How about if Fluffy started having seizures after nibbling on a houseplant? Saturday, the Greater Chattanooga Area Red Cross is offering a class designed to prepare pet owners for just such emergencies, said Tammy Thomas, health and safety program manager. “Pets are such a part of everyday families’ lives,” she said. “They’re just like family, and since the Red Cross is used to helping people save lives and prepare for emergencies with their families, why not with their pets?” The class, which was first offered last year, instructs pet owners in the basics of medical treatment for common pet emergencies like choking, heat exhaustion, injured paws and poisoning. When the last class was offered in March all 30 slots were filled, said Dr. Drew Smith, a veterinarian at East Ridge Animal Hospital who is donating his time to teach the course. The $35, four-hour program is taught based on curriculum materials developed by the American Red Cross. A reference guide with instructional DVD is included in the course cost. The Red Cross developed the program after seeing how many pets were affected by natural disasters, said Claudia Moore, Red Cross’ director of marketing and public relations. “A lot of the pictures we saw of (Hurricane) Katrina involved so many pets, and that brought it to light that this was something people needed to focus on,” she said. “That was something that was front and center, but this course is every day.” The course is organized by emergency type. Participants practice performing simple procedures like splinting limbs and CPR on dog- and cat-shaped mannequins, which are equipped with inflatable lungs and are able to simulate a heartbeat. Although participants are instructed in home treatment methods, the instruction is not intended to be a replacement for professional care, Dr. Smith said. “In the course book the Red Cross provides, almost every section talks about the medical problems, but it ends with saying that you need to take your animal to the vet immediately,” he said. “There are very few of these situations where you can get the animal better and not need additional care.” When a pet emergency does happen, people’s responses run the gamut from overreaction to apathy. The goal of the Red Cross program is to teach people to be prepared for an emergency and react rationally, Dr. Smiith said. “Reactions range from people who panic at anything to some people who don’t worry about anything, and most vets would like you to be somewhere in between,” he said. “(The course) helps people recognize what’s a true emergency and what may not be.” This is the kind of knowledge everyone should have but no one should ever have to use, Dr. Smith said. “It’s the kind of stuff you hope you never need, but if you do need it, you have to know how to do it ahead of time,” he said. “You can’t just have a book handy to learn how to do CPR.” ANIMAL SAFETY TIPS * In summer heat, the inside of a car can reach over 120 degrees. This can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke or even death. Leave your animals at home if possible, even if they would be left in the car for a matter of minutes. Continue to part II...