K9 Safety First
Restraint:
• You should practice examining your dog’s ears, eyes, mouth and feet, that way you will know what is normal for your dog and you will be able to examine those areas if there is a problem. Proper restraint of your dog will vary depending on the type of injury or problem.
• The use of a muzzle is highly recommended in any situation in which the dog may be painful. If the dog is actively vomiting, a muzzle is not recommended in that it will increase the risk of aspiration (having the vomitus go into the lungs).
• For an animal that is injured and needs to be transported, taping them to a board may be the best method of restraint.
• When examining an animal’s mouth, use of gauze or a leash to open the jaws is often the safest way to keep fingers from being bitten.
• To restrain a dog while sitting, place one arm (the one farthest from the dog) under the neck and hold the head firmly against your body. Do not grab directly around the neck, as you may occlude the trachea (windpipe).
• To restrain a dog in lateral recumbency (lying on their side), one arm is laid across their neck and the bottom front leg is held. The other arm is laid across their abdomen and the bottom rear leg is grasped.
• Sometimes using a blanket or towel to wrap the dog will also assist in restraint. The golden rule of restraint is DO NOT GET HURT. For some dogs the only means of restraint is chemical restraint (drugs).
• The more comfortable your dog is with being restrained, the better the chance that it will be successfully treated in case of an emergency.