Sadly, Road Traffic Collisions (RTC’s) involving pets are not uncommon emergencies. Witnessing your dog, or any pet, being hit by a car is a very distressing experience and you’ll understandably go through a range of emotions. While we know that we should stay calm, doing so in the middle of an emergency is easier said than done particularly when it involves your own dog!
Knowing what steps to take if your dog has been hit by a car will offer reassurance that you’re doing everything you can to give your dog the best chance of recovery and will hopefully help you remain calmer during this traumatic time.
Continue reading to find out what to do immediately following an RTC, when your dog needs to see the Vet as well as tips on how to move and transport your dog safely. We will also look at how RTCs can be prevented.
Note: RTC and road traffic accident (RTA) are interchangeable terms, RTC is currently the preferred term
Steps to take after your dog is hit by a car
Safety first
Do not put yourself or others in danger. Make sure the area is safe, look out for traffic and check that the driver and any other people involved are OK.
Approaching your dog
Your dog may be in shock and in pain, even the friendliest dog may turn aggressive and uncharacteristically snap or bite out of pain and fear. Speak softly and move around them carefully. Continue to be cautious to avoid getting bitten whilst providing first aid or moving your dog.
Contacting your Vet and Initial First Aid
It’s best to get your dog to your Vet as soon as possible. Phone ahead so that the team can prepare for your arrival and offer tailored advice over the phone.
Although getting your dog to the Vet is the priority, sometimes first aid treatment can be helpful especially if you have a distance to travel. Almost all wounds bleed but if there’s heavy or continuous bleeding from a wound and your dog allows it, you can apply gentle pressure to the wound to try and control/stop the bleeding. If you don’t have a first aid kit to hand, a clean towel or item of clothing can be used. Many drivers will have a first aid kit in the car which can be useful for dogs too but if you use a bandage don’t apply this too tightly.
Don’t try and clean or remove anything from wounds. Don’t try and splint or bandage fractures. Sometimes a fractured bone can break through the skin or your dog might have large open wound. These areas can be lightly covered over with a large dressing from a first aid box or a clean cloth to stop further contamination of the wound.
Keep your dog warm, cover them with a blanket, coat or a foil blanket. If they’re having breathing difficulties you can remove their collar and make sure they can stretch their head and neck out if required. Make sure that blankets are not restricting their airway.
Even if your dog seems OK, don’t offer them any food or water in case they need sedation or anaesthetic at the Vets. Also, do not give them any human medication such as pain killers.
Moving your pet
Your dog will need to be moved to a place of safety initially (i.e. away from the road) and also transported to your Veterinary Practice.
Movement should be kept to a minimum to prevent further damage and pain. When moving / lifting them try and support as much of their body as possible and avoid twisting or bending their body. If your dog is medium or large breed, it is best to get someone to help you as you will be able to offer careful support to more of their body and also prevent injuring yourself from heavy or awkward lifting. There may be injuries that aren’t obvious straight away so ideally your dog should be moved into a vehicle and driven to your Veterinary Practice rather than letting them try to walk.
Ideally, they should be moved onto a board, but in many circumstances a board won’t be available so a towel, blanket, large coat or even a sturdy car parcel shelf can be used to help support them and act as a stretcher. For small dogs, a car footwell mat or “bag for life” shopping bag can even be used. If you don’t feel confident moving your dog, call your vet for advice. If your dog is badly injured, try sliding or rolling them, with minimal movement of their spine and body, onto a makeshift stretcher rather than lifting them.
Continue to talk calmly to your dog to offer reassurance and help keep them calm, continue to monitor their behaviour to avoid getting bitten yourself.
My dog seems OK, do they need to see the Vet?
Yes they do. Your dog may seem absolutely fine at first, they may be able to walk around – but it’s always best to get them checked by a Vet as soon as possible. Even a light impact can cause significant trauma and some injuries aren’t visible or immediately obvious. Injuries such as internal bleeding, a diaphragmatic hernia, pneumothorax, a ruptured bladder or injury to other internal organs can be hidden at first and your dog may only show signs later on. Your dog may go into shock or their condition could deteriorate suddenly.
An “Adrenaline rush” can mask pain for several hours, meaning your dog often won’t show how uncomfortable they really are. A check up with your Vet will give you peace of mind and your dog will get pain relief and treatment if needed, helping them feel more comfortable. If you’re not sure, at the very least it’s best to phone your Vet for advice so that you can explain exactly what happened, they can advise what warning signs to look out for.
What to do if your Veterinary practice is closed and how to transport your dog
Unfortunately, accidents and emergencies can happen out of hours. In the UK, Veterinary Practices are legally required to provide 24-hour emergency cover for their registered clients so rest assured there will be help available.
Some practices refer their out-of-hours care to an emergency provider, this might be at a different practice or in a different town to your usual Vets. Other practices provide their own out-of-hours care but only see emergencies at one branch, so check where you need to travel to. Always phone first to make sure the on-call Vet is there, they will be able to get ready for your arrival and give you specific advice over the phone. If your usual Veterinary Practice is a long way away it may be worth contacting the nearest veterinary practice for advice. If they are able to see you, they will be able to get your pet’s medical history from your usual practice.
You will naturally be very worried about your pet, but getting to the vets safely must be the priority. In the UK, it is the law that dogs are suitably restrained so they don’t distract the driver or cause injury to passengers if the vehicle has to stop suddenly. Your dog’s injuries may mean they cannot be restrained in the usual way, but your safety is important, so secure them as well as possible so that they can’t move around and distract you. Concentrate on your driving, drive smoothly and carefully avoiding sharp turns and bumps in the road. If possible, one person should drive while another person keeps an eye on the dog.
Road safety for dogs; preventing RTC’s
Accidents can and do happen, but there are things that owners can do to help prevent them happening.
Be seen!
In the UK there are many months where early morning and evening walks take place in darkness. As a driver, I often see dogs being walked without any reflective gear at all. Sometimes the owner is visible, but the dog is almost invisible. There is a plethora of hi-vis gear available for dogs including; reflective collars, leads and harnesses as well as dog coats and clip on lights or light up collars. These make a big difference to the safety of you and your dog.
Supervise your dog outdoors, especially when it’s dark or foggy!
Dogs aren’t only hit by cars when out on walks. I have known several occasions where a dog has been hit on or just outside their owner’s home by delivery vehicles, family members’ cars, and in one case even a school bus as they’ve run to greet people or investigate arrivals at the property.
Keep your dog on a lead around roads
How reliable is your dog’s recall? If your dog is off lead on a quiet country road and they happened to see a cat or a rabbit, or even another dog approaching, would they ignore it and come back when called? Many dogs are hit by cars when chasing or running towards something they’ve noticed. In the UK, the Road Traffic Act states that it is an offence to have a dog off-lead on a designated road (this rule does not apply to dogs driving or tending livestock)
Make sure your garden is secure
Make sure dog can’t escape from your garden when you let them out unsupervised.
Conclusion
Hopefully the above advice will help if your dog ever gets hit by a car. The key points are:
- Keep yourself and other people safe, avoid getting bitten.
- Get them checked by a Vet even if they seem OK, provide basic first aid if needed and you feel able to do this
- Keep your dog as still and as quiet as possible during the journey to the vet
- Take measures to prevent an RTC wherever possible.
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