Over the course of a dog`s life, there is the possibility that it will be in an emergency that requires immediate action on the part of the owner to save its life. Most owners don`t know what to do in the immediate situation and simply rush their dog to the veterinary clinic, where the canine may have already passed on on arrival.

Whenever a canine is injured, no matter if the injury is minor or major, there are two main things that the owner should try to do. The first is to stop the bleeding; the second to treat the dog for shock. And the logical third step is to take the dog to the vet, the urgency of which depends on the severity of the injury. Most people skip steps two and three and rush straight to the vet.

Become Educated

“Shock” is a term most people have heard either on the news, or in first aid presentations. “Going into shock” and “undergo treatment for shock” are phrases familiar to most of us, in relation to human beings. But these cursory mentions of the term “shock” usually fail to explain exactly what shock is, what causes it, and why it is so critical to treat. Most people are under the impression that shock simply means “surprise” or “emotional turmoil”, rather than understanding that shock is a potentially lethal condition.

Shock is a condition that can comes with bee stings, snakes, insect bites, extreme fright, physical trauma, hemorrhage, burns, and other conditions that cause extreme pain. It results in a dramatic drop in blood pressure, and a lack of blood being pumped to your vital organs.

Shock Symptoms

When a dog is injured, check to see the color of its gums. Pale, gray-colored gums are an indication of shock. So is a weakly beating yet fast heartbeat. The dog`s body temperature will be cold, and its skin will turn a blueish hue. Its mucous membranes such as its lips will also turn pale. These symptoms are a result of the weak circulation of blood to the vital organs.

Many people who have dogs wouldn’t know exactly what to do if their dog was to go into shock. Many people are torn between giving their dog a stimulant like a caffeinated beverage to help them stay conscious. The general guidelines for administering a stimulant is only give it to a dog that is conscious. And, only give a sweetened stimulant to a dog. If the dog is not conscious, make sure that you do not administer anything to them and take them to a veterinarian’s clinic as soon as possible.

Many books that are available today about the subject of treating shock in dogs go against emergency first aid procedures. These books are many times more confusing then helpful because they give no clear cut way to treat your dog for shock in any situation.

There is a big point of controversy surrounding the idea of whether or not emergency first aid procedures should be followed at all. Some people say that emergency first aid takes too much time and could be the difference between a healthy recovery and a slow death. However, other medical officials say that emergency first aid procedures have a greater chance of saving a dog’s life than losing it.

Either way, most people can agree that the biggest controversy of all is over what stimulant should be used to help the dog get out of its state of shock. Many people say that giving a dog in shock an alcoholic beverage does not stimulate the body and does more harm than good. However, the other side argues that alcoholic beverages are only depressants if they are consumed in large amounts.

It would seem logical that so many highly educated veterinarians would have come up with a definite solution to shock in dogs by now, but that is not true. There is still a lot of controversy over the issue and most likely won’t be resolved any time soon.

However veterinarians do agree that it is good to do something, whether it be covering your dog in blankets or giving it a stimulant.

No matter what you choose to do if your dog does happen to go into a state of shock, remember that you should always try and keep the dog as calm as possible. Then, either give the dog a stimulant if the dog is conscious, or take it to the hospital if the dog is not conscious.