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The American Red Cross is dedicated to helping every member of a family be safer and better protected, including the family dog. To make this possible, the Red Cross has released a new book dedicated solely to the health and well-being of dogs. Dog First Aid is a unique health and emergency preparedness guide packaged with a full-length instructional DVD to make caring for your dog even easier.

Because our pets depend on us to keep them healthy and safe, as a valued member of the family, it is important that we learn how to give them the best care possible. Dog First Aid is a comprehensive easy-to-read guide with instructions on how to care for virtually every aspect of a dog's health. With nearly 70 health and wellness topics, the book gives directions on treatment of everything from routine cuts and scrapes to rescue steps you should take if your dog is choking or has a cardiac emergency. Dog First Aid also demonstrates how simple it is to include your pet in the family's emergency preparedness plan. The book's easy-to-use quick reference guide and step-by-step instructional DVD makes it simple to learn and remember important health tips.

The Red Cross assembled a skilled team of animal, emergency and safety professionals to develop a guide which covers many aspects of a pets' physical and mental well-being. Written under the guidance of Emergency and Critical Care veterinarian Deborah C. Mandell, VMD, and Red Cross health, safety and emergency preparedness experts, Dog First Aid has the most up-to-date and reliable information available to keep your dog healthier and better protected.

"Dogs want to be at their best for us and are notorious for hiding illness until their condition is very advanced. But if you learn how to spot subtle changes in your dog's health early, your veterinarian will have a better chance of treating the problem," said Mandell.

Everyone should prepare their home for accidents and disasters by stocking first aid and emergency kits. With the Dog First Aid book and DVD you can follow step-by-step instructions on how to build pet first aid and emergency preparedness kits design specifically to meet your dog's needs.

Dog First Aid makes a great accompaniment to Pet First Aid courses offered at Red Cross chapters throughout the country. And, coming in November, the Red Cross will release the Cat First Aid book and DVD to help keep your felines fit and healthy.

To purchase a copy of Dog First Aid for your family or favorite canine owner, visit the Red Cross online store at http://www.redcross.org/store or your local Red Cross chapter.

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.

http://www.redcross.org