CNST 110: Canine First Aid & Skills Challenge

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering basic canine emergency first aid techniques, trauma assessments, wound dressings, vitals evaluation, and CPR protocols from CNST 110.

Canine First Aid Skills Challenge

A Medicine Hat College CNST 110 assignment worth $5\%$ of the final grade requiring students to submit a 3 to 5 minute video on Blackboard demonstrating an ear or tail bandage, stabilizing an impaled object with a donut bandage, and performing CPR on a substitute model.

Pet First Aid

The emergency measures required to save an animal's life, prevent further injury, and ease pain or discomfort until a qualified veterinarian can assist.

Scene Safety Assessment

The second step of the emergency action plan evaluating environmental hazards before intervening, summarized by the rhyme: 'No fire, no wire, no glass, no gas, no drugs, no thugs, no bees, no trees, no blood, no flood.'

Paw Pad Pinch Test

A neurological assessment of responsiveness where the flesh between the dog's paw pads is pinched; failure to pull the leg back indicates potential nerve or spinal damage.

ABCs

The primary vital signs assessment sequence in pet first aid standing for Airway, Breathing, and Circulation.

Makeshift Muzzle

A temporary safety restraint fashioned from a gauze roll, leash, shoelace, or necktie looped around the snout and tied behind the ears to prevent biting from a painful or frightened dog.

Burrito Wrap

A transportation and restraint technique where a dog is snugly wrapped in a towel or blanket to control all limbs while keeping any injured limbs elevated and free of body weight.

Arterial or Venous Bleeding Management

Applying firm, direct pressure over a wound using sterile gauze and securing it in place; if blood soaks through, additional layers are applied on top without removing the original dressing.

Tail Bandage

A protective bandaging technique where pressure is applied to a wound on the tail, followed by using a secondary bandage to secure the tail to the dog's rear leg to limit movement.

Foot Pad Bandage

A dressing applied with firm pressure covering the entire underside of the paw, which is then protected from moisture and dirt using a dog boot or thick plastic bag.

Ear Bandage

A head dressing where an injured ear is bandaged and taped flat against the dog's head (or held by a sock with the toes cut off) to prevent bleeding caused by head shaking or scratching.

Internal Bleeding

A life-threatening condition where blood pools within internal body cavities, characterized by pale gums, coughing or vomiting blood, bleeding from facial orifices, distress, and trauma.

Ring (Donut) Bandage

A circular support fashioned from rolled bandages placed over an impaled object to stabilize it and allow protective padding to be built up around it without dislodging the object.

Sucking Chest Wound Dressing

An airtight barrier created by securing clean plastic over an open chest wound through which air movement or sucking sounds are detected.

Fluorescein

A diagnostic ophthalmic dye used to highlight corneal ulcers and surface damage on an injured eye that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Prolapsed Eyeball

A severe ocular injury where the eyeball is forced out of its socket; first aid requires keeping the globe moist with saline or salt water, restraining the animal, and treating for shock.

Fracture

A broken bone that is classified either as open (where the broken bone penetrates through the skin) or closed (where the overlying skin remains intact).

Sprain

An injury involving the stretching or tearing of ligaments surrounding a joint.

Strain

An injury involving the stretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon at a point between two joints.

Dislocation

An injury where a bone has popped completely out of its normal anatomical alignment within a socket or joint.

Splint

A rigid support (such as wood, magazines, or folded towels) well-padded and secured to immobilize an injured limb from the joint above to the joint below in the exact position found.

Shock

A state of inadequate blood circulation failing to meet vital tissue needs, indicated by pale lips and gums, poor capillary refill time (CRT), weak rapid pulse, cold body temperature, and shallow breathing.

3% Hydrogen Peroxide Emetic Protocol

A method to induce vomiting under veterinary guidance by administering $1\text{ tsp}$ per $10\text{ lb}$ of body weight, which may be repeated once after $10\text{--}15\text{ minutes}$ if vomiting has not occurred.

Wasp Sting Treatment

Applying an acidic solution such as lemon juice or vinegar to the sting site to neutralize the alkaline venom.

Bee Sting Treatment

Applying an alkaline paste made of baking soda mixed with water to the sting site to neutralize the acidic venom after removing the stinger with tweezers.

Third-Degree Burn

A severe burn injury extending beneath the full thickness of the skin into deeper tissues, managed by applying cool water or compresses, dressing lightly, and treating for shock.

Barbed Fish-Hook Removal Method

A first aid technique where a embedded hook is pushed forward through the skin until the barb clears, cutting the barb off with snips or pliers, and backing the remainder of the hook out.

Artificial Respiration

A resuscitation technique used when an animal has a detectable pulse but has stopped breathing, delivering $1\text{ breath}$ every $3\text{ seconds}$ ($\sim 20\text{ breaths per minute}$) directly into the dog's nose with its mouth held shut.

Canine CPR

A lifesaving procedure combining chest compressions and rescue breaths used when an animal has no pulse and no respiration, delivered with the dog on its right side at a compression depth of $1\text{--}2\text{ inches}$ and a rate of $80\text{--}120\text{ beats per minute}$.

Canine CPR Compression-to-Ventilation Ratio

A protocol where a second rescuer delivers $2\text{ rescue breaths}$ for every $30\text{ chest compressions}$, with patient condition reassessed after every 4 cycles ($2\text{ minutes}$).