Electric Shock Dangers In Canines

Puppies are wonderful creatures. They have a bad habit of chewing on things. This habit is especially bad among dogs bred to hunt and retrieve things. Because puppies are small, they can wiggle behind furniture and find electric cords that are plugged in. They often get shocked badly by chewing on these electric cords. If you see your puppy seizing or going rigid while laying near electric cords, you should assume the puppy is being electrocuted. Some adult dogs are at risk because they chew on things that are not theirs, too, such as power cords. They may not be right on the power cord because urine and other liquids may be conducting the electricity that is shocking them.

Retrieving your dog

To help your dog, you must safely remove him from contact with the power cord without getting electrocuted yourself. Turn off the breaker that covers that area to turn off the electricity. Then remove the dog from the area.

If you cannot turn off the electricity, use a wooden broom handle to push the dog away from the electric cord and any liquid there. If you don’t have a broom, anything with a non-conducting surface will work.

Helping your dog

Aside from removing the dog from the source of electricity, there are some first aid things you can do to help. Check for breathing and a heartbeat. If the dog isn’t breathing or doesn’t have a heartbeat, start CPR.

Check the dog for burns, especially in the mouth. First degree burns are painful, but occur when the electricity does not break the skin. In second degree burns, the most painful kind of burn, the skin is burned away. In third degree burns, the nerves are burned away, too.

Cooling the burn

Do not put butter, margarine, creams, ointments or anything else like that. It will not help and it contaminates the wound. Set the dog in the bathtub or shower and run cold water on the burn, if it is just a first degree burn. Then apply a cold compress for twenty minutes, such as a bag of frozen vegetables. Now call your veterinarian and get further instructions.

For second-degree and third-degree burns of any kind, where the skin is either partially or fully burned through, follow these guidelines:

Check for signs of shock and treat them as a priority.

Apply a clean, dry dressing to the burned area. Be careful to avoid using loose-fibered textiles such as cotton — the threads will stick to the wound and cause more problems.
Wrap the dressed area with clean, torn sheets.

Get your dog to a veterinarian

Once the dog has started breathing again and has a heartbeat, rush him to the veterinarian’s office or an emergency clinic.

Even if your dog looks fine and acts fine, he may be suffering from things you can’t see, such as internal damage, shock and fluid build-up in the lungs, which can cause serious trouble hours after the accident.