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In addition to considering the obvious injuries you need to be on the lookout for signs of shock. Shock or circulatory shock is a severe condition in which your pets blood flow will become dangerously low which can lead to organ damage and dysfunction. Now as a first responder you need to be really careful to watch for these signs. They can come on suddenly or right after the injury or they could come on more slowly over hours or even days so it's important to keep a really close eye on your pet, especially if you haven't taken him immediately to a veterinarian. Now fortunately the signs of shock are fairly easy to recognize and you'll pick up on a lot of them just by doing your normal behavior assessments and vital signs. One of the earliest changes that will occur when shock sets in is a change in your pets heart rate. For dogs, they will likely have a very rapid heart rate, probably higher than about 140 beats per minute. Cats, it's a little bit different, and they should have a high heart rate if they're sick or injured, probably above about 180 beats per minute. We get a little bit more concerned in cats if their heart rate falls below 140 beats per minute. Other signs besides the heart rate that will change might be your pets gum color. Remember, it should be a nice bubble gum pink, but if it becomes white or very pale pink, this could be a problem. Your pet's rectal temperature may also fall very low. In addition to the low rectal temperature, you may get cool ear tips, toes, and the tip of the tail. They might just feel cool to the touch. Finally, your pet isn't going to be acting normally. He's going to be dull, weak, or lethargic and when you take all of these things together this could be a sign that your pet is going into shock. Shock is serious and there's not a lot of first aid you can provide at home so it's very important that you transport your pet as soon as possible to a veterinarian. Wrap your pet in a blanket to try to keep him warm. Try to keep him as calm as you can and remember don't give any medications unless you've spoken with your veterinarian and they recommend you do so.
In this lesson, we'll be covering a serious condition known as shock. We'll provide you with some signs and symptoms of shock and what you should do if you suspect that your pet is in shock.
In addition to the obvious signs of illness or injury in your pets, you need to be aware of the signs of shock as well. Shock, also called circulatory shock, is a severe condition where your pet's blood flow becomes dangerously low. When this happens, it can lead to organ damage and dysfunction if not treated properly and quickly.
As your pet's personal first responder, you'll want to keep an eye out for the signs of shock that we'll be detailing below. The problem with shock is that it can come on suddenly, often right after an injury, or it can come on much more slowly, as in hours or even days. And it should be noted that noticing changes that take place more slowly may be more difficult to spot.
Warning: If you think your pet may be in shock but you're not sure, it's really important to keep a close eye on the situation, especially if you're not taking your pet to the veterinarian immediately.
Fortunately, the signs of shock are fairly easy to recognize. You may even notice one or more by simply doing your regular behavioral assessments or while checking your pet's vital signs.
One of the first signs of shock is the change to your pet's heart rate. For dogs, a normal heart rate while he is sick or injured is somewhere between 60 and 140 beats per minute. If your dog is in shock, that heart rate will likely be very rapid and could easily jump to above 140 beats per minute.
For cats, the heart rate situation is a little different, as it can spike or slow down. A normal heart rate for sick or injured cats is likely to be around 180 beats per minute or higher. But for a cat in shock, that heart rate can exceed 220 beats per minute or dive below 140 beats per minute.
Pro Tip #1: If your cat's heart rate drops to below 140 beats per minute, this is very concerning and should warrant an immediate trip to see the vet.
Other signs of shock in your cat or dog include:
If your cat or dog is in shock, he or she will not be acting normally and will likely be exhibiting signs of feeling dull or weak.
You may recall that a normal healthy gum color is a nice bubble gum pink. If that color changes to white or very pale pink, this could be a problem.
During circulatory shock, blood circulation is compromised and may not reach all areas, hence the cool ear tips, toes, or tail tips. How will you know if these are cool? You'll just have to touch those areas and see if you notice a temperature change or what you'd consider cooler than normal for your pet.
Pro Tip #2: If you notice all these symptoms together in your cat or dog, this could be a sign that your pet is going into shock. Shock is VERY serious and there isn't much you can do at home. Therefore, transporting your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible will be your best course of action and treatment.
You may recall some transportation tips from previous lessons, like removing the lid on your cat's carrier, rather than stuffing him through a small hole. Those tips will serve you well if you discover your pet is in shock.
Three things you'll want to focus on as far as transportation goes is:
Keep in mind that shock can occur at any time, but it's more likely to happen after an injury or during an illness or medical emergency. Being ultra-aware of your pet's vital signs and behavior during these moments could really help.