Impalement Injuries
Impalement injuries involve a foreign body stuck in an animal. Common examples in small animals include pets shot with arrows or crossbow bolts. Dogs frequently carry sticks in their mouths and suffer impalements when an end of the stick jams into the ground. Pets have fallen from multiple story buildings and become impaled on car radio antennas. A veterinarian should be seen as soon as possible.
What to Do
** Calm and blanket the pet.
** Attempt to immobilize both the foreign body and the pet. Severe and continuing damage is done whenever the foreign body is allowed to flail about the inside of the pet.
** If the foreign body is in the chest, listen for sounds of air sucking around the wounds. If it appears that there is an open wound in the chest, cover the wound (and the foreign body, if necessary) with plastic wrap. Apply petroleum jelly or antibiotic ointment before the plastic to help seal the wound.
** If the foreign body can easily be cut, shorten it, leaving only 3 to 6 inches sticking out of the pet.
What NOT to Do
** *Never try to remove the foreign body yourself. In the case of a car antenna, cut the antenna from the car and take the pet to a veterinary facility.