Purrrs, everyone! This is Melody, and I have something VERY important to teach you all about! It's called First-Aid and CPR. It's not a fun thing to have to have done to us, but sometimes our humans need to do it to save our nine lives! First-Aid and CPR may be needed in many situations (such as falling out of a tree, falling into a tub of water, getting hit by a car, or attacked by a d*g!) and we must submit to it and make sure that our humans know how to perform it BEFORE it's needed! Please make sure that your whole family, all pets and humans, read this! Here is a list of the things you should tell your human to put in a bag, in a convienient place, in case you need minor medical attention. You should also keep an identical bag of supplies for traveling, where they won't forget it (my Mommy keeps one in my carrier at all times!)! Contents: * stainless steel scissors * tweezers * 2" roll gauze * triangle bandage * hydrogen peroxide * antibiotic ointments * antiseptic towelettes * 4"x4" gauze pads * alcohol prep pads * latex gloves *a CPR and First-Aid booklet (you can purrr at your vet to get one!). * The first thing your human must do is check the position of your body, to see if you might have spinal or neck injuries. They should not pick you up or turn you over until they make sure that your body is properly aligned. Then they need to turn you over on your back GENTLY! * If you move, meow, purr or hiss, that means you are conscious, and this is a good thing, so let them know! * The next step is to make sure that your air-way is open and that you are breating. They will need to put their finger in your mouth to make sure that you are not choking. This will also help them determine the color of your tongue and gums. They should be pink-ish; if they're not, it means that you are having trouble breathing.Please DO NOT BITE! They have to do this in order to help you! If you are choking, they will need to remove the object from your throat. They can use their finger or a bulb-syringe to do this. * If the object can't be reached, they should perform the Heimlich Maneuver, as would be done on a baby or child: 1) Holding you (upside-down) with your back to their chest. 2) Pushing IN and UP with quick, firm, gentle thrusts, directly below your rib-cage, until the object clears out. * They will also need to check your "pulse-points", located near your paws, your neck, and your chest. This will tell them if you heart rate is abnormal. They should check your pulse when you are healthy, to get an idea of what your normal heart rate is, so they can make a good comparison. * Your human will then need to get a good look at you, all over, to make sure that you aren't bleeding, and to stop the bleeding if you are. This is done by applying firm, gentle pressure where the blood is coming from, using their hand or a clean cloth or towel. * They should also take your teperature, if possible (Mommy usually has to chase me for 15 minutes before I let her try that one!). Our temperatures (as well as a d*g's) normally range from 100 to 102 degrees Farenheit. If you are not breathing, CPR should be performed. Before this is ever needed, tell your human to get a demonstration from your vet. As with humans requiring CPR, it is a two-part procedure: artificial respiration (breathing) and heart massage. 1) ONLY AFTER making sure that your air-way is open, your human should cup their hands over your mouth and their mouth over your nose, breathing slow, short breaths into your lungs. You can also get a special muzzle piece from your vet to go over your mouth and nose, but it's not necessary. 2)This should be alternated (after every three breaths) with heart massages. This is done by your humans placing both hands directly under your rib-cage and pushing in with firm but gentle, quick pressure. * They should repeat these steps until you show signs of breathing on your own, or until you can get veteranarian help! So there is is, kitties! A guide to feline First-Aid and CPR, that EVERY pet owner needs to take the time to learn. But please remind your human to NEVER try to replace your vet's medical training with their own, or to try to diagnose any illness or condition on their own!  (c)1998/Lisa J. Kelly |
