Andrea Rosebrock 
In pets, like in people, shock left untreated can kill. Shock is a serious, life-threatening medical condition where insufficient blood flow reaches the body tissues. As the blood carries oxygen and nutrients around the body, reduced flow hinders the delivery of these components to the tissues, and can stop the tissues from functioning properly which can lead to death.
In pets, again as in people, shock is usually caused by some kind of trauma, one of the most common is when a dog or cat is hit by a car or any kind of accident which could cause trauma of this nature. Some severe illnesses also present shock.
Often, while the injuries themselves may be treatable, the shock to the body’s systems, if left untreated, may overwhelm the body and cause collapse and death.
Do you know the signs of shock in a pet and what to do??
SIGNS
This is a life-threatening condition, which occurs as a result of a serious injury or illness. It can progress to collapse and death.
PALE OR WHITE GUMS – Examine the gums by gently lifting the upper lid to expose the gums. Sometimes the gums are pigmented so look right around the mouth. Dogs, such as the Chow, are impossible to assess as they have naturally pigmented gums. If the gums are pale or white your pet needs urgent veterinary attention.
RAPID HEART RATE AND WEAK RAPID PULSE – The heart rate often exceeds 150 beats/minute.
RAPID BREATHING – Your pet may appear woozy and weak. They often have difficulty standing.
CAUSES
Shock occurs when there is a collapse of the circulatory system (made up of the heart, blood vessels and blood) due to:
BLOOD LOSS – Bleeding can be external or internal. Blood can be lost into the chest between the ribs and the lungs, into the abdomen around the organs or into the organs themselves, such as the bladder. There may be no obvious signs that bleeding has occurred. The volume of blood in the vessels then becomes insufficient for the body’s needs.
FLUID LOSS – Fluids lost to the body through, for example, vomiting and diarrhea are drawn from the entire body including the blood, causing dehydration and loss of blood volume. Most Parvovirus cases present in shock.
DECREASED BLOOD PRESSURE – This may be brought about due to pain, spinal cord injury, infection or poisoning.
SOLUTIONS
TO THE VET ASAP – Any sign of shock requires urgent veterinary care with IV Fluids. Apply some of the following solutions while you transport your pet to the vet.
ASSESS SEVERITY – Check breathing and heartbeat. If you can see the chest rise and fall then she is breathing. If not, perform rescue breathing. Wrap your hands around your pet’s muzzle (their mouth is closed), and breath into their nose. The chest should rise. Give 15 breaths per minute (one every
4 seconds). If the chest doesn’t rise, then proceed to the Heimlich.
CPR – The next step is to feel for a heartbeat by placing your hand behind the left elbow on the chest. If the heart has stopped, then begin CPR. Perform 5 heart compressions and 1 rescue breath. You should be giving 80-100 compressions per minute.
STOP THE BLEEDING – Apply direct pressure to any open wound your pet may have. Use whatever is available: gauze, soft cloth, or a towel. Don’t remove the cloth if it soaks through; apply another on top and continue the pressure.
KEEP HIM WARM – Hot water bottles filled with warm water can be placed around your pet especially against the stomach. Do not use boiling water. Wrap the bottles up in towels to prevent burns. Wrap your pet loosely in a blanket or a jacket. The disrupted circulation can cause hypothermia making the shock even worse.
SOME SWEETENING – Pets with signs of shock often have low blood sugar. In these cases, raising the blood sugar level is helpful. Rub honey or corn syrup on your pet’s gums.
HOMEOPATHIC SHOCK REMEDY – An effective pain remedy that is safe for dogs and cats is Arnica. The dose is 2 30C tablets twice daily. Bach’s Rescue Remedy is also a good anti-anxiety treatment you may use to make your pet more comfortable as you transport them (give yourself some too, it is good for your anxieties as well).
For more information on how to handle pet emergencies, check out Pet First Aid Secrets and to learn how to care for your pet’s health at home, naturally, check out Veterinary Secrets Revealed! For the love of your pet, don’t wait until it’s too late!
Thanks so much for posting this. I’m gonna print it out & hang it on the refrigerator. Hopefully I will never need it but you can never be too careful. Also, I like the fact of having the CPR breath ratios handy.
Thanks Again!
@Deanna – I hope you’ll never need it as well but definitely better to be prepared than not.
When you have time, take a look through the article under the health category, you’ll find a lot of wonderful information like this. I figure the happier and healthier we can keep our babies, the longer we can keep them with, a major win-win for all of us!
Deanna
Why, Deanna, bless your heart! This is very important information for pet owners. Maybe it would be something you could do on a regular basis, such as covering: first aid, choking, how to transport an animal who has been hit by a car. These are just some of the things that rapidly come to my mind. I really appreciate you putting this article in your daily newsletter. You are an angel to the animals and we humans, too!
@Vicki T – Thanks, Vicki! I’ve actually covered so many different topics when it comes to dog and pet health I can’t even remember them all. I know I’ve done articles on choking, CPR, basic emergency care, basic home pet check-ups and much more.
Just check out the health category and you’ll find quite a bit of information.
What I do need to do is to consolidate everything to make it easy to find, that would be an idea. Now I just need to make the time to do that.
Thanks for the idea!
Deanna