| Head Injury |
| Head injuries may or may not involve wounds. They should always be evaluated to determine how serious the problem is. 1) Is the animal unconscious? (See: Unconsciousness) 2) Is there bleeding from the ears, nose or mouth? 3) Is there clear fluid coming from the ears, nose or mouth? 4) Is the animal vomiting? 5) Is there a wound? If the answer to questions 1-4 is "no", the injury, while still serious, is probably not life-threatning if handled properly. The head has many blood vessels and a wound to the head will cause a great deal of bleeding. Do not worry about cleaning the wound at this time. Do the following: a) Place a sterile pad on the spot and apply gentle pressure. Don't use too much pressure becouse if there is a fracture, you may be pushing bone pieces into the brain or spinal area. That would worsen an already bad situation. b) Cover the dressing with a bandage so that the dressing will stay in place. Get the animal to a veterinarian as quickly as possible. If any of the answers to questions 1-4 is "yes", there may be injury to the brain. In that case: 1) Do not muzzle the pet. 2) Keep it on its side. 3) If the animal has a difficulty breathing, give artificial respiration. (See: Artificial Respiration) 4) Do not offer food or water. 5) If there is bleeding, follow direction A and B. 6) Get to a vet immediately. |
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