First aid for bleeding can save your pet’s life

First aid for bleeding can save your pet’s life


When your pet is bleeding, you need to take matters into your own hands while you determine next steps.

First aid for minor wounds is pretty easy. You use a clean, thick gauze square to put pressure on the site so the blood can clot. That usually takes several minutes, so try not to remove the bandage too soon.

Severe bleeding — especially involving a leg — requires a lot more. You still need to put pressure on the wound, but you’ll need to place a tourniquet, too. That involves wrapping an elastic band or strip of cloth tightly around the limb between the bleeding and your pet’s body. Every 15 minutes or so, you’ll loosen the tourniquet for 15 seconds to allow blood flow to the leg.

This — and any help you can get — may help save your pet’s life until you get veterinary help as soon as possible.

Related Episodes