June 20, 2001
Class helps humans aid their pets
Red Cross, Humane Society offer Pet First Aid course
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Ruth Ann Priest of Lake Ann and her daughter Kayla, 8, are raising sled dogs. As they build up their team of huskies and train them, Priest has already discovered that they can get into mischief: two times her dogs have wound up on the losing end of porcupine quills.
She and Kayla attended a Pet First Aid class Saturday sponsored by the American Red Cross and the Cherryland Humane Society to learn how to deal with this and other first aid situations.
"I felt the need to find out more about this," Priest said. "I'm home alone and I wanted to know what to do. I'm usually the one home when things happen."
An aspiring veterinarian, Kayla was pleased to learn how to help injured or sick animals.
"I learned how to help a dog when it gets hit or is choking," she said.
Her friend, Ann Sterrett, also 8, does not have a pet but is pet sitting a golden retriever this summer for her teacher. She enrolled in the Pet First Aid class to help her with that.
"I wanted to learn about how to handle emergencies," Sterrett said.
Led by retired vet Dr. Jim Kartsimas, the eight attendees at the class learned that the first step in helping an injured or ill animal is the same as with a human being: keep calm.
"When you're confronted with an emergency, keep your wits about you," said Kartsimas, relating how a few times in his equine practice someone called up with an emergency, yelling at him to come help but hung up before telling him where to go. "You're not going to help anyone with hysterics."
Next, Kartsimas stressed that before trying to help an animal, you must assess its mental state. An animal afraid or in pain may lash out by biting or scratching, so learning to read the danger signs an animal gives is important.
Kartsimas also led the class through some basic emergency situations including choking, bleeding injuries, cardiac arrest, shock and heatstroke. He also discussed signs of allergic reaction and how to treat them. With his friendly sidekick, Haley, his six-year-old beagle, Kartsimas demonstrated the Heimlich maneuver, how to apply a tourniquet and pressure points used to stop bleeding.
Kartsimas said that car accidents, the biggest cause of injury to pets, are avoidable if owners take care to keep pets restrained properly.
"All car accidents are different, there may be an injured leg, head trauma or internal injuries," he said. "You have to assess what you see but the first thing is to always assess the animal's mental state before trying to help."
Kartsimas also recommended that students become familiar with their own pets' vital signs when not in an emergency situation. Determining a normal pulse rate, respiration rate and mucous membrane color can help in a future emergency. He also recommended creating an in-home first aid kit and sent students home with the beginnings of one and a list or recommendations for additional items.
Kartsimas has taught the Pet First Aid class for about six years, wanting to get the message out that this information is fundamental to being a responsible pet owner,
"I have a deep respect for animals, both pets and wildlife," said Kartsimas, who is also a volunteer vet for the Cherryland Humane Society. "I would stress that we shouldn't be owners we should be caretakers. There's a big difference."
The American Red Cross and the Cherryland Humane Society will hold another Pet First Aid class on Saturday, September 22. For more information or to register, call the Red Cross office at 947-7286.