Going against all instinct, the best thing you can do in any type of emergency is to remain calm. When it comes to emergency dog care, your excited response could cause your dog to panic and worsen the situation that it’s in. Here’s how to properly respond to a canine emergency.

1.  Assess and demobilize the current situation. You dog might have gotten himself into a predicament that’s less serious than what you first thought. Once you determine that a situation requires emergency dog care, keep the dog still and try to minimize activity around it. If your dog was hit by a car for example, try to stop incoming traffic so that it doesn’t get hit again.
2. Move the dog to a safer place. Read our article about moving an injured dog for exact instructions on transporting a dog in pain.
3. Stop the bleeding if necessary. If you notice bleeding, stop it with direct pressure to the wound. You're dog is going to be highly upset and aggressive during this step because it’s the pressure that you apply going to hurt him like crazy.  You must muzzle the dog first so that it doesn’t try to bite you. All dogs instinctively bite when they’re in pain – even the most placid ones.
4. Administer CPR. If your dog lost consciousness, you’re going to have to administer CPR. Read our article about dog CPR for explicit instructions.
5. Take the dog to the emergency room. After calling your vet and informing him or her of what’s happened and what you’ve done to help, drive the dog to the nearest care clinic and have your vet meet you there.