Appraising the situation

Pet owners live with their cats and dogs all year round and are in the best position (even more so than a vet) to recognize what's normal and what's not.  Hopefully a vet will see you dog or cat only once or twice a year.  So at some point, when your pet is healthy and happy, create a baseline first-aid health chart that lists vital signs for each cat or dog in your home.  These baseline readings should include:

• Temperature
• Colour of skin and gums
• Capillary refill time
• Dehydration test
• Heart rate
• Pulse rate
• Respiration rate
• Responsiveness

Since each pet in an individual, a range of readings may be normal.  But once you've determined what your pet's specifics are, anything outside this individual "normal" range will alert you to a problem that needs to be addressed.  This will also help you assess how serious the condition might be, what first-aid steps you need to take, and if first aid is all that's needed or if treatment is best left to the vet.

Temperature

Normal body temperature for cats and dogs ranges between 37°C 39°C.  A pet that has played or exercised strenuously often has a slightly elevated temperature of a degree or two, but it should return to a normal range with rest.

It is much safer to buy a digital thermometer as a glass thermometer could break inside the back passage if your pet struggles.

For obvious reasons, most pets hate having their temperatures taken so it is easier if you get someone to hold your pet calmly in a standing position.

Here's how to take your pet's temperature:

• make sure the thermometer is registering zero
• lubricate well with Vaseline jelly, mineral oil or K-Y jelly
• grasp the base of your pet's tail and lift it to access the anus.  Insert the thermometer about halfway into the anus
• wait one minute until the thermometer bleeps
• once finished wipe the thermometer clean with mild antiseptic

A high temperature could mean your pet has an infection or inflammation. A temperature below normal is equally serious - your cat could be in shock, suffering from anaemia or a viral infection. In both cases seek veterinary advice promptly.

Skin and Gum Colour

Skin tone can be hard to see on  a pet because of all the fur.  Vets use the colour of the mucous membranes, like the "whites" of the eyes and the gums above the teeth, to gauge a pet's health.  For gums, anything other than a normal pink colour calls for immediate veterinary attention or first-aid.  If your pet's gums are pigmented (black or brown), try to find a non-pigmented pink spot on the gums or lips to assess her condition.

Gum Colour & What it could mean:

Pink = Normal
Pale to White = Anemia or Shock
Blue = Smoke inhalation or suffocation.
Bright cherry red = Carbon monoxide poisoning or heatstroke.
Yellow = Liver problems.

Capillary Refill Time

Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that lie near the surface of the skin.  They're easiest to see in your pet's gums, above the teeth.  The capillaries are what give this tissue its normal pink colour.  You can judge the condition of your pet's blood circulation by a capillary refill test.

Here's what to do:

• List your pet's upper lip, then press the flat of your finger against the non-pigmented, pink gum tissue.  This temporarily squeezes blood in that spot out of the capillaries and blocks the normal flow.
• Quickly remove the pressure, and you'll see a white, finger-shaped mark on the gum.  Use the second hand on you watch to time how long it takes for the pink colour to flood back into the white spot - that's the capillary refill time.

To assess the condition of your pet's circulation, use these guidelines:

1-2 seconds - refill time is normal
2-4 seconds - moderate to poor, possible dehydration or shock.

More than 4 seconds - dehydration, shock
Less than 1 second - heatstroke, shock.

Dehydration Test

Normally hydrated cats and dogs have extra loose skin at the top of their heads and the base of their necks "the scruff " that's easy to grasp.  When the water balance f the body is normal, you can gently pull up the scruff, and when you release it, the skin will spring back immediately to a normal position.  The skin at the top of the head is more likely to show this effect, so you might want to test there first.

The more severe the dehydration, though, the slower the skin will retract.  With moderate dehydration, the skin will go back slowly.  In severe cases, where the skin remains standing up in a ridge off the body even after you've released it, immediate first aid and veterinary care are required.

Heart Rate

To measure your pet's normal heart rate, have him sit or lie in a relaxed position and place the palm of your hand over his left side directly behind the point of the elbow. Feel for the heartbeat and count the pulses in 15 second bursts. Then multiply this number by 4 to get the beats per minute rate. To ensure an accurate reading, repeat the count two or three times and average them to find the dogs average normal rate.

With illness or injury, a slower than normal rate can indicate heart disease or shock. A racing heart can also point to shock. Either requires prompt medical attention.

Check your pet's pulse rate as well to become familiar with how a normal pulse feels. It should be strong, and you should feel it at the same time as each heartbeat.   An irregular pulse points to heart problems, while a "bounding" pulse or a very weak pulse can indicate shock, weak heart output, or a drop in blood pressure.  All of these conditions require immediate medical attention.

Here are the average beats per minute based on your pet's size.

Small dogs (up to 20 pounds) 70 - 180 beats
Medium & Large (over 20 lbs) 60 - 140 beats
Puppies (up to 6 weeks) up to 220 beats
Cats 120 - 240 beats
Kittens (up to 6 weeks) 200 - 300 beats

Respiration Rate

Most dogs breathe 10 to 30 times a minute. When your pet is resting quietly, anything other than quiet, effortless breathing requires medical attention.

Panting and open-mouthed breathing are considered danger signs in cats because they don't use panting routinely as a means to cool off, the way dogs do.  If your cat is panting with her mouth open, call the vet immediately.

Responsiveness

Healthy dogs and cats are alert and responsive to whatever is happening in their surroundings. When they are injured or ill, their behavior is affected to various degrees. The more serious the condition, the less response there will be.

Source: The first aid companion for dogs and cats