a better term) all kinds of doggy smells. But the odor of blood
in the stools is entirely something else. Trust me, there won't be any doubt in your mind
that something's seriously wrong. 7. Automobile
accidents. If one of my dogs ever gets hit by a car, we're going to the vet's for a
complete check-up even the dog seems entirely normal. First, you never know if there are
internal injuries. Second shepherds tend to be stoic and don't often show pain until it's
really bad. Third, after an automobile accident, I want the dog checked out for my own
peace of mind. I know that the aforementioned advice seems obvious. But there are some
people out there who don't see any reason to have their dog checked out if the dog is
acting normally. I do. 8. Poisonous
snake bites. Know what poisonous snakes are living where you are and how to identify them.
Even a non-poisonous bite might justify a trip to the vets and shot of antibiotic. Shali
became curious about a seven foot long "black snake" that was in her yard. The
snake wasn't that curious about Shali and nailed her. And if that didn't make Shali happy,
she was definitely not thrilled about the shot of antibiotics. Suffice to say that she
hasn't continued her studies of snakes. In eastern Maryland, the
only poisonous snake that's around is the copperhead. Realizing that I might one day
encounter one, I made a point to be able to identify this guy as quickly as possible. When
I checked with a local expert, I was told that they have a noticeable hour glass pattern
and that they smell like cucumbers. I wonder how close you have to be to copperhead to
smell him??? For my purposes, way too close. 9. Seizures and/or convulsions-Symptoms of convulsions might include: falling down, champing jaws, and/or a stiffening of the body. The dog may void its bladder and/or bowels. You might see paddling motion in the legs or jerky, uncontrollable movements lasting for a few minutes. The dog is conscious but unresponsive. A mild seizure may involved just a short period of body stiffening and confusion. 10. Wild animal bites. Rabies, although not as widespread as it was a few years ago, is still around. I live in a rural area, sharing my property with all kinds of wildlife. Only once in some twenty plus years here did I encounter an obviously rabid raccoon, and that fortunately was without the dogs. My policy is this: regardless of how the bite occurred, a rabies booster is in order. Even if I'm not one hundred percent certain that a dog has been bitten, I'm going to opt for the shot. Why? Because the downside risk with rabies is simply too great. Three years ago I was waxing my car while Shali was dozing near the garage. It was dusk on a nice summer evening and I had just finished. Shali got up and started to walk toward the house (about fifty feet away) and we both smacked into this raccoon. He literally walked under Shali, but when he saw me blocking his path he got agitated. I grabbed a push broom and gently tried to keep him at bay until Shali was out of the way and I could beat a hasty retreat. This didn't make Mr. Raccoon very happy, and he growled at me. We finally parted ways. He decided that the human with a push broom has the right of way. I decided that a raccoon with an attitude had the right of way. I checked Shali out carefully and found nothing to justify an emergency run to the vets. Nonetheless the next day she got a rabies booster. No vaccine is one hundred percent perfect and that includes the rabies vaccine. 11. Burns. Whether they're chemical or caused by a heat source, it's off to the veterinarian. If it's a chemical burn, first remember to protect your hands with rubber gloves. Then to be on the safe side, I'd rinse the area with cool water, making certain that the water reaches the lower layers of fur and the skin. Soak the fur for two minutes, then apply hand soap or a gentle shampoo. Keep the dog under the stream of water for a good ten minutes and until all traces of the chemical have washed away. Then cover the burned skin loosely with a clean, non-adhesive dressing or cloth and get your dog to the vet's. If your dog's mouth is red or burned, wash it out too. If the burn is a first or second degree burn, don't put any pressure on the area. Observe your dog for shock and get ahold of your vet ASAP. And, of course, don't apply any antiseptic sprays or ointments until you've spoken with your vet. A first degree burn is where the dog's fur has been singed or burned off. The skin may be red or otherwise discolored. A second degree burn is characterized by the fur being burned off and the skin having blisters or has turned red or mottled. Finally, in a third degree burn, the skin is white or charred. 12. Electric Shock. Again, I want someone who knows what they're doing to tell me that everything's all right. Electrical shock from biting an electrical cord is evidenced by red sores in the corner of the dog's mouth; charred lips, gums and teeth; profuse thick salivation; and/or a dazed expression (on the dog, not its owner). Before touching your dog, turn off the power. If you can't stand on something dry and push the dog away with a dry board or pole. Alternatively you can pull the dog away from the downed (hot) line with a dry rope looped around one of its legs. If you don't know how to give your dog CPR, find out because more than likely you'll have to. Treat for shock, burns, and of course, call your vet. 13. Poisoning-There are too many poisonous things around the average house to list. Suffice to say that anti-freeze and chocolate rank up amongst the top ten when it comes to dogs. 14. Shock-Know the symptoms and get professional assistance as fast as possible. 15. Heat Stroke-It doesn't take a lot to have a dangerous situation on your hands. It's absolutely critical to get the dog's temperature back down to 103 deg. F. immediately. Many years ago, during a particularly hot summer evening, I was getting ready to take the dogs out for their 11:00 PM walk. I turned on the outside lights and proceeded to unlatch the gate. Just as King walked through the gate, a local fox barked several times. I don't speak "fox", but my guess is that he yelled, "Your mother wears combat boots." Either way, King was off for the chase. Confident of my training, I recalled him. I know what I said, but my guess is that King heard, "King, blah, blah, blah. King!" Needless to say my obedience training failed me and all that I could do was hope that the fox would give King the slip quickly. Twenty five minutes later, King was back, panting. I gave him some water while I checked his temperature. It was 104.5 deg. F. and climbing. I immediately got King into a cold shower, which he wasn't too thrilled about even though I was in the tub holding him. Slowly his temperature came down. And I do mean slowly. When it leveled off around 102, I spent another half hour drying him off. Worn out from the chase, King calmly found a spot to his liking and went to sleep. I, unfortunately, was wide awake and due in the office the next day for an early meeting. As the hours marched on and I watched King snooze, I wondered why I loved him the way that I did. By the way, the fox thought that this game was so much fun that he'd bark at King every night when the outside lights came on. Being smarter than this particular fox, I walked King on a Flexi-lead the next night and each night thereafter until the fox got tired of the game. Heat is dangerous whether it comes from leaving a dog in a poor ventilated car or self-induced by chasing a fox through the woods. Again, find a good book on canine emergency medicine and know what to look for as well as what to do. 16. Eye injuries-Whether caused by an object or chemical, eye injuries require immediate attention. Get your dog to your vets. If the injury is from a chemical, restrain the dog, hold the eyelid open and flush the eye immediately with gently running water for about two minutes. Do not let the water run into the other eye. You can apply gauze or a clean cloth held in place with a loosely fastened bandage. Everyone's Book Shelves Should Have a Canine First Aid Book And mine has two. The first one is old and may not be in print any longer. It's entitled, "The Home Pet Vet Guide-Dogs". It's a Ballantine Book and there may be updated versions in print now. This book has a lot of good information not only about emergency situations, but about dog health in general. There's an index of symptoms with possible illnesses not to mention a good number of illustrations. The second is "Emergency First Aid for Your Dog" by Tamar S. Shearer, DVM. The book was published by Ohio Distinctive Press, and may also have been updated over the years. I believe it's still available at Amazon.com. Either of these two (or both) are good additions to your canine information library. There are also other excellent emergency first aid books available. I'd check out Amazon.com to see what they're offering. I also believe that the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine produced a book on canine emergencies a few years ago. I don't know if it's available still or not. Over the years I have been through my share of canine emergencies. They are no fun. Some of these, we got through all right. However any of these can be life threatening. My perspective is that it's better to look back and say, "I probably didn't have to rush the dog to the vet's. I might have overreacted" than to look back and say, "If only I'd have taken him to the emergency clinic." Remember: The quick response first aid suggestions listed here have been taken from an authoritative book on the subject of canine emergencies. Times change and so do recommended procedures in dealing with all types of emergency situations. Again, get yourself a current book on emergency first aid. Read it at least to the point where you know how to find a particular subject quickly. Keep it handy and hopefully you'll never need it. If anything in your book contradicts a recommendation found in this article, follow the advice in your book. Period. Neither the author or the web site owner is a licensed, practicing veterinarian. Contact your vet when an emergency occurs and treat your dog in only in accordance with his/her instructions. Richard Bajackson is not a veterinarian. However over the forty years he's been owned by German shepherds, Rick has run across enough dog-related issues to fill a large notebook. Unfortunately most of these "lessons" (for lack of a better term) are often learned the hard way in the proverbial school of "hard knocks". He has no affiliation with anyone including The Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine or Amazon.com both of whom are mentioned in the article. When he discovered the JustShepherds web site, he knew had found the perfect vehicle to share his extensive experience with other German shepherd owners. Expect to see more from him over the ensuing months.
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