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Before you touch the animal and try to move him, you should observe him from a distance. Look to see if the animal breathing normally. This means he is taking one breath every three to four seconds. Also notice if he is trying to get up and if so, watch to see if you can tell if his legs are damaged. If he doesn't try to get up, look for obvious injuries such as broken bones sticking through the skin, any excessive or noticeable bleeding, or the presence of gaping wounds. If you have decided that the animal needs immediate help and there is no emergency services on the way, you can approach the animal. As you approach the animal, you should move slowly and speak reassuringly to the animal. The animal will be scared and in pain, so calming tones will work best. Depending on the kind of animal or his size, you need to approach him in different ways. For a small, cat-sized animal, use a blanket or a coat to throw over the animal. This should prevent the cat or other small animal from turning and biting or lashing out with claws while you help him. You have a couple of different options for a dog. You should assume the dog will bite. You can throw the blanket over the dog's head, so his teeth are covered. What might work best, however, is to wrap a tie or a bandage around the dog's muzzle as a makeshift muzzle. Once the mouth is out of action, it is safer to examine the animal's injuries. No matter what method you use, make sure the animal can breath and you don't jostle him around too much. If you have to make a muzzle, make sure he has enough room left to pant and breath. The animal that you hit may go into shock. Animals can die from shock, even if they don't have physical injuries. Watch to see if he is panting, which is a sign of pain and shock. Other signs of shock include collapse, weakness, rapid breathing, pale gums, cold paws, slow capillary refill time, and lack of response to stimulus. If you see the animal in shock, you may need to help him on site before you take him to get help. Only do this is you feel it is necessary to save the animal's life. By the roadside, the amount of help you can give against shock is limited. In practical terms, the best you can do is keep the animal warm and get to professional help as soon as possible. Animals in shock have cold extremities because their circulation is struggling. If it is safe to touch the animal, you need to feel the temperature of the animal's paws. If they feel cool to the touch, he is suffering from chills and you need to wrap him up. For a domesticated animal with no obvious external injuries that need attention, cover the animal with a car rug, your coat, or a blanket. If the animal is small, wrap the coat right around the animal to insulate him from the ground. Never give pain relief medication to the dog. His body, especially in shock, will not absorb the medication and the drug will sit in his gut. This can cause serious gastric ulceration which could be life threatening further down the line. If the animal is bleeding or has an injury which need stabilizing, cover as much of the animal as you can. You should leave the bleeding area exposed for you to work on. If the wild animal seems dazed but has obvious external injuries, try to keep him warm while you wait for emergency services. Don't try to fix his wounds. If he is not recovering and remains dazed, his best chance of survival is being treated by a wildlife rehabilitation officer. If there is no help on the way, you need to transport the animal to the nearest facility. If the animal is merely winded, he may try to get up after a few minutes and wander off. Do not try to stop him. His best bet for survival is to stay on his territory in the wild. He has a den out there and knows where the resources are. Removing him unnecessarily could make it difficult for him to slot back in when released.
Assess the injuries. Approach the animal. Look for signs of shock. Cover him up. Care for a wild animal.