04/04/2026
Pet First Aid Awareness Month.
This post is going to be about a potential injury that can happen occasionally, especially to active dogs, working dogs, gun dogs etc.
If a dog lands on a fence post or a sharp broken branch they can damage the Brachial artery which is runs through the armpit. Like humans, it's a difficult place to tourniquet so the best action is to apply pressure immediately using your fist, hands, fingers etc
As the photograph shows, a tennis ball is a great object to use to help reduce blood loss if you have one handy. If a ball is squeezed in the armpit, it compresses the brachial artery, reducing the blood flow. Jam it in the armpit and keep it there hard as possible until you get to the Vets. It may just reduce blood loss enough for the dog to recover.
This is an injury I have had experience with working in Veterinary Practice
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