Childbirth is truly one of the most anticipated events in people's lives. In fact, the expectant mothers go through a very difficult phase as they wait for the big day. How about when it comes to the female dog's time to give birth to her young ones? Does she feel the same excitement and agony at the same time? Is it also very stressful on her part? What kind of planning must be done? As it goes, careful planning often leads to a wonderfully executed action. Without your knowledge on dog child birthing, you may not be able to apply the right kind of aid on your pet.

If this happens, you can expect that both the mother dog and her puppies may get exposed to an utmost danger. If you don't want to go through a severe case of worrying for your dog's condition, it will help a lot if you plan ahead of time, arm yourself with tons of information on her giving birth, and prepare the needed tools and supplies. It will also be best to acquire some first aid training under a certified animal expert or veterinarian to be abreast of the useful information and guide.

A Close Look at the Birthing Stage

Within eight or nine weeks, the bitch's pregnancy is said to reach the terminal stage since it indicates that the time is near. She will be giving birth to her puppies soon. As a part of your preparation, you need to provide her a whelping area that is dry, sanitary, and properly ventilated. That area should also be separated from where the other dogs stay. That is, if you have other pets around. It must be a place dedicated only for her. Keep away the messy and naughty dogs or pets from the area.

Also, you will have to prepare some important materials including blankets, clean towels, hemostat forceps, weaning bottles, sealed trash receptacles, thermometer, dental floss, syringes, lubrication, iodine, and a pair of scissors. You will act as the doctor in this situation but be sure that you know what to do.

During the whelping phase, the most vital material that you will have to utilize is the thermometer. Your dog's normal temperature is around 101.5 degrees. In as much as around 12 up to 24 hours before the whelping stage, she will experience a decrease of about 1 up to 2 degrees in her temperature. There are cases when the decrease reaches up to 3 degrees. You should know it so that you can prepare her confinement in the whelping room. Other indications that she is about to give birth include her loss of appetite, her restlessness, a pendulous tummy, the enlargement of her mammary glands, and a more relaxed vulva.

Your Role during the Labor Stage

Many of the born puppies come out with their head first but there are times when they firstly pop out their rears. Many a times the female dog will take charge of everything and your task is to observe. In case she delivers a posterior birth, you have to prepare to apply a downward pressure by that of grasping the hips of the puppy.

You should use a towel over your own hands. You have to take note that you should only give a very gentle pressure. If the puppies come out with the rear and the tail while the legs are pressed in their bodies, then a veterinarian should give some help as this is a very serious and delicate situation.

It is also very much necessary that you have a sufficient first aid training in this line because childbirth is also as dangerous among the animals as it is with the humans. Thus, take some time to extend help to your pet!

How prepared are you to face emergency situations? Do you think that you can confidently help people when they are faced with the most troublesome kind of situation? What are you most likely to do when you see a person who trips and falls and ends up with a bloodied face? How about if someone gets caught in a fire or when there is this person who suddenly gets an asthma attack and stops breathing? How will you revive him? All of these things can be done by you if you have a good and ample background in first aid training. Sure enough, accidents form part of the most common things that occur in this world.

They are not wished for but they do happen. No one can also predict the time and place that a mishap will take place. Simply put, being trained in administering first aid will somehow help out in lessening the occurrences of the most unwanted events and likewise increase the chances of saving lives. Much more, having undergone the first aid training will prepare you for this.

A Background on the Necessity of First Aid Kits

Simply put, first aid is a type of an urgent care that is immediately provided to the victims of accidents prior to the arrival of the trained medical people. The act itself includes the use and application of the simple yet rapid measures like that of putting on pressure as necessary, clearing the air passage, or that of dousing some chemical burns on the eyes and skin. While it is impossible to predict the occurrence of any of these mishaps, it is always better to prepare yourself and anticipate what may come.

It is never fun to be caught off guard and pay a high price due to negligence. Therefore, whether you are simply chilling out within the confines of your home or waiting for your turn to be given way in a heavy traffic condition, it is best to keep your senses alert.

As the cliché goes, prevention is better than cure. Meaning to say, every emergency situation that has to be cared for must be coupled with a first aid kit. This is a special pouch which you always have to bring with you. You should know its importance especially when emergency cases arise.

Types of First Aid Kit Materials

So what should comprise your first aid kit? Your bag must always be filled with bandages, antihistamine tablets, alcohol, painkillers, thermometer, adhesive bandages, surgical gloves, and disinfectant cream or spray. You may either collect them individually or purchase a ready to go emergency kit that is very much available in the stores. The bags vary according to size so it is your own call to choose one that will easily fit into your handbag, drawer, bathroom cabinet, or car luggage area. If you secure a reliable first aid kit, you can readily tend to those who need immediate medical attention and you raise your potential of saving lives.

The Role of the First Aid Manual

Apart from being prepared with your kit and all, you should at all times take a look at the first aid manual to update yourself on how you should apply the treatment. There are times when you will panic and be confused when the time itself comes so it pays to continually check out what remedy is defined for every emergency case.

Your first aid training may have been years ago so it is always advisable to keep yourself well abreast of the new and modern techniques.

Accidents come and go without you knowing when they will occur. They range from the minor up to the very serious ones. There are times when they can even become fatal. Will they be prevented from claiming someone's life? Yes, it is possible only if you have the knowledge on how to apply first aid. Now how about if it is something that has to do with an animal bite? Dog bites are one of the scariest emergency cases to encounter. As you know, dogs have rabies.

If someone gets bitten by a dog and first aid treatment is not administered at once then it can truly become dangerous on the victim's health. Getting bitten by a dog can bring about what is known as rabies infection. If things get out of hand and are not controlled using professional medical approach, then the infection may affect the overall health of the victim. First aid training, on the other hand, is one way of combating the heinous effect of dog bites.

Do all dogs have the tendency to bite?

Not all dogs tend to attack and bite. There are some that are tamed enough while there are those that can bite with even the slightest provocations. It is not also a guarantee that being the dog owner can save you from dog bites. Your pet may become aggressive as well and do violence to you.

Are dog bites generally dangerous?

What is dangerous is the bite that has been inflicted by a dog that is a rabies virus carrier. When this happens, an immediate medical measure should be undertaken to further obstruct the rise of the secondary infection as brought about by tetanus.

What are the indications of the infection?

Among the common indications that there is indeed an infection include swelling, heat, redness, and weeping pus.

What has to be done after being bitten by a dog?

The wound itself has to be cleaned of the dog's saliva especially if the latter is suspected as rabid. The used cloth must not be touched at all. Wash the wound using running water and soap.

After drying it up, the lesion must not be closed especially if it is a puncture wound. If there is some laceration or cut, cover it using a dry dressing.

Go to the nearest hospital for a more professional medical touch. The doctor will have to administer a tetanus vaccine injection.

The dog has to be checked by a vet for further indications of rabies. The normal observation takes for about 10 up to 15 days. An infected dog develops the symptoms in 10 days. This has to be coordinated with the owner to check if the dog had received the pertinent vaccines.

While it is true that dogs are men's best friends, it doesn't follow that they can't be your enemies too! It is impossible for people to do away with canines as pets. However, since they may or may not get too attached with one another, there comes the tendency for the pets to become aggressive. There are dogs that exhibit aggressiveness simply because they are often hurt. On the other hand, they naturally get provoked by total strangers. At times they find it hard to contain their fierceness that they end up biting people.

In this case, the first aid training is valuable enough to guide you on how to take care of dog bites.

Snake bites are serious. If not treated quickly, the victim can experience extreme reaction to venom and in a matter of minutes, the result can be fatal. Since majority of snake bites occur in a remote area, emergency medical help is difficult to acquire. Thus it is important that there is a person in your group with proper first aid training in order to administer temporary treatment to the victim.

What to do in case of a snake bite:

* Snakes only attack if under treat, so the cases of snake bites can be attributed to people who get very near to the location of the snake or where snakes live. Thus, the very first thing you should do to the victim is to move him to a safe place. Once the victim is on a safe location, keep him still and administer the first aid.

* If possible, try to identify the species of snake that caused the bite. Take a picture or have a visual memory of the snake if you cannot name the specie. This is very important since there are a lot of venomous snakes in America and the anti-venom that should be given must be compatible with the snake that bit the victim.

* If you were not able to identify the snake, at least, pinpoint the exact location of where the incident happened. Location gives clues to the type of snake that lives in the area.

* Remove any tight fitting clothing, a rope, lace or jewelry and use it to tie a light restricting bond inches away on both sides of the area that is bitten. Timing is crucial. So if the victim cries for help, do this procedure in the quickest possible time.

* Ask someone to call for help. Remember that first aid treatment only aims to prevent, reduce, or slow down the effects of the venom, minimize the complications of the venom and ready the victim for professional medical treatment. Call 911 right away.

* Do not cut into the wound as it can only create infections.

* Apply a strong suction with the mouth or using bite kit suction device if available. Do this continuously on the deepest puncture marks, within seconds of the bite.

* Clean the entire area with soap and warm water. Use antiseptic cleanser if available.

* Do not feed the victim nor give him something to drink. Alcohol should not be given to the victim as it can add to the stress level.

* Keep the victim warm and immobilized.

* Check the bonds regularly. If swelling occurs, loosen as necessary.

* Check for the signs of shock. If there are signs of unusual discomfort or major stress, assess if the victim requires other first aid techniques. Keep the bite away from the heart.

* Keep doing the above procedures until help arrives.

* Transporting the victim to the hospital is crucial. Make sure that he stays warm, immobilized and as comfortable as possible.

* Give words of reassurance that everything will going to be okay and survival is out of the question.

* Be ready to provide assistance. Contact the relatives of the victim, give useful information about the incident, protect the scene material and describe the first aid administered.

In some cases, professional help takes a while to arrive so make sure that you keep your focus, stay calm and coordinate with the people around as first aid training is useless if you are not able to stay on top of the whole situation.

As you are very well aware of, emergencies are the most unexpected things to happen. Nobody likes them to occur. But then again life includes them. So that tells everybody that they need to be welcomed as a part of man's existence. The people have a choice, so to speak. You have the option to be firm and responsible in preventing unfavorable mishaps from happening. Yes, you can never stop it but at least you can try to lessen its impact. You can do this by taking up a first aid training course that will educate you of the ABC's of saving lives and applying treatment to a suffering victim. With a dose of proper knowledge, you can confidently execute your skills and help more people.

Accidents in Relation to the Seasons

It is right and safe to assume that accidents are for all seasons. They do happen anytime and anywhere. You can never say that just because you are inside the confines of your home you are already safe from harm. Either you are inside or outside, if it is meant to happen, there will be mishaps around you.

They say that during the summer months when everyone feels hot, emergency situations often take place. One of which is the case of fire because people tend to operate their air conditioning unit beyond its capacity. Others claim that it is during the winter season that there is a high rate of accidents. It is during this time that the weather becomes terrible. The wind blows coldly and the rains smash on the car windows. Snow also comes abound which makes the road very slippery. News flash reports often show cars stumbling one after the other because of the very slippery snow covered roads. But which is which? Which season can be considered as the peak of emergencies?

Needless to say, it is only safe to think that emergencies and troublesome accidents happen at no definite time. Whatever is the season be it the winter, the spring, the summer, or the autumn?one thing is for sure. That is, people will get involved in a series of disasters. These events are beyond anyone's control. One good thing is that there are individuals out there who are skilled in the application of first aid so they make a change in the course of the events. In case of fire, they are able to treat the burns. If there are injuries, they are able to settle the victims using the most suitable remedy. If someone experiences respiratory problems, then the qualified individuals know how to revive them through CPR. It truly feels good that there is help nearby.

How you can be of Great Help

Knowing that you are a trained individual yourself, it pays that you take all necessary precautions and be prepared at all times. Here are some other reminders for you.

Since tragedy may strike at any time, you don't know when your help is needed and who will be asking for your aid. Thus, it is essential that you ready yourself and your emergency kit.

Be alert as always. Anticipate all sorts of tragedies that commonly occur within your area. This will help you decide on the things and equipment that you will need. By surfing the news, you get a clear idea of what you have to expect. Inform those around you of what are supposed to be done during specific emergency situations. You may post flyers about the safety tips during earthquakes, fires, and many others.

Always keep a list of the emergency hotline. You need it and that is for sure.

Going through a first aid training course will mold you into a more responsible and more careful individual who has a great concern for all and sundry. Thus, it really helps to be prepared at all cost.

Has it ever crossed your mind to take up a first aid training course? While some people take up classes on it for employment purposes, there are also others who sign up mainly because they want to do a volunteer job. Anyhow, an ordinary person like you can express your sense of responsibility by that of learning the techniques on how to save lives and lessen the occurrence of accidents. The person's efficiency in administering first aid is not measured by the number of the victims that he has saved but by the skills that he can easily and readily execute to solve the emergency at hand.

What is first aid?

As defined, first aid is an emergency care that has to be given to an injured or a sick individual immediately and without any delay. It is the treatment provided prior to the arrival of any professional medical personnel. It also refers to the chronological sequencing of the easy yet lifesaving medical techniques and practices that may be rendered by an ordinary person who is trained in this line. The main goal of first aid is to lessen the injury as well as the suffering of the individual so as to save him from a possible disability and even death. Typically, people get to panic during emergency cases but a trained individual doesn't do that. Instead, he rushes to the victim and provide an immediate treatment.

What can first aid do to lighten the situation?

A non-doctor who is certified to have gone through a rigid training in performing first aid measures can truly save the life of a person. If there is an injury, he can stop the bleeding and then apply the necessary medication. If the victim has stopped breathing, he may revive him using CPR. If you are yourself knowledgeable and trained, you have the responsibility to act according to the dictates of your senses. You have to be ready to jump from across a crowd even when you just happened to pass by the scene. First aid is done before any medical team arrives. However, you should not make it a point to waste time. Immediately call the medical professionals.

When does first aid apply?

The series of lifesaving techniques are useful whenever there arises an emergency situation. Instances like cuts, abrasions, heart attacks, bleeding, burns, eye injuries, electrocution, stings, bites, choking, and many others have to be attended to at once. Also some common incidents that require immediate attention are accidents both at home and on the road, at the workplace, during some sports events, and even some illness that call for the performance of first aid as soon as possible.

What is the importance of taking up the course?

Emergencies happen at any time of the day. The truth is you never know when it will come. If you get caught off guard, you are definitely on the losing end. There has to be someone who knows how to perform first aid both at home, in the workplace, and in the school. However, every individual has the duty to get learned. The more people there are who can execute the lifesaving techniques, then the more potentials of disability will be eliminated. It therefore emphasizes the need to take up the first aid training course.

They are offered by several community and medical organizations such as the Red Cross and plenty of the hospitals, clinics, and health care centers in your area. So, better get trained now!

There is no doubt that first aid training can really equip you with an ample amount of knowledge on how to apply the strategies and lifesaving techniques. In any given emergency situation, there is a respective remedy that comes along. First aid is always necessary because it is guaranteed to alleviate the pain or suffering of the victim as well as increase the chances of saving the latter's life. But then again first aid is not only applied to human beings.

Like people, dogs also encounter distressful situations. They break their bones while playing, they choke on some small things, they get injured, they meet accidents on the road, and they also get electrical shocks. All these and more make up the list of accidents among dogs. Now if you are a dog owner, you should know how to tend to your pet whenever it is needed. After all, he is your best friend and your protector.

What normally causes an eye injury to the dog?

Again, there are several reasons on why your dog may get an eye injury. For one, he must be very playful that he hits some sharp objects or protruding wires. It will definitely leave a scratch and bleeding mark on his face. Also, he could acquire it something gets broken and some sharp pieces hit your dog's eyes. The reasons could go on and on simply because your dog is naughty and curious.

How should you tend to your dog's eye injury?

You should know the importance of good eyesight for your dog. If only it has an ability to talk it would surely tell you how painful the injury is. That is why you must learn how to tend to this emergency case. You should learn the right techniques on how you may save your dog's life at one point in time. It is necessary that you do your best to maintain his good health and that includes protecting his own vision. You never want to keep a blind dog, right?

The first aid for your dog's eye injury should be performed as gently as you can. Take note that the eye area is one of the most delicate parts of the body. The same goes for both humans and animals. If you know nothing about the correct procedure you would only be worsening the condition instead of easing out the pain felt by your pet. Thus, you must carry it out slowly and cautiously.

It follows that you must use only the sterile fluid when administering treatment on the eye injury. It has to be sterile because the eyes are so sensitive that anything that is dirty could all the more irritate them. You may buy an eye wash solution from the pharmacy. It has to be sterile, safe, and of course not harmful to use on your dog. It also pays to get a first aid kit ready at all times.

Now if something has gotten into the eyes of your dog, you should not attempt at getting it especially when it has touched the eyeball itself. Persisting to do so may only harm your pet. What is best for you to do is to cover his injured eye using a cool and damp cloth and take him to the nearest vet at once. In times like this, only a professional help from a qualified person will work.

So, learn from first aid training and help save your dog when the situation calls for it!

Frostbite is freezing of body tissue. It is caused by exposure to extreme cold temperatures. Mild cases of frostbite affects just the skin, however, the damage can go deeper. Frostbite affects the extremities of the body including: nose, fingers, toes, ears and cheeks.

Why do you acquire frostbite?

The body has the capacity to cool itself down or warm itself up depending on the environment the person is in and the activity he is doing. However, during extreme cold temperature, body temperature goes down faster than it can heat up. If the body temperature reaches to a danger zone, the body starts to protect the vital organs so that it can still function well by increasing blood circulation to the heart and brain while reducing blood flow to the extremities of the body. As a result, nose, ears, cheeks, fingers and toes being to cool down and freeze.

Signs of frostbite

The earliest sign that the body temperature begins to fall below normal (hypothermia) is shivering. This is actually good since the body tries to regulate its temperature. However, prolonged exposure to extreme cold temperature can have the following symptoms: numbness and loss of         pain sensation, cold skin that feels hard and solid, confusion, loss of function, blistering, color change from white, to red to purple and slurred speech. When you notice these signs to a person, make sure to do the following first aid procedures:

* Take the person out of the cold.

* Wet clothes absorb heat from the body. Change to dry clothes as soon as possible.

* Submerge the patient's body in warm (not hot) water for at least 20 minutes. Remember that the patient's pain receptors are numb so do not let him control the temperature.

* If water is not available, wrap the patient's body with warm blanket.

* Do not use direct heat such as heating pads from flat iron and fire from the stove.

* Be careful not to touch the affected areas of the body.

* Do not use snow to rub the frostbitten areas of the skin.

* If there is a chance of refreezing, do not thaw the frostbitten skin yet.

* If they have been thawed, prevent refreezing by wrapping the affected skin with warm blanket. (Refreezing can cause permanent damage to the skin tissue.)

* As the affected areas thaw, the flesh can become red and painful.

* The skin is thawed if it turns to pink and no longer numb. 

* Call 911 for emergency help.

If you are in a remote area or in a place where help is unavailable, make sure the keep the patient warm as soon as you see the signs of frostbite. Call for emergency help immediately. While waiting for an ambulance or a helicopter, assess if thawing is possible. Once help arrives, give the patient's information to the medical personnel. Call the relatives and inform them about the incident.

Prevention

* Avoid exposing your skin to extreme cold temperature.

* Wear appropriate clothing when going out on a winter trip.

* Do not ignore your body when it begins to shiver. Wear more layers of clothes as necessary.

* Wind chill cause the body temperature to drop faster. Protect yourself with wind breaker.

* Do not wait until hypothermia becomes frostbite. Call for emergency help immediately.

Insect bites and sting are generally easy to treat at home. Still, the effects to individuals who have severe allergic reactions to such bites and stings can be serious and require emergency professional help.

Common symptoms of insect bites and stings:

* Immediate pain, swelling, redness at the area and swelling

* Immediate muscle rigidity in the stomach, back, shoulders and chest

* burning, tingling, and numbness

* Dizziness

* Rash and itching

* Anxiety and restlessness

* Vomiting or nausea

* swelling of the eyelid and tearing of the eyes

* Tremors, weakness, or paralysis, particularly in the legs

* sweating

* Salivation

* Double fang marks or deep sting mark

First aid for general types of bites

* Move the victim to a safe place, away from the area where the accident happened.

* If the stinger is still present, use straight-edged object like ATM card and driver's license card and scrape it across the stinger.

* Refrain from using tweezers when removing the stinger since it may squeeze the venom sac and release more venom to the body, aggravating the effects of the sting.

* Wash the affected area thoroughly with ordinary soap and water.

* Place an ice pack (ice held within a soft towel) of the area of the sting.

* If itching is uncomfortable, apply cream on the surface of the sting.

* Infection can happen a few days the incident. If increased pain, itching, redness and swelling are experienced, seek for medical advice.

Fore severe reactions

* Move the victim to a safe place, away from the area where the accident happened.

* Check the victim's pulse, breathing and airways.

* Call 911

* If the victim is unconscious, begin CPR and rescue breathing.

* If the victim is responding, give words of reassurance that everything will going to be okay and survival is out of the question. Make him or her calm.

* Remove objects from the body that may aggravate the swelling (ring, necklace, bracelets).

* People who have serious allergies to insect bites and sting often carry an emergency epinephrine kit. Use it if the victim has one.

* Stay with the person until medical help arrives.

* Contact friends and family members of the victim.

When to call for help?

Call 911 if the patient is having severe allergic reaction and showing the following signs:

* Shortness of breath, trouble breathing, wheezing

* Feeling weak

* Excessive swelling on the face and body that are away from the area of the bite or sting

* Throat feels tight

* Turning pale or blue

Prevention

* Never provoke the insects (insects attack if threatened)

* Whenever you go outdoors, wear protective clothing and use appropriate insect repellant

* avoid making rapid movements when near the insects

* stay away from bee hives or nests

* When eating outdoors avoid places that attract bees like the areas around the garbage cans

Things you should not do:

* Do not give the victim pain medication, stimulants and aspirins unless prescribed by the doctor.

* Do not apply tourniquet.

These are just general information. Cases of bites and stings may differ from one person to another. Make sure that you have proper first aid training to effectively assess and treat the victim of insect bites and stings.

Who is a lifeguard? What role does he have to portray? How necessary is the first aid training for him? You surely are familiar with the now defunct television series called Baywatch, right? You have seen those gorgeous hunks and babes who carried around their life buoys and who immediately jumped into the water to save those who are in dire need. However, being gorgeous is not a basic requirement for someone to become a lifeguard. What is very important is that he knows how to swim to the rescue of the victim and then apply the necessary first aid as a lifesaving technique.

Nevertheless, the lifeguard is an individual who is held responsible in overseeing the safety of the users of any body of water and surveying the location to make sure that everything is in order. There has to be a lifeguard in a water park, a swimming pool, and of course, a beach. It is the duty of this person to ensure that the users are not only enjoying but are also far from any sort of harm.

Lifeguards vs. Life Savers

Generally, it has to be understood that lifeguards have their own distinction from the lifesavers. They are qualified as strong swimmers who have been trained in water rescue, the use of different aids and equipment, and of course they are knowledgeable in the performance of first aid. Meanwhile, the life savers are the people who are tasked to do the same thing but are actually involved in this activity as a form of sport or simply as a practical life skill.

At any rate, there are instances when the lifeguard service extends to carrying out mountain rescues and primary EMS.

A Look at the Main Role of Lifeguards

Basically, a lifeguard has the main responsibility to look after the safety of the people in any water area. Being a lifeguard is a career but for some they do this as a volunteer work. To become certified, one has to go through a comprehensive training. Part of which is the educational information, provision of the warnings, supervision, and training in survival skills. All of these should be learned lengthily so that there will be higher chances of preventing drowning in their respective areas of responsibility.

A good lifeguard is measured not through the number of persons he has saved or the number of skills that he can execute. The basis for which is the absence or the reduction of the cases of accidents, drowning, and other forms of medical emergencies. Whenever necessary, this person should be able to perform his duty effectively.

His Basic Duties

If the lifeguard is stationed on a beach, he has to perform the following duties:

He has to maintain a close look at his area and anticipate problems and therefore apply the necessary precautions.

He has to be alert in identifying the type of emergency so he could execute the necessary actions.

He has to supervise the equipment for emergencies.

He must be ready to apply the necessary first aid to any given situation.

He must be well-versed in how to communicate with the people especially to the medical service team.

Lifeguards are the people to trust especially in any form of water area. Hence, it is a must for someone to get the first aid training as completely as possible to alleviate any emergency situation.