First aid for pets

Safe Pets Safe People

As part of its campaign to get groomers first aid trained, the iPET Network is sharing some case studies of pet professionals who saved pets in their care thanks to their medical pet training:

Helen Storer, 55 is a dog groomer and runs Jango’s grooming parlour in Northampton.

She did a dog first aid course with qualified veterinary nurse Rachel Bean, which was soon put to the test when her beloved cockapoo Jasper, 12 began to choke.

Helen said: “We were at home and Jasper was chewing on a rawhide chew as he did every evening.

“All of a sudden he just hunched over, he was standing still but I could see that he was struggling.

“I could see that he wasn’t breathing, I tried to put my hand in his mouth but he got distressed, I kept thinking of Rachel’s training, and what she says ‘doing something is better than doing nothing’.

“So I kept trying, and tried the abdominal techniques that we were taught too, my husband Paul, 58, was on the phone to the vet but Jasper was losing consciousness.

“By the time we were in the car though the first aid had helped to dislodge the chew and get air into his lungs again, the chew went down into his stomach.”

Jasper had to stay overnight at the vet following his ordeal but is now fighting fit.

Helen credits the dog first aid training with saving his life.

She said: “The training has been invaluable and I have the knowledge to use at work too, particularly when we get elderly dogs who may become unwell while they are having a groom.

“I think it gives my clients faith in me, and it definitely gives me faith in myself and the confidence to step in when things go wrong.”

Helen Storer

CASE STUDY #2

Sammy Feehan, 23 from Albrighton near Wolverhampton is a professional dog walker, and takes pride in keeping her knowledge and skills up to date.

In 2019, just before the pandemic, Sammy took the iPET Network Canine First Aid course with Rachel Bean, as a way to stay safe while she was working with pets.

The course has stood her in good stead in her Doxie Canine Services business, but never more so than just this week, when in a dramatic lifesaving scenario she performed CPR on her own beloved dog George, 16.

Sammy picks up the story: I have had George since I was seven years old, and he is 16 now, with a few health issues. He is a Yorkie Dachshund cross and a really important member of our family.

Last week George started to have seizures, one in the night which was witnessed by my parents, and then a more severe one the next day which left him really agitated and restless.

I tried to calm him down and give him a cuddle, but all of a sudden he just collapsed on my lap.

He looked dead, and it was so traumatic, but having the first aid knowledge allowed my training to kick in, and to do the right thing and give George the chance he deserved.

His breathing was really shallow but he was still there, and I started doing the CPR that Rachel taught us in training.

I could feel his breath but it wasn’t like a proper breath, it was really scary but I carried on with the CPR for five minutes. The vet was on the phone and said to bring him in but I was so worried that he wouldn’t make it that far as the vet isn’t that close to our house.

But because of the training I was able to care for him all the way to the vets, remembering what Rachel told us, and after some medication and oxygen at the surgery he has rallied round!

It was such a shock, and I still can’t believe that it has happened, but I am so grateful that I knew what to do. My instincts just kicked in, but afterwards you realise just how scary it really was and what could have happened.

For the first three nights after it happened I slept on the floor with him to make sure that he was alright through the night.

I think it is so important that pet professionals get this training, and when you are choosing a pet professional you should question them like they are on trial.

I did the course because I want to show my clients that they can trust me with their family member, and all dog walkers, groomers and anyone else who works with your pet while you are not there should do the same.

Sammy Feehan saved George by using her CPR training

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