Title: Identify common situations and conditions requiring first aid.
Course: Veterinary Science II (18105-II) > Section: Exploring First Aid on Animals

Identification should include

- definition of first aid and triage
- examples of situations and conditions that require first aid (e.g., wound, breathing difficulty, hyperthermia, bleeding, burn, poisoning, reaction to insect sting, seizure)
- ways to prioritize common emergencies

  - examples of situations and conditions that require immediate veterinary intervention
  - ways to determine whether a situation or condition requires first aid or veterinary intervention

- the importance of discussing any abnormality with a veterinarian or veterinary technician
- ways to take an adequate history from a client including timeline and previous care.

Teacher Resource: Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER) Initiative

Process/Skill Questions:

- What should be the first thing a veterinary assistant does when assessing an animal's condition?
- What signs might be seen in a pet that has been stung by an insect?
- How would an animal with heat exhaustion look?
- How could a veterinary assistant differentiate between arterial and venous bleeding?
- Why should any dog hit by a car be taken to a veterinarian even if it appears to be unhurt after the accident?
- What signs would indicate that an animal is experiencing breathing difficulty?