My dog has been hit by a car

Symptoms to be aware of if your dog has been hit by a car

In the event of a collision with a car, your dog is considered to be polytraumatised. He may have a variety of lesions, both externally visible and internally invisible to the naked eye.

The symptoms you may notice in your dog after the accident are as follows:

1. State of shock, complaints, exuberant behaviour: great emotional disorder associated with severe pain. In general, your dog is untouchable. This condition may last several hours and requires medical attention.
2. Bleeding from the head, mouth or nostrils, in connection with skull or jaw fractures.
3. Lameness of one or more limbs, following contusion or, more seriously, a bone fracture.
4. Complete paralysis of all 4 limbs, which may occur in the event of serious spinal cord injury.
5. Sluggishness and intense fatigue: this can be a sign of serious internal bleeding. The liver and spleen are very fragile organs, which can rupture on impact and cause serious bleeding.
6. Shortness of breath, respiratory distress: these symptoms most often appear when the impact has been to the chest and the lungs have suffered.

Some of these clinical signs are extremely serious and may make it impossible to move your pet. Examination by a vet can reveal other, more insidious lesions.

What should you do if your dog has been hit by a car?

In the event of your dog being hit by a car, the first thing to do is to take action to avoid an other accident:

1. Secure the area with reflective elements or lights.
2. Try to move your dog to the edge of the road or pavement.
3. Never stay on the road with your pet, as you could be involved in a second accident.

You can then apply first aid to your injured dog:

1. Assess the situation: Immediately following the accident, take a deep breath and remain as calm as possible. Your dog will likely be frightened and in pain, so staying collected will ultimately benefit both you and your pet. Keep an eye on your surroundings, as there could still be moving vehicles around that pose additional risks.
2. Control your dog's movement : Injured dogs may try to run away or become aggressive due to fear and pain. Approach your pet slowly and calmly while speaking soothingly. Place a leash or collar around their neck if they do not already have one. Be careful when handling your dog - even the gentlest of pets can bite out of pain or fear. If your dog shows signs of aggression, consider using a muzzle or a blanket wrapped around their head to prevent bites.

Why is a collision with a car a vet emergency?

In the event of a collision with any type of vehicle, internal injuries can be fatal. Immediate veterinary consultation is essential to assess the injuries and make a prognosis.

Road accidents are a real veterinary emergency when :

1. In the event of impact to the abdomen, one or more organs may bleed significantly. The most vascularised and fragile organs are the spleen and liver. The bladder may also rupture as a result of the shock, with urine spilling into the abdominal cavity.
2. The impact has been to the chest, with a possible impact on the lungs. Your dog may suffer from pneumothorax (air between the pleura), contusions or pulmonary haemorrhage. The impact can also cause fractured ribs.
3. In the event of impact to the head, cranial trauma is a major risk. Fractures of the skull and jaw bones are unfortunately very common. Damage to the brain can result in major and irreversible neurological disorders.

To identify all these possible lesions, the vet will carry out a full examination, in conjunction with additional medical imaging tests. The initial treatment and stabilisation of your dog following a shock can be carried out at home, by contacting our out of hours vets in London.

Stabilize Your Dog Before Transporting Them

Moving your injured pet should be done with extreme caution to prevent further harm. It may be necessary to immobilize their body before moving them, especially if they have suffered fractures or spinal injuries. Use a large flat object like a board or even a thick blanket rolled up as a makeshift stretcher to transport them.

Here's how to move your dog safely:

1. Place a towel or blanket around your dog's neck and head to minimize movement.
2. Position yourself and any helpers on either side of your dog.
3. One person should hold the front legs while the other holds the hind legs.Lift together, keeping your dog's spine aligned.
4. Once your dog is on the stretcher, secure them with straps or towels to prevent falling during transport.

Veterinary care in the event of a collision with a car

While this type of accident is often fatal in cats, in the case of dogs involved in road traffic accidents, having a vet on call can save your pet's life.

You should know that first aid can be provided by our emergency vet at home. Using specially adapted equipment, we can examine and stabilise your dog so that it can be transferred to a veterinary hospital in the best possible conditions.

If your dog is injured and in a state of shock, we can carry out the following treatment directly at home:

1. Stabilisation of fractures with contention dressings and splints,
2. Intravenous infusion,
3. Painkillers to quickly calm your dog,
4. Help with moving your dog for transfer.

In addition, for the most severely injured animals, intensive care is offered in the veterinary hospitals and clinics with which we work:

1. Hospitalisation of your dog until recovery
2. Emergency surgery to control internal bleeding
3. Oxygen therapy to stabilise respiratory distress.