Pet First Aid

Emergency first aid and health assessment for dogs and cats. Use when someone's pet is injured, choking, may have eaten something toxic, is overheating, or when the owner needs to decide if it's an emergency vet visit or can wait.

# Pet First Aid & Emergency Care

Your dog just ate chocolate. Your cat is limping. There's blood on the carpet and you don't know where it's coming from. The vet is closed or costs $300 just to walk in. This skill covers the real first-aid situations pet owners face -- how to assess whether it's an emergency, what to do right now, and how to find care you can actually afford. Dogs and cats are the focus, with notes for other common pets where relevant.

```agent-adaptation
# Localization note
- Emergency vet availability and cost vary hugely by country and region
  US: ASPCA Poison Control 1-888-426-4435 ($75 consultation fee)
  UK: Animal Poison Line 01202 509000, PDSA for low-income vet care
  Australia: Animal Poisons Helpline 1300 869 738
  Canada: Pet Poison Helpline 1-855-764-7661
- Toxic plants and wildlife vary by region (different snakes, spiders,
  toads, and plants in different climates)
- Vet school clinics and low-cost options vary by location
- In some countries, veterinary emergency care is subsidized or
  available through animal charities (RSPCA in UK/AU, SPCA in NZ/US)
- Medication names and availability may differ internationally
```

## Sources & Verification

- **American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)** -- pet first aid guidelines and emergency care resources. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/emergencycare
- **ASPCA Animal Poison Control** -- comprehensive toxic substance database for animals. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
- **PetMD Emergency Guides** -- veterinary-reviewed emergency care articles. https://www.petmd.com
- **Merck Veterinary Manual** -- professional veterinary reference, publicly accessible. https://www.merckvetmanual.com
- **Anthropic, "Labor market impacts of AI"** -- March 2026 research showing this occupation/skill area has near-zero AI exposure. https://www.anthropic.com/research/labor-market-impacts

## When to Use

- User's pet is bleeding, limping, or showing signs of injury
- Pet may have eaten something toxic (chocolate, medication, plant, chemical)
- Pet is choking, gagging, or having trouble breathing
- Pet appears overheated, lethargic, or is having a seizure
- User needs to decide: emergency vet NOW vs. can it wait until morning?
- User needs help finding affordable vet care
- User wants to build a pet first aid kit
- Pet was in a fight with another animal

## Instructions

### Step 1: Emergency Triage

**Agent action**: Help the user determine if this is a drop-everything-go-to-emergency-vet situation or something that can wait. This is the most critical decision.

```
EMERGENCY TRIAGE -- IS THIS A VET-NOW SITUATION?

GO TO EMERGENCY VET IMMEDIATELY:
- Difficulty breathing (gasping, blue/white gums, extended neck)
- Uncontrolled bleeding (won't stop with 5 min of pressure)
- Suspected poisoning (see Step 4 for specific toxins)
- Seizure lasting more than 3 minutes or multiple seizures
- Collapse or inability to stand
- Hit by car (even if pet seems fine -- internal injuries are common)
- Bloated/distended abdomen with retching but nothing coming up (dogs)
  THIS IS BLOAT -- LIFE-THREATENING. Minutes matter.
- Eye injury (squinting, visible damage, swelling)
- Unable to urinate for 24+ hours (especially male cats -- urinary
  blockage is fatal within 48-72 hours)
- Suspected broken bone (limb at wrong angle, won't bear weight)
- Burns
- Heatstroke (panting heavily, bright red gums, staggering)
- Penetrating wound (puncture, impaled object -- don't remove it)

CAN LIKELY WAIT UNTIL REGULAR VET HOURS:
- Minor limping but still bearing weight on the leg
- Small cuts or scrapes (superficial, bleeding stopped)
- Vomiting once or twice but otherwise alert and hydrated
- Diarrhea without blood
- Decreased appetite for less than 24 hours
- Minor ear issues (head shaking, scratching)
- Skin irritation, hot spots, rashes

WHEN IN DOUBT:
Call your vet's after-hours line. Most clinics have one.
Or call an emergency vet -- they'll do a phone triage for free
and tell you if you need to come in.
```

### Step 2: Basic Vital Signs

**Agent action**: Teach the user how to check their pet's basic vital signs so they can report accurately to the vet.

```
NORMAL VITAL SIGNS -- KNOW THESE

             DOGS                    CATS
Heart rate:  60-140 bpm (small dogs  120-220 bpm
             up to 180 bpm)
Breathing:   10-30 breaths/min       20-30 breaths/min
Temperature: 101-102.5F (38.3-39.2C) 100.5-102.5F (38-39.2C)
Gum color:   Pink and moist          Pink and moist

HOW TO CHECK:

HEART RATE: Place your hand on the left side of the chest, just
behind the elbow. Count beats for 15 seconds, multiply by 4.
Or feel the femoral pulse: inside of the rear thigh, where the
leg meets the body.

BREATHING: Watch the chest rise and fall. Count breaths for
15 seconds, multiply by 4.

GUM COLOR (Capillary Refill Test):
1. Lift the lip and look at the gums
2. Press a finger against the gum for 2 seconds (it goes white)
3. Release and count how fast the pink color returns
4. Normal: returns in 1-2 seconds
5. ABNORMAL: pale/white gums, blue gums, bright brick-red gums,
   yellow gums, or refill time over 3 seconds
   ANY of these = go to vet NOW

TEMPERATURE: Rectal thermometer with petroleum jelly.
Insert 1 inch. Wait for beep.
Over 104F (40C) = overheating. Under 99F (37.2C) = hypothermia.
Both need vet attention.
```

### Step 3: Wound Care

**Agent action**: Walk the user through basic wound care for cuts, bites, and scrapes.

```
WOUND CARE -- DOGS AND CATS

MINOR WOUNDS (shallow cuts, scrapes, small punctures):

1. RESTRAIN SAFELY: Even gentle pets may bite when in pain.
   - Dog: Have someone hold the head. Muzzle if needed (use a
     strip of cloth -- loop around snout, tie under chin, tie behind ears).
     NEVER muzzle a vomiting animal.
   - Cat: Wrap in a towel ("burrito wrap"), leaving wound exposed.

2. CLEAN THE WOUND:
   - Flush with warm water or saline solution (1 tsp salt per quart water)
   - Use a syringe or squeeze bottle for gentle pressure
   - Remove visible debris with tweezers
   - Do NOT use hydrogen peroxide (damages tissue and slows healing)
   - Do NOT use alcohol (pain, tissue damage)
   - Betadine diluted to the color of weak tea is OK

3. APPLY ANTIBIOTIC OINTMENT:
   - Plain Neosporin/triple antibiotic is safe for dogs
   - For cats: use only if they won't lick it (they usually will)
   - Do NOT use any ointment with pain relief ingredients
     (the "-caine" ingredients are toxic to cats)

4. COVER AND PROTECT:
   - Light gauze bandage, secured with medical tape
   - Prevent licking: E-collar (cone of shame) is most reliable
   - DIY alternative: a baby onesie or old t-shirt can cover torso wounds
   - Check and change bandage daily

5. WATCH FOR INFECTION (next 3-5 days):
   - Increasing redness, swelling, warmth
   - Discharge (pus, especially green/yellow)
   - Bad smell
   - Pet becoming lethargic or feverish
   -> Any of these = vet visit

DEEP WOUNDS / HEAVY BLEEDING:
1. Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth for 5-10 minutes
2. Don't remove the cloth -- add more on top if it soaks through
3. If bleeding won't stop, apply pressure AND go to emergency vet
4. For puncture wounds: do NOT try to clean deep inside.
   Flush the surface, cover, and get to the vet.
   Puncture wounds are high infection risk.
```

### Step 4: Poisoning Response

**Agent action**: Cover the most common pet toxins with specific urgency levels and responses. This is the section most people need.

```
COMMON PET POISONS -- RESPONSE BY URGENCY

CALL POISON CONTROL FIRST: ASPCA 1-888-426-4435 ($75 fee)
They will tell you exactly what to do for the specific substance
and amount ingested. Worth the money every time.

HIGH URGENCY -- VET IMMEDIATELY:
- XYLITOL (sugar-free gum, some peanut butter, sugar-free candy):
  Can cause fatal blood sugar crash and liver failure in dogs
  within 30 minutes. EXTREMELY dangerous. Even small amounts.
  Go to vet NOW. Do not wait for s