AIMS AND RULES OF
FIRST AID
First aid treatment is based on three aims and four
rules :
THE THREE AIMS ARE:
i) To preserve life
ii) To prevent suffering
iii) To prevent the situation deteriorating
THE FOUR RULES ARE:
i) Don't panic
ii) Maintain the airway
iii) Control the hemorrhage
iv) Contact the veterinarian as soon as possible
Never forget these rules. When dealing with emergency
case. Avoid disturbances due to sound, light and
vibrations. Provide soft bedding to avoid bed sores.
An emergency can be classified as one of the three
steps.
i) Life threatening emergencies requiring immediate
action.
ii) Emergencies requiring immediate attention but
not life threatening.
iii) Minor emergencies
APPROACHING THE INJURED ANIMAL
Animal in emergency can be classified into two
groups. i) Ambulatory (able to walk)
These type of animals may be allowed to walk and a
little encouragement should be used to guide the
animal to the transport vehicle.
ii) Non-Ambulatory
These animals need boxes and baskets which should be
escape proof and capable of providing ventilation
and the injured ones are carried to the transport
vehicle. When the first aider sees an unconscious
animal the first thing that must be done is to
determine whether or not the animal is alive.
i) Feel the pulse
ii) Note the state of respiration
iii) Look at the eyes. Note whether they are bright
or dull
iv) Examine the head for signs of wound and mouth
for colour, coldness, frothing or dullness.
v) Examine the limbs which in case of shock will be
relaxed, in cases of fits will be jerking and in
certain forms of poisoning will be rigid.
Death is determined by the absence of heart beat,
absence of respiratory movement, coldness of the
body and eyes becoming dull and lusterless.
Following are certain conditions that require FIRST
AID:
a) Haemorrhage
b) Burns and scalds
c) Epistaxis (Bleeding from nose) d) Heat stroke
(Heat prostration) e) Wasp and Bee sting
f) Snake bite
g) Fracture of bones h) Wounds
i) Suffocation
j) Drowning
k) Electric shock
I) Poisoning signs
m) Road accidents
