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First of all, let's consider wounds to be an emergency if there is profuse bleeding or if they're extremely deep or large.It's also an emergency if the wound is in your dog's chest cavity, abdominal cavity, or head.
Your dog can experience arterial bleeding (the spurting of bright red blood) or venous bleeding (oozing of dark red blood) or sometimes both.
Both types of bleeding require immediate veterinary attention.
Your dog is in danger from shock, coma, or bleeding to death.
First Aid For Severe Bleeding -- Where Do We Start?
If the wound is on an extremity, first aid for severe bleeding starts with applying pressure to one of the closest pressure points:- For a front leg, press the inside of the leg just above the elbow
- For a rear leg, press the inside of the thigh where the femoral artery crosses the thighbone
- For the tail, press the underside of the tail close to where it joins the body
The next step in applying first aid for severe bleeding is to carefully remove any obvious loose debris or dirt from the wound. Cover the wound with a clean cloth, sterile dressing, sanitary napkin, or any available article of clothing.
Place your hand over the dressing and press firmly.
Direct pressure is best for outside bleeding, except for an eye injury.
As you continue with first aid for severe bleeding, keep pressure on the dressing to stop bleeding.
If blood soaks through the dressing, do NOT remove it. Apply more dressing and continue to apply pressure until the bleeding stops.
Wrap torn rags or other soft material around the dressing and tie or tape it just tightly enough to keep the bandage on. Start below the wound and wrap upward.
More on First Aid For Severe Bleeding
Doing so may cause more damage and may increase bleeding.
Place pads and bandages around the object and tape it all in place.
Keep in mind when using first aid for severe bleeding, it's important to seek immediate medical care for any abdominal or chest wound.
That's because there can be considerable internal damage in addition to anything readily visible.
If organs are showing through the wound, do not try to push them back into place unless they slide back in without your assistance.
Cover the injury with a moistened cloth or bandage, and apply only very gentle pressure to stop the bleeding.
Here are some other points to remember as you give your dog first aid for severe bleeding:
- If possible, elevate the wound site, and apply a cold pack to it.
- For head wounds, apply gentle pressure to control bleeding.
- Monitor for loss of consciousness or shock and treat accordingly.
- Don't peek to see if the bleeding has stopped. That can make it bleed even longer.
- Don't try to clean out a large wound. That will make it bleed more.
- Cover your dog with a blanket or coat to keep him warm, as he'll probably be going into shock.
Should You Use Tourniquets As
First Aid For Severe Bleeding?
Use a first aid tourniquet only in life-threatening situations and only when all other steps to stop bleeding haven't worked. Apply it to the leg or tail between the wound and the heart. Loop a strip of towel, a tie, rope, or belt, around the limb. Tighten the loop by hand or by inserting and twisting a stick beneath the loop.
Your dog could lose a leg or his tail if his blood supply is cut off for too long.
That's why you need to loosen the tourniquet every five minutes to allow blood flow to the limb or tail.
Use direct pressure for three or four minutes and then re-tighten the tourniquet.
As soon as the bleeding becomes controllable (manageable by applying direct pressure), stop using the tourniquet.
After First Aid for Severe Bleeding -- Get to the Vet!
After you've done everything you can do, it's very important that you get your dog to the vet or an emergency veterinary clinic as soon as possible.They're experts in knowing how to stop bleeding in dogs (if you haven't been able to do that yet), clean out the wound, put in stitches, and check for internal bleeding.
It's great to have them around at times like this!
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