Essential First Aid Plus

03/14/2026

This week, meet the talented equine and canine first aid instructor, Sheila McNaughton of Aurora,ON

From Sheila:

I originally became an equine first aid instructor. Travelling around to farms I’d see many horse owners also own dogs. The decision to become a canine instructor was a natural progression of educating people how to help their animals in need.
I also knew somebody who personally lost their dog to a choke situation. It made me realize not enough people know how to handle these life and death emergencies.
Any person I can teach life saving skills to makes me very happy!

The best part of teaching is knowing people have the knowledge and skills to help their pets. It’s an incredible feeling to see the confidence level rising during the class as people are learning new skills.

When I'm not teaching, I work with my young horse. I am an animal lover and find it exciting to train young horses ...and my goal is to show this year!

I believe everyone should know pet first aid because anything can happen in an instant. Knowing what to do in an emergency is important to give your pet the best chance at having a great and long life.

I can be contacted for canine or equine first aid courses at:

Facebook- Essential First Aid Plus
Instagram essential_first_aidplus www.essentialfirstaidplus.com
essentialfirstaidplus@outlook.com
905 505-2537

03/13/2026

Poisonous plants to cats
• Lilies
• Daffodils
• Sago palm
• Azaleas
• Hyacinth
• Crocus
• Tulips
• Rhododendrons
• Indian rubber plant
Learn about these plants and so much more in our Feline Emergency First Aid course. Photo credit to

03/11/2026

FUN FACT 🐾

Golden Retrievers were bred to retrieve waterfowl.

Which explains why they:
• Carry socks
• Gently hold hands
• Parade around with sticks
• Bring you the remote
• And proudly present… one random leaf

It’s not chaos.
It’s heritage.

Drop your Golden’s weirdest “gift” below 👇

03/10/2026

Dehydration Happens Fast

Vomiting.
Diarrhea.
Overexertion.
Heat.
Stress.

Dehydration doesn’t take days — sometimes it takes hours. And it doesn’t have to be the heat of summer to happen.

Watch for:
• Sticky/tacky gums
• Lethargy
• Skin that doesn’t snap back quickly
• Sunken eyes
• Weakness

🚩 Puppies and senior dogs decline faster.

Hydration matters more than food in the first few hours of GI upset.

When in doubt — call your vet.

03/08/2026

ALWAYS check your labels. Xylitol or Birch Sugar can kill your dog. Be in the know.

03/08/2026

IT’S MUD SEASON! 🌧️ DO YOU KNOW WHAT CAUSES A HOOF ABSCESS?

The scenario is all too familiar for many horse owners: yesterday your horse was sound, but today you find him three-legged lame, with no apparent injury. What could have happened? Well, you say, my horse is likely working on a foot abscess. But what does that actually mean?

Although most commonly seen during the wet winter and spring months, hoof abscesses can plague horses year-round and usually occur when debris and bacteria enter the foot through hoof cracks and wounds, even horseshoeing holes. The bacteria then get trapped between the sensitive laminae (the tissue layer that bonds the hoof capsule to the coffin bone) and the hoof wall or sole and create pus; the pus builds up over the course of time and puts pressure behind the hoof wall or sole, until it causes the sudden onset of acute lameness when the pain finally becomes too great.

The diagram below shows a simplified view of the equine hoof to help you visualize the structures involved in this process.

Hoof abscesses can mimic other more serious diseases or injuries, so involving your veterinarian early on in the diagnosis and prompt treatment of this condition is always a good idea. Some abscesses will be uncomplicated and rupture on their own like a large pimple at the coronary band or heel bulbs; other abscesses, however, could require radiographs and will need to be surgically drained.

Credit to American Association of Equine Practitioners

03/07/2026

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month!

Our pets are family & it is important that we keep them safe. There are so many things that are in our daily lives that are toxic to our pets, would you know what to do if you pet ingested something toxic? Would you know if what they ingested was toxic or safe? How about the signs of toxicity for those instances where you did not see them ingest something or even know what they ingested?

Stay tuned this month as we share some Pet Poison Prevention information all month long!

Learn more about toxicity & what to do until you can get to a vet at one of our first aid programs! Our programs are vet-reviewed & approved, full of great information that could save your pets life!

03/05/2026

Corn may not be toxic, but it’s far from a healthy choice for your pet. 🚫🌽 credit to

03/05/2026

03/03/2026

Choking vs. Gagging: Know the Difference

Not every scary coughing sound is choking — but you need to know the difference.

Dogs gag.
Dogs reverse sneeze.
Dogs cough.

But true choking is different — and it’s life-threatening.

✅ Gagging / Coughing:
• Sound but still moving air
• Dog can breathe between sounds
• Often clears on its own

🚩 True Choking:
• Panic
• Pawing at mouth
• No sound or high-pitched distress
• Blue/pale gums
• Collapsing

If your dog cannot move air — that is an emergency.

Canine Emergency First Aid training teaches you exactly what to do — safely.

Because guessing... or googling is not a plan.

03/03/2026

Resting Breathing Rate: Count the Breaths Before It Matters.

What’s normal for your dog?

10–30 breaths per minute at rest
Calm, quiet, no effort
Chest rises and falls smoothly

How to Measure:

Watch chest while dog is asleep
Count breaths for 60 seconds

🚨 When to Worry:

Over 30 at rest
Labored breathing
Neck extended
Belly pulling in
Blue/pale gums

Most owners don’t know their dog’s normal breathing rate.
Until they wish they did.

03/01/2026

March: The Season of Prevention

Spring is when activity increases — and so do preventable emergencies.

Hello March 🌿🐾

Longer days.
Milder weather.
More park visits.
More hikes.
More freedom.

And with that?

More risk.

Every year, spring brings an increase in:
• Foreign body ingestion
• Choking incidents
• Off-leash injuries
• Heat-related issues
• Wildlife exposure
• Toxic plant encounters

But here’s the good news:

Most pet emergencies aren’t random.
They’re preventable.

March isn’t the season of luck.
It’s the season of prevention.

What’s one thing you’re doing this month to protect your dog? (Besides taking our CPR & Emergency First Aid Class?)

👇 Drop it below.