iPET Network News

Alison Garnett, 65 is a big fan of beagles, and took an iPET Network Emergency Canine First Aid course with veterinary nurse Rachel Bean organised by her local Merseyside Beagle Club.

And the first aid training was put to the test almost as soon as the course was over, when her beloved pet Chester,10 started to put his paw in his mouth one evening at home...

She said: "We were sitting in the living room and Chester was having his treat, and all of a sudden he just started trying to put his paw in his mouth.

"He was panicking, and I tried to get the treat out of his mouth but it was further back and difficult to reach. He had moved in his panic and was laid on top of me, he's quite heavy and there I am trying to dislodge the blockage. If it hadn't been for Rachel's first aid training I would have completely panicked myself.

"Chester had also injured himself in his panic and there was quite a lot of blood, I could feel his weight getting heavier and heavier as he started to lose consciousness.

"I kept going though, and eventually was able to use the very tip of my finger to dislodge the treat, it just flipped out and flew across the room!

"It was at that point that I just started sobbing, there I was covered in blood laid on the floor, and Chester just ran across the living room and finished off the treat, like nothing had happened. It was surreal but I am so happy that I knew what to do!"

Former secondary school teacher Alison believes that all dog owners should take a pet first aid course, and especially pet professionals who we trust to keep our dogs safe.

She said: "The training was so important because it gave me the confidence to stay calm and look at everything more logically, even in the worst possible situation. It is the best thing I ever did, and everyone who owns a dog should take a course."