It is obvious that a dog will get hurt pretty badly if it gets in a high-impact accident. Still, a question some people ask is whether the dog will also get knocked out when getting hit.
The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might expect, because each dog is unique in its own way and its body will react uniquely as a reaction to a strong hit or fall.
Even so, some studies have been made on the subject, and this article will do its best to answer the question of whether dogs will get knocked out or not.
You will also get some valuable information on how to make a dog feel safe and heal properly after an accident and on the best protective cones for your dog.
A short survey I`ve done online has shown that most vets will recommend some type of robust, well-designed protective cone that will fit properly around the dog’s neck to allow it to move around freely, something like The Original Comfy Cone or something similar. A good cone should be properly built, water-resistant, and come with velcro closures that are easy to close and open.
So Can Dogs Get Knocked Out?
Yes, depending on how hard they get hit, they can get knocked out.
If for any reason your dog hits hard against a tough thing like concrete, they might lose their equilibrium and fall, and the brain will hit against their skull. This would cause the dog to get knocked out completely just like humans do.
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You should know that the dog’s body is very strong compared to a human’s, meaning that it will take a lot more to knock a dog out than it would take in the case of a human. This is something more likely to happen during a sudden accident.
If you notice your dog knocked out you have to take very quick actions because the first few hours are the most important in making sure that the dog will be OK. Don’t waste any time and go to the vet as soon as you can.
You should never just ignore an injury so strong that it knocks your dog out because it can have life-altering effects. This is why a com[plete physical check-up will be a must most of the time.
The vet might also consider it necessary for the dog to undergo other health checks as well to ensure everything will be working as it should. Some type of treatment or therapy might also be required for your dog to heal properly.
Keep your pet under close observation even after coming home from the vet and make sure you attend to its needs until you are sure that it is healthy again.
Tips to Keep a Dog Safe From Concussions
Try to Stop It From Getting into Risky Physical Activities
Some owners will continuously put dogs in high-stress situations for training or exercise purposes. Most of the time a dog will get knocked out when either playing in a dangerous way or doing some risky tricks based on the owner’s command. You can expect your dog to get hurt at some point if you keep putting it through challenging physical activities over and over again.
This means that you should try to avoid these activities for the pet:
- Dangerous Hikes
- Jumping From Tall Heights
- Going Through Protective Training Without The Help of a Professional
These are just some of the activities you should avoid although, depending on what you consider fun activities, the list can be a lot longer.
Don’t get me wrong; this shouldn’t mean that you have to keep your dog inside and deprive it of physical exercise.
You can and should take your dog on walks on the beach or other types of exercises and adventures, just make sure you are careful enough so that your furry pall doesn’t get hurt. You can try to keep the animal as close to you as possible and you can even invest in a dog helmet, although this isn’t usually necessary.
If you think of everything beforehand, your dog will have considerably slimmer chances of getting knocked out.
Should You Buy a Dog Helmet?
Some owners argue that this was one of the best investments they could possibly make for their dogs, although I somewhat disagree.
Although the dog helmet can be used in a lot of activities to protect the dog, proper training and a good leash can go a lot farther than a helmet. If the dog has issues listening to your commands, you can get a helmet to protect it while going out on a bicycle ride, a hike, or a run. But proper training will do a lot more for your pet and your peace of mind.
If you’re set on getting a dog helmet, then make sure you get one that fits the dog’s head properly, to make sure it will actually do what it is intended for.
Although your dog might seem to hate the helmet and refuse to wear it, it will get used to it over time and it might even save the pet’s life at some point.
Keep in mind that it’s better to be safe than sorry. Not all falls will end up with a knock on the dog’s head and there are a lot of other bones and organs that might get damaged aside from the head of the animal. So don’t just go on risky adventures with your pet with the sole peace of mind that it has a helmet.
Using a Protective Cone
If the concussion happened, your dog ended up being knocked out, and you want to keep it safe while it is recovering, a protective cone will protect it through this period.
This will give enough time for the head and the brain of the pet to heal properly. Keep in mind that although smart, your dog is still an animal that might be agitated during its recovery, risking getting injured again if you don’t take the necessary precautions. A second knockout in a short period of time might worsen the symptoms or even worse, have life-threatening effects.
Sometimes you won’t even have to make this decision, as the vet will recommend this during the physical check.
Reduce Stress in the Dog’s Life
It comes without saying that even if you get a professional protective cone, you should try to keep the dog away from any dangerous or tiring exercises and activities, at least until you see its health is improving. Long walks are recommended instead for the very first few weeks, even for an active dog that would do a lot more while healthy.
There are some other things you can do when faced with a recovering dog.
A hyperactive dog will be very active even after an injury, which might cause it to get injured again and again. To consume some of the accumulated energy and its need for exercise, you should take it on long walks or figure out other safe exercises.
A dog that has unconsumed energy will sometimes resort to distroying furniture, shoes or other things around the house, or it might even find some exercises on its own, jumping from tall heights, running in the street, or risking its health in other ways.
Another thing to keep in mind that the more stressed the dog is, the more likely it is to get themselves in situations where they overreact and get hit.
Don’t just start walking your dog when it is recovering from an injury. Plan frequent walks with it to consume its energy, which it turn will make it more calm and less likely to get in dangerous situations.
Conclusion
What you should get out of this article is that yes, a dog can get knocked out and it happens quite often with hyperactive dogs. This is why it is vital that you take all of the necessary measures to keep your dog safe.
