The site was last updated on

24 Aug 2000

Traffic Accidents

This week's tip is for all people, with all dogs.
Who ever thought that his dog might get hit by a car, and get killed?
Many of the dogs or pets that get hit by cars, don't make it through to the vet only because they don't know what to do in the first minutes till they get to the vet, these minutes or even seconds might be the judgement for life or death of the dog. There are few steps of treating a hurt dog, but the first and most important thing is to avoid it, if possible.
It is much easier to avoid the accident then handling it. Most of these accident could have been avoided if the dog was well trained. Then so, when you walk with the dog near a road, make sure that he is on leash, no matter how trained he is. If you did have an accident, most important thing is to stay comb, and work comely, fast and logically.
If the dog got hurt, or just got hit but might get hit again, move him away from the accident's place. A dog that got hurt might even bite his own owners, if he feels pain or in shock. That's why, before checking the dog, you should muzzle the dog's mouth, but first check that the tong has not been swallowed. Call you vet as soon as possible!

First steps;
1. Follow the first steps of the "First steps of First aid".
2. When the dog is in danger, move him to a safer place, even if he is unconscious. In the first step, look for bleeding or crooked legs. Make sure to lead the traffic so they won't hurt the dog, until you move him to a safer place.
3. If there is another person around that can help, pick up the dog together as long as supporting the dog's body with a blanket or a coat. If you can't find any one who can help you, hold the dog hard at the skin  over the neck and hips and pull the dog over the blanket, this way you'll be able to bring the dog to a safer place without holding him. Make sure not to touch any hurt places. DO NOT try to hold the dog or carry him, he might have inside bleedings, and this might make is worst.
4. A dog that been involved in a traffic accident, might have inbody bleeding, which needs a fast veterinary care. Don't move the dog more then you have to. Use the blanket as a stretcher and get to the vet as soon as you can. Make sure to place the dog's neck toward so the dog will be able to breath freely.
5. If it is clear that the dog are in pain, use a improvisational muzzle to his mouth, before you try to move him. Use a rope or a scarf take it over the upper part of the muzzle toward down, make a tie under the jaws, and another one over the head under the ears.
6. If you don't see an injury, it doesn't mean the dog is not injured from inside. after you take him away from the accident's place make a full check, a dog who got injured by a car, must get checked by a vet fast.
7. Touch every leg separately to find broken bones. If you think that the dog might have a broken place, try not to move the injured place. A dog the got hurt at his neck, put on a  flat board bigger then the dog, and get to the vet as soon as possible.

Every dog that got hurt in any way, should be checked a full check by a vet, and be watched for 24 hours.