Emergency Care for Your Poodle
Of course, it’s always best to prevent emergencies by poodle-proofing your home, making sure your poodle is always on a leash when it is outside of a fenced area, and contacting your vet at the first signs of illness rather than adopting a wait and see approach. That said, emergencies sometimes happen in spite of the best poodle care. This article examines a few common health care crises and what you can do to help your poodle if they occur.
You should always call your vet immediately after any health care crisis, even if you think it is completely resolved.
Cardiac Arrest
In spite of the best poodle care, cardiac arrest usually ends in death. You can attempt CPR by performing gentle chest compressions and breathing gently into the poodle’s nose to expand the lungs (be careful not to over inflate the lungs), but this procedure is rarely successful.
Choking
If your poodle is able to bark or cough forcefully, there is no need for you to intervene. If, however, the poodle can’t cough or take in air, you must act quickly. If you can remove the obstruction with your fingers, do so. Your poodle will be panicky, so be careful not to get bitten. Also, take care not to push the obstruction further down the throat. If you can’t reach the obstruction, place one hand on each side of the poodle’s chest and deliver quick, gentle compressions until the object is dislodged (the poodle version of the Heimlich maneuver).
Cuts
Clip the fur around the wound and clean the cut gently with warm water. Once the wound is free of dirt, debris, hair, etc., apply an antibiotic ointment.
Diarrhea/Vomiting
One or two episodes of diarrhea or vomiting probably aren’t anything to worry about. Give the stomach a rest by withholding food for a day (however continue to give your poodle water). If your poodle suffers several episodes of diarrhea or vomiting in twenty four hours, has blood in its stool or vomit, or has diarrhea accompanied by vomiting, it may have a serious health problem. Contact your vet immediately.
Fractures
Use a muzzle to prevent your poodle from snapping at you if necessary. Do not pull on the fracture or try to set it yourself. If the wound is bleeding, apply gentle pressure until the bleeding stops. Call your vet immediately.
Heatstroke
Never leave your poodle in a parked car, even if you don’t think it’s all that warm out. If your poodle does suffer heatstroke, get it into cool water immediately. A tub of cool water is best, but you can also turn a hose on it. Make sure the water is reaching the skin and not just running off the poodle’s fur. As with every poodle care emergency, contact your vet immediately.
Poisoning
If your poodle ingests poison, call your vet and the poison control center immediately. Do not induce vomiting unless your vet tells you it is safe to do so.
Seizures
Since poodles are prone to epilepsy, you may very well witness your dog having a seizure. Protect your poodle by padding sharp edges and hard surfaces with a blanket. Gently move it away from stairwells, balconies, etc. There is nothing you can do to shorten the seizure. Talk to your poodle in a gentle, reassuring voice until it is over. The poodle will probably sleep for several hours afterwards.
While caring for your poodle as he ages, you will probably experience more health care issues and more trips to the vet.
