What if something goes wrong at home with your animals? Are you prepared?
Step One: Have a Working Relationship with your Veterinarian
First and most important make sure you have an active relationship with a veterinarian where they have seen at least one animal within the year in person. Have their contact info saved in your phone and easily accessible. This will allow them to treat your sick animals as they will have you as an active client in their system and will be able to dispense medications and advice for treating your animal. Call them if something goes wrong and they'll be happy to help!
Step Two: Have an Emergency Kit for Stabilizing Wounds and if they Ingest Something Dangerous
Are you ready if your animal gets sick, injured, or ingests something they shouldn't?
The first thing recommended is having an animal only thermometer. Animal temperatures are taken rectally so do not use the same thermometer for humans. A veterinarian can do a lot with a temperature and a description of symptoms.
We also recommend having a bandage kit. This should include gauze of varying sizes like rolled and squares, elastic wrap also known as vet wrap or Coban, cloth tape, a pair of scissors, and triple antibiotic ointment. A properly fitting Elizabethan collar, t-shirt, or sock for your pet is also helpful to keep your pet from licking or irritating the injury until you can get in with your veterinarian to be seen.
Have some hydrogen peroxide and a syringe on hand to induce vomiting in dogs and cats within the hour if your pet ingests a toxin. Make sure you contact your veterinarian if your pet does get into something they shouldn't.
Here are some websites about toxins if your animal gets into something dangerous.
Step Three: Medications
Please make sure that you always have your pet's prescriptions refilled before major holidays and weekends. Make an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss having common medications on hand for ranch work and for your horses.
Do not administer medications like Ibuprofen or Tylenol to your animals. Contact your veterinarian before administering non-prescription drugs.
Step Four: Common Vitals and How to Take Them
Species | Temp | Pulse | Respiratory | Gestation |
Bovine | 100-102.5 | 55-80 | 10-30 | 280 days |
Bovine Yearling | 101.5-103.5 | 100-120 | 15-40 | |
Canine* | 99.5-102.5 | 80-120 | 15-30 | 63 days |
Chicken | 105-106 | 21 days | ||
Equine | 99-101.3 | 28-40 | 10-14 | 336 days |
Feline* | 100-103.1 | 100-120 | 20-30 | 63 days |
Ovine | 101.3-104 | 55-115 | 10-30 | 144-152 days |
Porcine | 100-102 | 60-90 | 8-18 | 101-130 days |
Porcine Piglet | 102-104 | 100-130 |
*small or young canines will have higher temp & pulse
*young felines will have a higher pulse
Gums should be moist and pink. How to check for Capillary Refill: Apply gentle pressure to your animal's gums with your fingertip until the gums turn white. Count in seconds how long it takes the gums to turn back to pink. Normal capillary refill is less than 2 seconds, anything longer than that call your veterinarian for advice.
Best advice we have is to stay calm, don't panic, and call your veterinarian if an emergency happens! We're here to help!
Stay Safe and Healthy,
Milo
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