Pet First Aid Certification: Why and How You Should Get It

“Should I become certified in pet first aid?”

You probably know the answer to this question already, which is yes! Just like human CPR, learning how to do pet CPR is a skill you’ll hopefully never need, but if the situation arises, you’ll know exactly what to do. When it comes to obtaining your pet first aid certification, there are a couple of programs to choose from and, as always, I have recommendations for you. 🙂

What You’ll Learn in Pet First Aid

Pet first aid certification is not just CPR anymore. In pet first aid certification programs, you’ll learn how to identify critical situations, such as shock and heat stroke. Plus, you’ll learn how to locate and check your dog’s vital signs, which is an essential skill required during any emergency situation or illness. You’ll also learn how to perform CPR on dogs of different sizes and what to do if a dog is choking. They’ll even train you on how to take care of a dog that is bleeding, impaled or has fractured bones. Some pet first aid courses also discuss management of insect bites too. It’s difficult to discuss, I know, but learning how to manage different emergency situations is a skill all pet owners should learn. With pet first aid training, you’ll learn how to maximize those precious moments while a dog is rushed to a veterinarian.

You may also be interested in: Treating Your Dog’s Paw Pad Injury

Pet First Aid Courses

There are several options to choose from. Here are the largest and most reputable pet first aid certification courses currently being offered.

Pet Tech

By far, this is the best pet first aid course out there due to its extensive hands-on workshops. I firmly believe students learn quicker and retain more information in a hands-on classroom environment with a qualified instructor.

Many years ago, I took a Red Cross pet first aid course that had an instructor who covered emergency situations from a book. Several years later, I attended an eight-hour Pet Tech course where I learned so much more and felt confident that I could calmly handle a situation. The hands-on portion was key!

Pet Tech Instructors have all completed an extensive course before teaching hands-on seminars. They work with you during group exercises and one-on-one practice sessions. Also, Pet Tech offers a smartphone app that can be used for reference during emergencies in case you forget exactly what to do.

During the course, I learned:

• How to perform CPR for dogs of different sizes
• How to identify and monitor vital signs (identification isn’t easy)
• What to do if your dog is choking (whether he’s conscious or unconscious)
• How to identify and handle heat stroke or hypothermia
• How to control bleeding
• How to stabilize fractures
• How to treat minor insect bites
• How to identify and mange a dog that goes into shock

All of this information teaches an average pet owner how to handle emergency situations when he’s rushing his dog to an emergency veterinarian.

American Red Cross

After doing some research, I don’t think the American Red Cross offers seminars or meetings on pet first aid anymore. They do, however, offer a rather large workbook and DVDs that can be purchased online as well as a smartphone app.

The app covers pet CPR, emergency situations and many other emergency topics. My favorite part of the app is that it can locate a veterinarian near you. This is an invaluable app if you travel with your dogs. The organization also offers pet first aid bags too. If you’d like to take the DIY approach, learn what to pack in a pet first aid kit here.

Which Pet First Aid Certification is Right for You?

Basically, it’s your choice. I do believe the Pet Tech program is far more superior due to its hands-on workshops. On the other hand, if you don’t have a Pet Tech Instructor in your area, downloading a Pet Tech or American Red Cross app will most certainly help you during emergency situations.