My dog was hit by a car. What to do if I can't afford a vet?

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear about your dog! She should ideally be taken right in to the vet. If you're unable to do so, the most important thing you can do for her is keep her quiet, and well supervised. Sometimes with hit-by-car incidents the injuries are not all immediately apparent. If there is internal bleeding, it can take a number of hours for the symptoms to appear. So, watch her closely, and if she becomes lethargic, or her appetite decreases, or new symptoms develop (such as vomiting), then take her in immediately. In the meantime, keep her wound clean and dry. If the wound is superficial you can wash it with a mild hand dishsoap (such as Dawn dish soap) and pat it dry with a clean paper towel. Do this 1-2 times daily to clean any discharge and soften any developing scabs. I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear that your pet has an injury to his leg and paw. Unfortunately, how to treat injuries like this depends entirely on the extent of the injury itself. This would require a more in depth conversation so that an appropriate wound management plan can be devised for your pet and this is not easy to do at home without any medical treatment (pain mediation, antibiotics if needed, or anti-inflammatories). Not to mention it could be a very painful and prolonged situation for your pet. Generally if there are broken bones then a fixture device such as a splint or cast are best used to help keep the bones stable for long enough (typically 4-6 weeks) until they are healed. However this would require splint/cast changes every 1-2 weeks depending on how fast the pet grows. Also the fracture must not be an open fracture (through the skin). If there are no fractures (sometimes can only be ruled out with an x-ray of the leg), then proper shaving of the hair and cleansing of the external wounds using chlorhexidine solution 3% or iodine (diluted 50:50 with warm water) is needed. The hair itself carries a lot of bacteria so clipping it is essential. Then depending on the extent of the skin damage bandaging this area may be needed and changed every 2-7 days. Then once the wounds are seen to be healing well and the top layer of skin is intact the bandages can finally be removed. As I mentioned before typically if there is extensive damage then your pet should get proper medications to a) prevent infection and b)ease discomfort and pain. I just don't see how any of this can be achieved without getting a professional involved unless you are knowledgeable about managing wounds in pets. I do have a couple of financial resources that you can try if the wounds seem too severe and your pet is in need of professional help and guidance so that this is treated appropriately for your pets overall care and well being. Here they are: www.carecredit.com redrover.org www.youcaring.com GiveForward  God's Creatures Ministry Harley’s Hope Foundation Hopefully some of this will be helpful for you to make the best decision for your pets care.

Oh poor Buddy! Unfortunately, this is a serious problem! I worry that he may have seriously injured himself. Dogs that are hit by cars can have several different types of injuries from minor scrapes and bruises to severe issues like punctured lungs, broken bones, or even a ruptured spleen or bladder. There isn't anything great you can do at home to help him. The main thing is to keep his confined and watch him closely. If you notice any labored breathing or if his gums are not a pink color then I would try to get him to the emergency clinic ASAP as it could be a life threatening emergency. I would not recommend to give him any human pain meds as most are toxic to dogs. I hope this helps and he is okay!

If his leg is broken, he will need veterinary care. At the very least, he will need antibiotics and pain medication to treat or prevent infection and to manage discomfort. Do not medicate him without the advice of your veterinarian. Many OTC medications can be very toxic to dogs. Discuss payment plans or alternative financing options, such as CareCredit ( www.carecredit.com ), with your veterinarian. Friends and family can also be asked to help out.

It sounds like your dog is likely in extreme pain, and he needs veterinary attention immediately. He may have fractures, internal injuries and bleeding, and may even have neurological issues from being hit by the car. If you mean that he is unable to urinate, that is a medical emergency, and requires immediate veterinary care. Your vet will assess him and recommend appropriate treatment, which will likely include pain medication, imaging and possibly surgical repair. Do not give pain medication to him without checking with your vet, as pain medications for humans can be toxic to dogs. Good luck, and I hope he feels better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, it is difficult to know what kind of injury he has sustained and what kind of therapy he needs. This could be as severe as a fracture or something more mild like a soft tissue injury. The fact that he is crying when the leg is manipulated indicates that he is quite painful requiring pain control medications at least. If he does have a fracture, he may actually require surgery. For this reason it is crucial that he is indeed evaluated by a veterinarian. You could consider taking him to your local humane society as often times they offer less expensive veterinary care. I hope you are able to get him some help. Good luck!

You must bring her to the vet urgently, if money is the problem you should contact a dog charity in your area of living and they will help you, there is nothing you can do at home to help her, she must see a vet right away.