Protect Your Pet: American Red Cross Stresses First Aid Tips

If you have a dog or cat in your home, you more than likely treat them as a part of your family who deserve to be protected.

During this Pet First Aid Awareness Month, tips are being offered by the American Red Cross to help keep the nation's pets safe.

Pet Emergency Kit Must-Haves:

- Roller bandages: immediately help control bleeding from a wound.

- Gloves: to help you minimize risk of diesase transmission.

- Emergency Warming Blankets: crucial to pets during any cold related emergency.

- Ice packs: help reduce the swelling of a wound.

- Tweezers: help remove ticks that may attach themselves to your pets.

Tips for Healthy Pets:

- Give pets plenty of exercise

- Make sure pets have plenty of fresh, cool water

- Make sure pets get regular yearly checkups and are up to date on vaccines

- Get pets spayed or neutered

- Keep dogs on leashes outside – another animal may be too much temptation

- Know how to perform CPR and provide basic first aid until veterinary care is available