Bob Burnell, a Boynton Beach
police officer, offers dog training.
He said he always is looking to
learn ways to protect pets. Photo provided.
By Arden Moore
If your cat suddenly started choking, would you know what to do? If your dog suddenly collapsed, would you know how to revive his breathing?
In emergency situations, every minute counts. One of the most important ways to show how much you care for your pet is by being trained in pet first aid, CPR and safety.
Recently, I took that step and an even bigger one by completing hands-on training to become a certified instructor in pet first aid, CPR and safety. The course was taught by Pet Tech, the internationally recognized leader in pet CPR, first aid and care training. Since its inception, Pet Tech has trained more than 30,000 pet owners and 500 instructors. Homeland Security officials rely on this safety training program to train their dog handlers.
Less than one week after graduation, I had to put my safety skills to the test. Chipper, my 60-pound golden retriever-husky, excitedly raced to the front door to greet one of my friends. Somehow, Chipper’s back right foot got caught in the rug. Her fast movement caused her to rip off one of her back nails.
I heard a yelp and looked over to see Chipper limping my way with a trail of blood on my white tile. Quickly, I grabbed my pet first aid kit. We placed Chipper on her side and my friend kept her from wiggling. I elevated Chipper’s right back leg above her heart and placed one hand on her pressure point to slow the spewing blood. I then placed gauze pads on her wound.
After the fourth gauze pad, the bleeding had stopped. I wrapped her foot and contacted my veterinary clinic to alert them we were on our way.
My quick action kept this situation from becoming worse and the veterinarian praised me for my bandage-wrapping skills. Chipper’s foot was examined, re-wrapped and she was given a week’s worth of pain medications and antibiotics to hasten her recovery.
Whew! I am happy to report that two weeks after this incident, Chipper was able to participate in our annual Leash Your Fitness weekend camping trip that included an 8-mile hike.
Thom Somes, the Pet Tech founder who is known as “The Pet Safety Guy,” has dedicated his life to saving pets’ lives. He shared this startling statistic in class: “According to a recent study by the American Animal Hospital Association, one in four pets who died after experiencing a trauma would have survived if they received pet first aid.”
He is on a mission to improve those odds. His classes are designed to help pet owners not only react to emergencies, but to be proactive in their efforts to keep their pets healthy.
Since graduation, I’ve become a more responsible pet owner to my dogs, Chipper and Cleo, and my cats, Murphy and Zeki. Once a week, I invest the time to slowly and thoroughly give each pet a full-body wellness assessment. I look and smell inside their ears and mouth. I glide my hands through their coats to look for suspicious lumps, bumps or cuts. I carefully examine each paw and in-between their toes for any issues. I look into their eyes to see if they are clear and free of mucous and not cloudy. I know how to take their pulse, check their breathing and more.
I jot down information for each pet in a two-page worksheet and date it. I’m prepared in case my pets start acting sluggish, lose weight or display other abnormal signs. Rather than guessing, I will be able to provide my veterinarian with accurate data, which may aid him in pinpointing the right diagnosis and administering the proper treatment.
I hope that I never have to perform CPR on my pets, but I feel better able to act should an emergency occur. I encourage you to enroll in a pet safety and wellness course taught by a Pet Tech-trained instructor.
To find a trainer in your area, just visit the PetTech.net site and click on the instructor directory.
In Palm Beach County, here are the Pet Tech instructors to contact to attend a class:
• Laura Kays: nopaws4concern@msn.com and 561-809-3213
• Bob Burnell: RobertBurnell@SitMeansSit.com and 561-543-5583
I was able to reach Burnell, a Boynton Beach police officer and professional dog trainer. As a former K9 officer, Burnell told me that he wanted to learn more ways to protect pets.
“With all the K9 handler and different dog training I’ve completed, dog first aid never came up, so I decided to take this (Pet Tech) instructor training,” says Burnell.
In doing a recent monthly nose-to-tail wellness assessment on Kody, his 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, Burnell discovered a suspicious lump on his back. The tumor was surgically removed, biopsied and, fortunately, turned out to be benign.
“Our dogs look to us and if something is wrong and we don’t know what to do, we are letting them down and ourselves,” says Burnell, who presented a lecture on pet first aid at the Law Dog Conference held in Las Vegas in late May. “I feel like I have much more knowledge so that I can better respond to situations involving injured pets.”
And so can you. Play it safe; sign up for a Pet Tech class in your area and truly be your pet’s best friend.
Download PetSaver App Got a smart phone? For $4.99, you can download the PetSaver app that provides instant access to pet health and safety with the push of a button and the swipe of your finger. Enter the code word: ARDEN.
Arden Moore, Founder of Four Legged Life.com, is an animal behavior consultant, editor, author, professional speaker and certified pet first aid instructor. She happily shares her home with two dogs, two cats and one overworked vacuum cleaner. Tune in to her Oh Behave! show on PetLifeRadio.com and learn more by visiting www.fourleggedlife.com.
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