Emergency Care for Trail Hounds

CPR

If the dog is not breathing and has no heartbeat, perform CPR. Lay the dog on its right side and check its pulse by placing your fingertips on the left side of the chest, behind the elbow.

If you can't find a pulse, clear the dog's airway by closing its mouth and blowing into the nose until the lungs expand. Then, push over the heart four times, depressing the chest one to two inches. Repeat these two steps about 15 times per minute for at least five minutes or until the dog regains consciousness.

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Pad Injury

Sharp rocks and ice can lacerate a dog's feet, but it's not only natural dangers that threaten the dog. Through the Cascades and Olympics, old mining claims are littered with rusty metal and glass. If Spike cuts a pad, check the wound for foreign objects, remove any bits of glass, metal, or other material then stop the bleeding through direct pressure. Apply an antiseptic ointment and bandage the foot. A dog booty can be used to hold the bandage in place and prevent the dog from chewing on the bandage.

Drowning

Even a water-loving Labrador can drown. Many mountain lakes are ringed with rock that make it difficult for a dog to scramble out; often, high country water is topped with thin ice, and dogs aren't smart enough to know the difference between solid ground and thin ice. If your dog goes in for a drink and has trouble getting out, you may have to perform emergency rescue techniques. Once the dog is on dry land, get as much water out of its lungs as possible. First, suspend the dog by its hind legs so it hangs upside down. While doing this, have someone close the dog's mouth and blow hard into its nose several times to force air into the lungs, displacing the water.

Sore Muscles

Most vets will provide a small supply of prescription anti-inflammatory medication for a doggy first aid kit, or you can rely on good old aspirin for the dog's aches and pains. But, while dogs can take aspirin, it can cause stomach ailments. To prevent this, use a buffered aspirin or enteric-coated aspirin (designed to dissolve in the intestine rather than the stomach).