[CorkyMax]

Article by a Vet:
As a pet owner, one of my worst fears is having my dog or cat hit by a car. In the Vet world, we call this HBC.

SIGNS

You may see it, and then its obvious. Often though cats and dogs are HBC's and the only external signs are a few scrapes. They may be limping, or have difficulty breathing.

SOLUTIONS:

CALL YOUR VET ASAP.

ASSESS BREATHING.

I often see lung injuries from car accidents. Does your pet appear to be breathing normally, or is she labored, breathing with her mouth open. A common injury is pneumothorax, in which a part of the lung collapses, causing progressive respiratory distress. (Mouth breathing, large, deep chest or stomach movements in an attempt to get air into the lungs). In this case you need IMMEDIATE veterinary care.

CHECK HEARTBEAT.

The easiest way is to place your ear against the chest behind the left elbow. You can also feel for a pulse by placing your fingers in the groin (inside the thigh of the back legs).

CPR

If your pet is non-responsive, then go through the CPR steps.

1. Assess responsiveness 2. Establish a patent airway 3. Perform rescue breathing 4. Cardiac massage - establishing circulation

You will have to exert a lot of force with large dogs, but don't worry about breaking ribs for they will heal.

After every minute, stop and check for a pulse or breathing.

Continue heart massage compressions and the rescue breathing until you hear a heart beat and feel regular breathing. ONCE your pet is breathing and his heart is beating, CALL your veterinarian immediately!

GUM COLOR.

This is a great measure of blood pressure, to determine if shock is present, and to evaluate for internal bleeding. The gums should be a healthy pink color. If they are pale, then your pet needs to be treated for shock and transported to a vet ASAP.

STOP BLEEDING.

If there are obvious areas of bleeding, then stop them NOW. Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or gauze. Hold this in place for at least 5 minutes.

COVER WOUNDS.

Covering open wounds will keep them clean and help prevent infection. Bandage material is preferable, but a towel will work fine until you get to the vet.

SUPPORT A FRACTURE.

If your pet is not using a leg, suspect a fracture. If the leg is dangling, and bent at an unusual angle, then you should attempt to immobilize it until you get veterinary care. Place a towel around the leg. Wrap the inside of the leg with material to partially splint the limb: newspaper, magazine or even bubble wrap. Cover this with tape to keep the newspaper next to the towel.

MOVE WITH CARE.

Carefully transport your pet. A firm surface works best. If possible, put your pet on a wooden board. This is best done by first gently sliding him onto a sheet, then sliding the sheet onto the board. If you don't have any of this available, don't worry, the most important thing is rapid transport to your vet. Lift your pet by cradling him (left arm around his chest and right arm around his rear).

This discussion about car accidents leads me to this--- Every pet owner should have a Pet First Aid Kit.

See the thread I am now posting on a Pet First Aid Kit--in this section/forum.