The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats [Paperback]

Cat owners, incidentally, should not be put off by the fact that the book covers both cats and dogs. This in no way distracts from the coverage of feline problems and, in fact, it broadens the scope and inclusiveness in the portrayal of many conditions and injuries.

Introductory chapters set the stage for the specific remedial actions discussed in the rest of the book. The contents of a first aid kit are spelled out in full, plus there is a list of human medicines and how they should be used (or not used) for cats and dogs. Tests and vital signs for assessing the seriousness of a problem are discussed. Basic first aid techniques are explained including homemade muzzles and restraints; artificial respiration and CPR; cleaning wounds; bandages and splints; transporting an injured animal; and, giving medications. Finally, this preliminary material ends with a 12-page listing of symptoms, setting forth likely or possible causes, and the pages where they are covered.

The bulk of the book contains over 150 sections, alphabetically arranged, ranging from ï¿Abdominal Woundsï¿ to ï¿Worms.ï¿ Each section explains when to call the vet, what supplies or medicines may be needed, what actions to take at once and what follow-up care will be necessary. These sections are direct and to the point. Good drawings illustrate some of the harder-to-describe procedures. Throughout the book, brand names are used whenever appropriate to clarify recommendations.

In many of the problem sections, the basic discussion is supplemented by sidebars or boxes on related subjects. For example, the section on ï¿Gunshot Woundsï¿ contains a sidebar on shotgun wounds. The section on ï¿Urinary Blockageï¿ has a sidebar on bladder stones. The section on ï¿Shockï¿ has a sidebar on blood loss. The ï¿Birthing Problemsï¿ section contains a sidebar on the afterbirth.

All of these extras add an enormous amount of information to the basic advice on how to deal with emergencies. Numerous other recommendations of products or devices are also included, such as:

· A pillowcase to restrain an injured cat
· A soda bottle as a kitten body warmer
· Hemostats for removing foreign objects from a catï¿s mouth
· A Bite-Not collar instead of an Elizabethan collar
· A homemade solution to ï¿de-skunkï¿ a cat
· Plastic wrap for bandaging abdominal wounds, and
· Pumpkin to prevent constipation

All are additional to the basic sections on injuries and conditions, which cover not only such items as car accidents, diarrhea, poisoning and the like, but also such subjects as clothes dryer injuries, limping and smoke inhalation.

This book is a wonderful resource that every cat owner should have at hand. It is a quick helper and is organized accordingly. To top things off, it has a very good 22-page index.

Leigh Curry, for Cat Fanciersï¿ Almanac, March 2003