February 2, 2008
Minuted for HEART Executive Board Meeting
Members of the executive board met at Perkins at 5:30pm. Present were Janis, Janet, Tami, and Donna.
A short debriefing of the Cheney deployment was done. Pearls learned from this event included:
- Our equipment & supplies need to be stored in a more accessible location. Janis will contact Petsavers to see what arrangements can be made so those currently stored at a bldg. at Judy’s place can be moved closer to town.
- Members deployed locally need to stay within assigned hours of working in the shelter. We have a limited # of volunteers at this time, so we need to be sure those who are volunteering are not overused for any one deployment.
- We need to have a better understanding of the lines of communication during an event.
- Personal safety comes first. This needs to be remembered by all when responding to a local event. Only travel when it is deemed safe to do so.
- Donna will be contacting the Red Cross to see if a debriefing can be arranged with both HEART and Red Cross representatives present. We would like to see what lessons were learned for next co-location sheltering call out. We would also like to learn who decided where the animal shelter would be (for future reference).
- We need walkie talkies in order to communicate with the Red Cross members in the co-location shelter as well as with other team members on a call out.
Tami will be contacting Fayth at the Spokane Humane Society to change address on Heart bank statements to her, as new treasurer.
Discussion of the following items proceeded:
- Need to identify vehicles responding to local disasters. Magnetic placards with HEART identification were suggested. Janet will contact DEM for suggested wording on them and pricing for 20.
- Tami will contact the “bird lady” as a possible speaker at the February general meeting and assist with getting HEART ID badges & background checks.
- The February meeting will also include the following:
- presentation of the By-laws and articles of incorporation for review & approval from the membership
- review of requirements for ID badge & t-shirts (consensus was that they should be the same)
- membership dues.
- Janet is looking into getting hats, jackets & other HEART items and will report findings.
- Tami reported seeing that registration for Pet Fest is coming up. Consensus from the board is that this is a necessary activity to further our mission of public education and getting our presence in this community known. Tami will follow up by e-mail with the necessary registration forms & deadlines for registration fee for our own booth. Registration fee for early registration is $60.00.
- Need for moving forward with fund raising activities was discussed. Ongoing expenses for HEART when separate non-profit designation received include insurance, gas, maintenance, repair & licensing of RV as well as website costs.
- Tentative future general meeting activities include:
- March – Ben?
- April - AES – 19th & 20th – no general meeting this month. Janis to contact potential sponsors for lunch during those training days. Carl securing animal handling equipment needed by instructors. Janis also contacting AHA regarding charging fee for class.
- May – fire training
- Fall 2008 – TARS class again. Possible month is September.
Meeting adjourned 8:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Breidenbach
HEART Recording Secretary
January 16, 2008
Meeting was called to order by Janis Christensen, HEART president, at 6:10 pm. All those present introduced themselves and said what committee/team they are currently a part of within HEART. We had one new member, Marline Mummey with us tonight.
We had a guest for our meeting, Denise Steinherchner, who is a member of two animal rescue organizations for Western Washington: Northwest Emergency Animal Rescue (NEAR) in Monroe, WA, specializing in large animal rescue, and Mutt Shack Washington, consisting of volunteers from the west side of Washington, specializing in small animal rescue.
After introductions, Janis led a table top exercise. The scenario for our exercise was a call to open two pet shelters to co-locate with Red Cross shelters. They were necessitated by evacuations from separate forest fires north and east of Spokane. One site is to be set up at Mead High School and the other at the Airway Heights elementary school. At the Mead site there are 10 dogs and 6 cats with their owners needing sheltering and at the Airway Heights site there are 7 dogs and 3 cats and unspecified # of horses.
With this information we broke into teams for sheltering, animal rescue, medical, transportation and supplies. Each group proceeded to work through how they would notify their team members; obtain and transport equipment and accomplish assignments of their team’s expertise.
As a result of this exercise, areas were found that HEART needs to work on in the coming months:. They are:
- All responding members must have proper HEART identification badges with them.
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- Establish relationship with local businesses to obtain equipment & supplies in the event of a local disaster. Janet & Lou are going to work on this.
- Develop a resource list to include but not limited to identifying and qualifying drivers for vehicles to pull trailers.
- Establish a list of local veterinarians who could be called to respond with HEART for local disasters.
- Identify possible sites for sheltering large animals and those available to assist in transporting large animals.
- Identify other possible resources for the care and sheltering of horses and other large animals.
- Procure strapping needed for horse rescue. Tracy, Carl and Shannon to undertake this project.
- Linda Crider, a member of HEART, would like to be contacted by others with professional veterinary background to organize an animal medical team with HEART. Linda can be contacted at LINDER@CET.COM.
- More supplies are needed to facilitate storage of HEART equipment and supplies and use during disaster call outs. To assist with this, members are requested to seek and bring to the February general meeting, storage bins of various sizes, tarps of all sizes, especially larger ones and 30 gallon plastic garbage cans with lids.
- Fund raising. Our fund raising committee of Amanda Martin and Kathleen R
.oche is encouraged to seek fund raising possibilities and ask for members’ assistance as needed so funds can be raised to purchase supplies and equipment.
The meeting concluded with announcements:
· American Humane Association (AHA) sheltering training class will be held in Spokane April 19-20. Cost to be announced at a later date. Janet advised that any members who wishes to deploy with AHA will need to have completed this class to do so in the future.
· Janet & Janis were invited to meet with and introduce HEART to local area fire chiefs. They were well received by the group and told of their excitement about what HEART can do for them. Their group will be looking into training and certification which HEART members will need to deploy safely with them. A fire sheltering class for HEART members is pending.
· Janet & Janis participated recently, in a Law Enforcement Media training class. They are now media class certified PIO’s. Congratulations!
· The Intake/Shelter team is meeting next week, January 23rd at the Hillyard Center from 6-8:00 pm. All HEART members are welcome at this meeting.
· On March 2nd, 2008, Barbara Ford, a fellow HEART member and animal handling expert, will be instructing a class in canine handling. Barbara has attended many seminars by nationally and internationally known dog training and behavior specialists and operated her own dog training school in Coeur d’Alene for 18 years. It will be held 9-12 am at the Spokane Humane Society. A flyer of the event is available. She does need to be notified if you are planning to attend, so she can have a dog chosen and available for your use that day.
Meeting adjourned at 7:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Breidenbach
HEART Secretary
February 21, 2007
This meeting was led by Dr. Collette Bergman, DVM, who instructed HEART members on Animal First Aide.
First covered was the physical exam which includes three vitals, TPR.
T= temperature
Dogs measure in-between 100.2 F -102.8 F
Cats measure in-between 100.5 F -102.5 F
Temperature will vary due to age, reproductive status, and stressors, such as anxiety, illness, toxins, and trauma. This does not mean that a temperature is unimportant, but instead needs to be assessed based off of the information provided.
Hypothermia (low temp) is below 98 degrees. This is a critical temperature. Hyperthermia (an increased temp around 103.5 F or 104 F degrees is her watching point) (Neonates, young, they tend to have higher body temperatures) either hypothermia or hyperthermia could be a potential emergency situations
Temperature can be taken using a digital or mercury thermometer. The benefit of digital is speed.
P=pulse
The pulse is the feel of the heartbeat which can be palpated in multiple anatomical locations.
Is it tachycardia…fast?
Normal pulse
Dog:
Puppy 120-160 bpm
Small 100-160 bpm
Medium/large 60-100 bpm
Cat:
160-220 bpm
The pulse can be most easily felt in two distinct areas of the body.
Using a stethoscope is the preferred method. It works well on neonates, birds and pocket pets due to small heart size and light pulse
The “heart space” can usually be found using the elbow touch method.
Touch the elbow back to the chest and then feel for the heart there, right lateral recumbence with the left side up. Between the 4th and 5th intercostals space
Using stethoscope or thumb/forefinger gently feel for the heartbeat.
The pulse can also be felt using a light touch on the inner thigh of most dogs and is best done with the animal standing, but can be performed on a dog in lateral recumbancey.
Other locations include the carpus and below the hock.
The femoral pulse is easier to feel on dogs than felines. Best to use the heart space for felines. No preferred side for femoral pulse checking.
R=respiration
Identified by observing the rise and fall of the chest or by hearing/seeing the breath.
Normal respiration Dog: 10-30 breaths
Up to 200 pants per minute
Cats: 20-30 breaths
Up to 300 pants per minute
Respiration can vary due to many factors i.e. Stress/anxiety, esp. in cats, birds, small breeds, pocket pets. Breathing can also be increased due to illness, trauma, pain, age, medications and environmental factors
Breathing is important because when an animal is in pain they sometimes pant heavily.
You do not want to see abdominal breathing. Respiration is an exhale and an inhale; it is a two part process! Do not want to see pushing during breathing. This is not a good sign and a veterinarian should be found immediately.
The next things to check for in a physical exam are hydration. Hydration status relates to the proper fluid balance in the body. Dehydration refers to lack of body fluids. Severe dehydration constitutes an emergency!! Generic visual assessment of hydration status can be performed by the “tent” check. Pull up on loose skin between shoulder blades behind the neck. With normal hydrations the loose skin should spring back quickly. If this is delayed, the animal is likely dehydrated. Hydration status may be difficult to asses in geriatric (old) animals due to loss of elasticity of skin. Neonates, obese or drooling animals may also be difficult to assess.
Next check the mucous membranes of the mouth for dry and tacky (sticky) feel.
Too tacky possibly means dehydrated. Next check for mucous membrane color. This helps to assess general oxygen perfusion of the body. Color should be some shade of pink, slightly lighter in neonates and geriatrics. Very pale, blue, yellow, brick red (can be a sign of sepsis or toxin); brown or white most likely constitutes an emergency situation.
CRT = capillary refill time refers to the time for color to return when membrane is “blanched” press thumb into mucous membrane of canine or feline. Normal CRT is less than 2 seconds.
Animals in emergency situations require prompt recognition and response. For example:
- Trauma (HBC- hit by car) (falling) (pellets)
- Difficult breathing
- Hemorrhage (bleeding), active bleeding
- Seizures
- Burns (lots of fluid loss)
- Open wounds (bone or viscera exposed)
- Poisoning (often don’t know if an animal had been poisoned)
- Heat stroke or hypothermia
- SHOCK
- Snake bites
For shock:
Body’s response to changes in oxygen and blood flow to internal organs
Can be life threatening if not treated
Early stage may go unnoticed. Heart rate usually increased. Pulse is normal to increased, CRT may be slightly decreased, and body temp may vary based on type of shock.
The middle stage of shock indicates the body is having difficulty compensating for the lack of oxygen and blood flow. Blood flow has been shunted to major organs i.e. Heart and brain
Signs: hypothermia, weak pulse, pale mucous membranes, CRT prolonged, HR
Increased, mental status depressed, limbs cool to touch (this can happen rather
Rapidly)
Intervention (first aid) is critical at this stage! A veterinarian is needed! Such things as pain medication, IV fluids, must be administered.
Try to warm up the animal, bubble wrap, polar fleece, or towel.
Question: Would you want to massage? No, don’t know if there is internal damage and what would be the adverse reaction. Just keep warm,
Treatments include warming the animal, medications to stabilize cell membranes and intravenous fluids to aid in fluid balance and blood pressure.
End stage/terminal shock happens when the body can no longer compensate for the lack of blood flow and oxygen to its vital organs. Breathing, pulse, HR become very slow and will probably stop. Cardiac/respiratory arrest may follow. Prepare for animal CPR but know attempts to revive may be futile.
Assessment of animal emergency
Inspect the area: Check for evidence of poisons
Inspect the animal: Do your ABC’s
Assess CRT
Mucous membrane color
Bleeding
Visual signs of trauma
Level of consciousness
Animal CPR= Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. This is to be used when an animal is not breathing nor has a pulse. Respiration stops before the heartbeat so be sure you have checked both vitals before proceeding
Know the ABC’s of CPR
A=airway B=Breathing C=Circulation
A=airway
Airway must be patent (open and clear)
Tilt head slightly back to extend neck and pull tongue forward
Look for signs of foreign body, vomit or mucus that could be obstructing airway
Listen or look for breath sounds
If no breaths, then initiate
B=breathing
You may want to attempt Rescue Breathing
Rescue breathing involves providing your own breath into the animal
Seal mouth and lips of animal closed with gentle hand pressure
Place your mouth over the animal’s nose and exhale with force
Give 4-5 quick breaths, watching for the chest to rise then check to see if the pet is breathing unassisted.
Continue rescue breathing until animal resumes normal respiration.
If there is access to oxygen place mask over nose and mouth of the animal and
continue to monitor.
Breath rates
Cats/small dogs: 20-30 /min
Dogs: 20/min
~if the animal is breathing unassisted or is conscious then the animal has a heartbeat
If there is no heartbeat (pulse) then you proceed with
C= circulation (chest compression)
Small animal technique
Place the animal in right lateral recumbancey with chest facing you
Locate the heart space, using a thumb or forefinger compresses chest one inch
One person rescue 5:1
Medium to large dog technique
Place animal in right lateral recumbancey with the dogs back facing you
Locate the heart space and using cupped palm compress the chest 1-3 inches
One person rescue is 5:1
Two person rescue is 3:1
Stop and check vitals at specific intervals
Heartbeat?
Pulse?
Breathing unassisted?
Showing signs of consciousness?
Do not stop CPR until there is a strong pulse and heartbeat or signs of death are evident
Lack of eye reflexes
Blanched mucus membrane
First Aid Kit Suggestions:
Digital thermometer
Stethoscope
Exam gloves
Slip lead leash
Towel
Thermal blanket/bubble wrap/polar fleece
Muzzle
Penlight
List of emergency phone numbers
Bandage materials
Small sterile suture pack
Medications
Isopropyl alcohol
Chlorohexidine/betadine
hydrogen peroxide- to induce vomiting
Triple antibiotic ointment
Hydrocortisone cream
Diphenhydramine-antihistamine for allergic reactions
Comes in capsule and liquid forms
Chinese herbal Yunnan pain for bleeding
Aspirin-baby 81mg 5grain-325 mg
Corn syrup/nutrical supplement
List of specific medications/dosage pet is taking
Suggested you know the Good Samaritan laws for your state: if you work on an animal will there be recourses?
September 20, 2006
This meeting was led by Dave Richardson. The previously formed groups shared what progress they had made since the last meeting. The Shelter and Intake group were the most active. Members were encouraged to work independently on ideas.
He then discussed the recent rescue involved at Athol, ID. Hundred of cats were rescued but surprisingly minimal volunteers were called upon and the media was not notified until the rescue was already in motion.
The history of the Incident Command System was discussed. It was developed in the 1970’s during the California fires. The last part of the meeting was going over the IS-100 test.
http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is100.asp
A sign up sheet was passed around for the class on CPR, first aid, and blood borne pathogens held on Oct. 14th or Oct 28th. Members of HEART need to have a current CPR card.
