Taking Care of Your Pet
Handling a pet is difficult business. In exchange for the joy and love you receive from a pet animal, is responsibility to care for and love him or her in return. A hurt pet is very difficult to care for because pets become aggressive if they are injured. A pet who feels sick simply has low energy and might have a poor appetite. A pet who is hurt will become aggressive towards anyone approaching it, including it’s owner. This is why everybody with a pet dog, cat, or similar animals need Pet First Aid and CPR training.
Thunder Bay First Aid’s Pet First Aid and CPR
Thunder Bay First Aid is home to different training programs such as first aid and food safety. One of our more popular programs is the Pet First Aid and CPR course. It is a classroom-based program that runs for four hours and costs 79.99 dollars, plus tax. The training fees include everything – certification fees, training manuals, and hand-outs.
The program is a basic training course on pet emergency management, including the following topics:
- Wound care and infection control
- Burn management
- Poison management
- Immobilizing
- Medication administration
Certification for Pet First Aid and CPR training is awarded after the trainee passes the final exam. These credentials do not expire and trainees are not required to take refresher classes.
Enrolling in a Training Program
Pet First Aid and CPR is available monthly, with enrollment available all day, 24/7, below. Our offices are open from 8am to 5 pm to trainees who wish to enroll in person. You can even visit our office if you have any questions or want a tour of the facility.
Contact us via e-mail or telephone call. You can call us during office hours but e-mails can be sent at any time. We will reply to you during the next business day.
Having a Pet First Aid Kit
An important concept we teach our students is to have a first aid kit at home, specifically for your pet. The basic materials are the same as a first aid kit for a human but it’s better to segregate your kit and your pets to prevent potentially pathogenic microorganisms from contaminating your injury.
A pet’s first aid kit should contain these basics:
- Antiseptic solution
- Gauze pads
- Bandages
- Adhesive tape
- Leash (for dogs, to muzzle them)
- Linen or cloth (for smaller animals, to immobilize them)
- Hydrogen peroxide (for poisoning, use only at the advice of your veterinarian)
While adhesive tapes are included in the kit, never use them on your pet’s skin. It can pull off and damage your pet’s fur. Adhesive tapes are only used to secure gauze pads and bandages to itself. If you are bandaging your pet, you can use a secure clip instead.
Note: Before attempting to give first aid to your pet, be sure to immobilize them first. Even the gentlest of pets can attack you if you touch or approach their injury.