02 Feb Haemorrhage (Bleeding)

Dogs can bleed from arteries (bright red and pumping), from veins (darker red, not pumping), from capillaries (oozing) and from a mixture of these. Bleeding can be external (from wounds, nose, bowel, mouth etc.) or internal (muscles, chest, abdomen etc.). Treatment can be by four different methods:

• Direct pressure: put your finger or hand directly on the bleeding wound
• Pad and pressure bandage: use anything clean you can find, such as a towel, a piece of clothing etc.
• Pressure on ‘pressure points’: this is where the artery, supplying the body part it is bleeding from, runs. Not many people will know where to apply pressure though.
• Using a tourniquet: this is something to put pressure on the artery above the point of bleeding. Different things can be used, such as elastic bands, belts, scarves etc. Never leave a tourniquet on for more than 10 minutes!!!