Small Animal Important Info
NORMAL VITAL SIGNS
Temperature (ºC):
Heart rate (/min):
37 - 39
Cat 130 – 200
Dog 60 – 140
Respiration rate (/min): Cat 20 – 30
Dog 12 - 24
Gums:
pink & moist
Attitude:
bright, alert & responsive
WHEN TO CALL YOUR VET
Call your veterinarian if your cat or dog displays any of the following symptoms:


















Very depressed
Non-responsive animal or collapsed
In severe pain
Bleeding profusely (spurting blood, or not stopping after constant pressure applied to wound for
5 minutes)
Large open wounds
Any difficulty breathing
Eye issues of any kind
Seizures
Bloated abdomen
Broken legs or any suspicion of a break
Hit by car
Difficulty when urinating or defecating
Non-weight-bearing lameness
Non-stop vomiting or diarrhea
Walking “drunkenly”
Fever > 40 degrees C
If gums are white, grey, yellow, brick red or tacky
Drinking or peeing excessively
FIRST AID KIT FOR YOUR PETS
Keeping some basic first aid supplies at home (and with your camping gear!) is a great idea. Having the
right gear at hand makes dealing with the occasional injury a lot easier (for you and your pet).
The following is a list of the basic supplies we recommend:
















Non-stick gauze dressing pads (eg. Telfa)
Absorbent material (eg. gauze pads)
Flexible cohesive bandage (eg. RipWrap, Vetrap)
Adhesive tape
Scissors
Tweezers / forceps
Nail clippers
Thermometer
Stethoscope
Duct tape (for when regular tape just isn’t enough!)
Gentle antiseptic cleanser (eg. Hibitane)
Polysporin ointment
Polysporin eyedrops
Epsom salts
Benadryl (plain – no extra active ingredients) - give 2-4 mg/kg by mouth every 8hr as needed
for allergic reactions
Emergency contact numbers