PEDIGREE® Brand Presents: Pet First Aid

Bee or wasp sting

For bee stings, apply a paste of baking soda and water. For wasp stings, apply vinegar or lemon juice. Also, apply a cold pack and follow up with calamine or antihistamine cream. In case of severe swelling or difficulty breathing, immediately take your dog to the vet.

Choking

Possible causes: Foreign object—such as a needle, bone, food, or part of a plant—lodged in his throat, windpipe or teeth; choking could also be caused by an allergic reaction.

What to do: Gently pull the dog's tongue forward and inspect his mouth and throat—but be careful! You must make sure your dog doesn't try to bite you. Stop if he is not cooperative. If you see a foreign object, hold the mouth open and attempt to remove it by hand, or with tweezers or small pliers. Take care not to push the object farther down the throat. Again, stop if the dog is not cooperative and immediately take him to a vet. If the dog is not breathing, see "CPR" below.

Unconsciousness

Possible causes: Drowning, electrocution, trauma, drug ingestion.

What to do: In case of drowning, remove fluid from the dog's lungs by lifting his hindquarters high over his head and squeezing his chest firmly until fluid stops coming out. In case of electrical shock, DO NOT touch pet until it is no longer in contact with the electricity source. If an object is blocking the dog's windpipe, it will need to be gently removed. See "Choking" above. Take the dog to a vet as soon as possible.

If animal is not breathing and has no heartbeat, start CPR.