Pet owners in Grenfell were given advice on handling animal emergencies during a recent first aid talk presented by veterinarian and Lachlan Valley Vets practice owner Tess Bailey.

Tess was invited to speak after a local client with a service dog approached the Grenfell RSL Sub-Branch about running an animal first aid session.

The talk focused on emergency care for cats and dogs, with advice aimed at helping owners safely manage situations before getting their pets to a veterinarian.

“It was really about what people can do at home in an emergency situation, but also what we don’t want people to do,” Tess said.

“Sometimes simple first aid can give animals that little bit of extra time to get to the vet and improve their chances.”

Among the topics discussed were handling injured or distressed animals safely, particularly dogs that may bite when frightened or in pain.

Tess also spoke about common poisoning cases and the importance of acting quickly.

She recalled one case involving a dog that consumed 1080 poison.

“The owner called me straight away and I told them to make the dog vomit immediately,” she said.

“That dog survived, which is something I hadn’t seen happen before with 1080 poisoning.”

Other advice included avoiding the use of household products or sprays on pets.

“If there’s an eye injury or a wound, we don’t want people putting creams, powders or sprays on it,” Tess said.

“Salty water and covering the wound is usually the best thing until the animal can get veterinary treatment.”

Tess said many owners try to help with the best intentions, but some actions can unintentionally make injuries worse.

The positive response from attendees has encouraged her to explore holding similar talks in other towns with a Grenfell community member who attended the talk at the Grenfell Bowling Club praised the session as valuable and informative.

“There are some pretty simple tips people can do at home that really could save an animal’s life,” Tess added.