Having a pet can be an exciting experience altogether. They make your life better with merely their presence and bring along a great responsibility of taking care of them. These tiny little friends often like exploring the surroundings, which leads to a lot of uncalled problems. While their little mischiefs often go unnoticed, there is one thing that can gravely injure the animals - electric shock. It is one of the prominent reasons behind your pet getting hurt. Electric accidents can happen when your pet bites on a power cable or gets close to the power socket. Electrocution may trigger long-term harm to your pet.

What should be your first-hand response when something like this happens? You need to prepare yourself so that your pet doesn't get fatally wounded or hurt. Keep reading further to know more about the first aid you can give your electrocuted pet.

What should you do if the pet suffers an electric shock?

If your pet has been electrocuted, you need to know how to give your furry companion first aid. It also includes the safety procedures you must follow when dealing with the situation involving electrocution to minimize the harm caused to them. So, here are five of the best tips that you should follow if you find your pet electrocuted:

1.   Disconnect the power supply

Switch off or disconnect the source of electricity before handling your pet. This would include disconnecting the electrical cord from the socket and turning off the power. Kindly shift the pet far from the electricity source with a wooden brush stick. Any rigid object is suitable since it will not transmit an electric current that might also give you an electric shock. Don't try to touch your pet or any of the liquids nearby until the electrical source has been disabled. If their body is stiff, this is particularly necessary since they could be holding an electrical charge that could give a dangerous shock to you.

If you want to use an extension cord at home but are worried about your canine’s safety, you can opt for a right angle power strip. You can mount it on the wall. Moreover, it also comes with surge-voltage protection features to prevent any hazards.

2.   Cover your pet:

Wrap a blanket around your pet. Wrapping the pet with a towel once they have been electrocuted can help avoid heat dissipation. You can prevent electrocution-induced shock by wrapping them in a towel.

If your furry friend is angry and seems to be about to attack you, wrapping a blanket around will help stabilize and prevent them from attacking you. While you might want to muzzle your furry friend to prevent them from attacking you, make sure you avoid it if you see them having difficulty in breathing.

3.   Check up on your pet:

Check on your pet once you disconnect the wire from the source of electricity. Observe your pet’s breathing pattern by looking for chest motions and placing your palm next to its mouth.

You can even place a few hairs from his fur next to his mouth and see if they shift. Your pet is breathing if the hair shifts back and forth. Place your thumb on the inner side of your pet's inner thigh to check his heartbeat to ensure they are okay. If you have a tiny pet such as a chipmunk or hedgehog, finding his pulse can be challenging, but you still can find it after a few tries.

4.   Perform respiratory maneuver:

After an electric shock, it is safe if a doctor tries to revive your pet. If you cannot bring your pet to a hospital right away, you may have to make the initial effort to revive him. Putting your mouth close to your pet's nose and blowing into his nasal passages to give Artificial Respiration (AR) can help save them. This can be used ideally on a dog or a kitten.

Open your pet's mouth to remove any contaminants or debris that might be in the path before executing AR. To make it easier to shut his jaw, lift his tongue out from the way. You can then put your mouth over their nose completely and gently blow in to see the chest expand. Wait for a few seconds for the air in the lungs to leave, and then you can blow again. You can keep doing it until your pet starts breathing on its own.

5.   Press ice pack against its mouth:

Nibbling on electric cables, particularly in dogs, is a frequent cause of electric shock. If you find burn wounds across your pet's mouth due to biting on an electrical wire, apply ice packs as the first assistance. Frozen vegetables can also work well as a cold pack.

You can also make a compress by putting ice in plastic polythene and covering it in a cloth.

Keep the compress against the wounds for around twenty minutes if your pet allows it. Bear in mind that one must not do this when your pet is too irritated.

In conclusion

Pets tend to become an essential part of every pet owner's life, and their safety becomes paramount. They become family and a source of happiness for them. If your pet is the mischievous kind and often fiddles with electric wires and sockets, they can suffer an electric shock. Keep these tips in mind to ensure the injury they suffer is minimal, and you can give them instant care if they get electrocuted.

Author Bio

Rebecca Siggers is a Pet Lover and a Dog Mother. She loves to write about pet care, pet food, and pet travel-related blogs. Recently, she's working with an NGO caring about electrocuted street dogs. She's recently shared great articles on pet care and home improvement like the right power cord, right angle power strip to take care of pets and avoid any accidents. She wants to spread awareness through her writing.