The Red Cross is offering an app for pet owners in conjunction with Pet First Aid Awareness Month.

They have the American Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid online course.

“All pet owners, pet-sitters and dog walkers should know what to do in an emergency until veterinary care is available,” said Deborah C. Mandell, VMD, DACVECC, member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, and professor at Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “The Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid online course and the Pet First Aid App are both easy and convenient ways to learn life-saving skills.”

The online course is availale redcross.org/catdogfirstaid and takes about 30 minutes.

Among the subjects is how to determine a pet’s normal vital signs so that owners can notice if there are any irregularities, step-by-step instructions and visual aids for what to do if a pet is choking, needs CPR, has a wound, or is having a seizure and information on preventative care, health and tips for a pet’s well-being.

The Pet First Aid App is free and provides quick access to expert guidance on how to maintain a pet’s health, what to do in emergencies, and how to include pets in your emergency preparedness plans.

The app will also help cat and dog owners keep their pets safe by learning what emergency supplies to have, when they should contact their veterinarian, and where to find a pet care facility or pet-friendly hotel. Users learn how to assemble a pet first aid kit and an emergency kit.

Owners have access to step-by-step instructions, videos and images for more than 25 common first aid and emergency situations including how to treat wounds, control bleeding, and care for breathing and cardiac emergencies.

The Pet First Aid App can be downloaded by texting ‘GETPET’ to 90999, by going to
redcross.org/apps, or by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in app stores.