Safety, Sanitation, & First AidSubmitted by Callie Parr and used in cooperation with the University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign. The materials that appear in this document may be freely reproduced for

educational/training activities. There is no requirement to obtain special permission for such uses. We do, however, ask that the following statement appear on all reproductions:

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SAFETY, SANITATION, & FIRST AID, by CALLIE PARR

Materials produced for classroom use in conjunction with permission from the University of Illinois Agricultural Education Program.

Safety, Sanitation, & First Aid

Housekeeping

• If is smells clean, it is clean.•Odor control is crucial•“Would I want my animal to stay here?”

• Clean as you go•No one is too “high up” to clean up after themselves.

Housekeeping

• Autoclave•An appliance that sterilizes instruments

• Sharps Container•A designated contain for needles and other hazardous materials

Housekeeping

• Cats need a litter pan•Cleaning should occur morning and night•Smaller quarters

• Remove uneaten food from the cage in a timely manner

Housekeeping

• Large animal stalls need to be cleaned daily

• Manure on boots and overalls needs to be left at the door and cleaned as soon as possible

Safety Hazards

• Animal patients can bite, scratch, kick

• Needles, scalpels, etc can injure• Chemicals, drugs, etc can poison• Urine, feces, medical wastes can

contaminate• Even over exposure to X-Rays

Preventing Accidental Injury

• Most common injuries are bites• Goes back to knowing how to

safely handle animals• Practice makes perfect• Start with easily handled animals

and move to more difficult animals

• Assume that an animal will bite

Preventing Accidental Injury

• Learn animals’ body language• Use restraining devices• Do not rely on owners to restrain

animals• Keep pharmaceuticals in locked

cabinets• Keep chemicals clearly labeled

Preventing Accidental Injury

• MSDS (material safety data sheets) are published by manufacturers of all chemicals that outline the toxicity, special handling instructions, and first aid steps in case of contamination

Preventing Disease

• Preventing the spread of disease from one patient to the next is crucial

• Hand washing is the backbone of disease prevention

• Isolation of infected animals is also important

Preventing disease

• Feed and water sick animals after healthy animals

• Change smock/scrubs as needed• Wear gloves as often as possible

First Aid• Bites

•Usually a puncture or laceration•Control bleeding•Clean area•Bandage the wound•Investigate patient history to learn of infectious diseases

First Aid

• To control bleeding•Apply pressure•Use clean gauze if available•Apply a bandage

First Aid• To clean the area

•iodine tincture•Hydrogen peroxide

• To apply a bandage•Make sure it is snug to apply pressure•Check for feeling and circulation

First Aid

• To control bleeding•Apply pressure•Use clean gauze if available•Elevate the injured area above the heart

First Aid

• Broken Bones•Immobilize the joint above and below the fracture•Keep the patient quiet•Seek doctor care

First Aid

• Chemical burns•Eliminate the caustic agent•Flush/wash with large amnts of water•Loosely cover the area with a nonstick dressing•Monitor the patient for shock

First Aid

• Poisoning (ingestion)•Eliminate poison•Follow directions on safety label of chemical•Keep patient quiet•Induce/restrict vomiting•Monitor and treat symptoms as they present

First Aid

• Poisoning (inhalation)•Eliminate poison by moving to fresh air•Follow directions on safety label of chemical•Restrict movement•Monitor and treat symptoms as they present

•DO NOT become a victim yourself

First Aid•Emergency and nonemergency ailments

and traumas require immediate attention to prevent serious situations from turning into life threatening ones

•Some problems, like bleeding that cannot be stopped or convulsions require the immediate attention of an expert in veterinary medicine

•Other problems can be treated by the animal's owner

First Aid Supplies•Gauze pads•gauze roll/

bandages•roll of cloth•Thermometer•Tweezers•hydrogen peroxide•antibiotic ointment

•Powered Electrolytes

•Vet wrap•Bute or other

animal analgesic•Rope (for securing

animal)•rags/ rubber tubing

for tourniquet•instant cold pack

Fractured Bones•Symptoms

–Some bone breaks show obvious symptoms•twisted or distorted limbs or bone fragments sticking

through the skin•Swelling of the affected area with 24 hours can be

expected from any sort of fracture•Less apparent breaks cause great pain and

discomfort–Will cry or bite when the affected area is touched–will lie around, often on the affected area–will usually not walk, although in some cases it will

walk despite the break•notably when the pelvis is broken

Fractured Bones•Treatment• Treatment of compound fractures by a

veterinarian should be sought as soon as possible• Other breaks should be treated by a

veterinarian within 24 hours

Fractured Bones• Muzzle animal• Gently lay animal on a board, wooden door, tarp, etc.

padded with blankets• Secure animal to the support• Do not attempt to set the fracture • If a limb is broken, wrap the leg in cotton padding, then wrap

with a magazine, rolled newspaper, towel or two sticks and secure with tape•Splint should extend one joint above the fracture and one joint

below•Make sure wrap does not constrict blood flow.

• If the spine, ribs, hip, etc. appears injured or broken, gently place the animal on the stretcher and immobilize it if possible

Electrical Burns•Symptoms• All burns are painful to the touch• Electrical burns are the most serious and can

cause heart attacks and death•The burned area will show seared flesh, reddened skin,

lesions, and blisters•The animal may suffer respiratory distress•paleness or blueness in lips, gums, and eyelid linings•rigidity in limbs•glassy stare•Collapse•and shock

Thermal & Friction Burns•Thermal burns cause a singed or charred area• The exposed skin is reddened or inflamed• The wound is warm or hot to the touch

•Friction burns are similar in appearance to thermal burns, but the skin is chafed or scraped and has bare spots• bare skin is rubbed raw• is reddish in color• is irritated or inflamed•may leave cuts, lacerations, or embedded foreign matter

Burns•Treatment• Depending on the type and extent of the burn, it

can often be treated at home• Electrical burns can cause shock and must be

treated immediately by a veterinarian•if shock occurs, keep the animal warm with heating

pads or hot water bottles and a blanket or heavy coat• Thermal burns can be treated topically by

applying aloe or vitamin E oil• Friction burns can be treated topical ointment

•if foreign matter is embedded the animal should be taken to a veterinarian

• Chemical burns•Flush immediately with large quantities of cold water

Constipation•Symptoms• The animal struggles or strains during a bowel

movement without passing a stool• avoids food• becomes nervous or irritated

•Treatment• Feed the animal brans, cereal foods, vegetables

(peas, carrots, corn), kibble• use infant-size glycerine suppositories or soap• give an enema if the animal will allow it• add a small amount of stool softener, such as

Metamucil,® to food

Diarrhea•Symptoms• The animal passes liquid stool during bowel movement

•there may be abnormal coloration of the stool.•Treatment• Remove grease, oils, and milk from the animal's diet• avoid high-fiber foods, kibble, and dry catmeal• feed the animal a mix of one part cooked hamburger,

drained of grease, and one part rice• If diarrhea results from ingestion of foreign matter (from

eating plants, soap, etc.), treat it with small doses of Pepto Bismol• If symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, or if blood is

present in the stool, consult a veterinarian

Respiratory Infections•Symptoms• Sneezing, coughing, runny eyes, swollen glands, difficulty

swallowing, labored breathing, fever•Treatment• If symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, and runny eyes

are present but the animal remains active and eats normally, the condition is probably not serious and no treatment is needed• If the animal becomes lethargic and loses appetite, there

are discharges of pus from its nose, congestion becomes heavy or labored breathing is continued, or fever of more than 102 degrees is present consult a veterinarian.

Shock•Symptoms•Weakness, collapse, pale or muddy-colored

gums, fast heartbeat, difficulty breathing, no breathing, dilated pupils, low body temperature

•Treatment. • Keep the animal warm by applying heating

pads or hot water bottles and wrapping the animal in heavy blankets or coats• Bring the animal to a veterinarian at once.

Sprains•Symptoms•Occur in the joints•rapid swelling•area will be hot to the touch•The animal will not walk normally, if

it walks at all

•Treatment• Apply cold compresses or ice packs gently to the swollen

area•keep the area cool for a day or two

•Wrap the affected area snugly with cloth, gauze, or athletic bandages•secure the wrapping to be sure the animal does not scratch or

bite it off• Keep the animal quiet; discourage activity; avoid stairs• For sprains that heal and reoccur

•apply hot towels or compresses•keep the injured area moist and warm for several days

• If a sprain does not heal, or pain and swelling continue or are severe, see a veterinarian

Sprains

Wounds•Symptoms•Cuts can be recognized by the presence of

smoothly separated tissue and possible bleeding• Lacerations result in jaggedly torn skin, bleeding,

swelling, irritation, and black or blue discoloration of the skin•Abrasions rub or scrape away the outer layers of

skin, causing pain, swelling, redness, and heat•Bruises or contusions leave black-and-blue tissue

and swelling

•Treatment. –Any serious wound should be treated by a

veterinarian if the bleeding will not stop, if blood is gushing out, or if shock is present

–Cuts that are bleeding •Press thick gauze pad over wound. Hold firmly until

clotting occurs. •If bleeding is severe, apply a tourniquet between the

wound and the heart. •Loosen tourniquet for 20 seconds every 15-20 minutes. •A tourniquet is dangerous and should only be used in

life-threatening hemorrhaging of a limb. It may result in amputation or disability of the limb.

Wounds

– clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide/iodine/bedadine– apply an antiseptic or antibiotic to a gauze square and wrap snugly

in place–Keep the animal as quiet as possible–Change the dressing daily and keep the animal from removing it•Lacerations can be treated in the same way as cuts• an ice bag must be used to reduce swelling and prevent further

inflammation•Abrasions require the application of a soothing cream,

ointment, or lotion • a bandage is not needed• the animal must be kept from licking the treated area•Bruises and contusions are best treated with cold

compresses or ice packs.

Wounds

Bleeding (internal)•Symptoms

•bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum; coughing blood; blood in urine; pale gums; collapse; rapid or weak pulse.

•Keep animal as warm and quiet as possible•Seek veterinary attention as soon as

possible