Help Control Bleeding from Wounds

(image from JojosRoomCards on etsy)

I talked week before last about treatment of wounds. To follow up with that topic, here are tips on how to stop your pet from bleeding and to keep small wounds from getting serious:

-Press on the wound: With any wound the first thing to do is stop the bleeding. Using a handkerchief, towel or a piece of a clean cloth, apply firm pressure directly over a wound. In a pinch, press down with your thumb or the palm of your hand.

-Turn down the pressure: When bleeding is serious, applying pressure directly to the artery (not the wound) can help slow it. Dogs and cats have three major pressure points:

1) The upper inside of the front legs: pressing here will help control bleeding from the lower forelegs.
2) The upper inside of the rear legs: pressing here will help control bleeding from the lower hind legs.
3) The underside of the tail: pressing here helps control bleeding from the tail.

-Forget the tourniquet: A lot of limbs are lost because the blood supply was cut off for too long a time.

-Layer up: If bleeding doesn’t stop right away, you may want to tie a bandage loosely around the wound to help slow the flow. If the bandage quickly soaks through, however, just leave it there. You don’t want to destroy a clot that’s trying to form. If the bleeding continues, it’s a sign you need to see your vet.

Some of the worst injuries are internal. Your pet could be losing pints of blood and you might never know it. Symptoms of internal bleeding include blood in vomit, pale pink or white gums and listlessness. Don’t take chances. If you think an injury is serious, it probably is -- and you should see your vet right away.

*These tips are home remedies only and should not ever be used as a substitute for any treatment that may have been prescribed by your veterinarian. If your pet has a medical problem, we urge you to seek competent medical care.





Alice England


Makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com