Pet Emergency First Aid: Cats

Until I saw this video, I had no idea the cornucopia of emergencies possible in the feline-world: choking, drowning, car accidents, poisoning, hypothermia, frostbite, burning, heat stroke, eye injuries, foot injuries, fractures, spider and insect bites, shock, abscesses, fight injuries, and urinary blockages, just for starters. Recommended by the ASPCA, this short tape blazes through them all, and also includes sections on first aid kits, rescue breathing, CPR, and, perhaps most important, taking Fluffy's vital signs so that you'll know what her normal readings are. Though this video is well done, I question its effectiveness during an actual emergency. I mean, if Snowball is not breathing and has no pulse, would you have the poise to turn on the TV, find and insert the tape, fast-forward to the pertinent section--there is no segment timer chart--and calmly absorb the CPR instructions? A set of written instructions would probably be more helpful than a video during an emergency, but borrowing this tape from the library every so often, and preparing a first aid kit based on its instructions, is better than completely ignoring the issue. The producers themselves recommend that you view the tape "every few months" so that you remain familiar with the steps to take when confronted with the various scenarios. Recommended for libraries lacking other items on this topic. A companion title, Pet Emergency First Aid: Dogs, is also available. Aud: P. (K. Glaser)