Pet first aid for pet sitters and dog walkers

A pet sitter's best emergency tool is a plan made before the first visit: the client's vet, a 24 hour hospital, both poison lines and written permission to treat. Carry a small kit, and know your first move for choking, heat stroke, bleeding, seizures and poisoning. ProTrainings says no single group accredits it.

Written by Justin Alcalde, AHA and American Red Cross instructor, CPR West Covina · Reviewed October 19, 2026

Before the first visit, get the vet, a 24 hour ER and written permission.
Carry gauze, wrap, a soft muzzle, a spare leash and water.
Know the first move for 6 emergencies, then call a vet.

What should a pet sitter do before the first visit?

Get the vet and the ER
Name, phone and address of the client's vet and the nearest 24 hour hospital.
Save both poison lines
ASPCA (888) 426-4435 and Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661. A fee may apply.
Ask about health
Medicines, allergies, past seizures, heart or breathing problems, normal food.
Get permission in writing
Who can approve treatment, and a spending limit if the client wants one.
Add a backup contact
A second person to call if the client cannot be reached.
Note the weight and take a photo
Poison lines and vets often ask for the weight right away.

Keep one sheet per pet, on paper and in your phone, so you are not scrolling a contact list in a crisis. The free PetAid app for iPhone keeps the emergency steps in your pocket as well.

This is a checklist, not legal or insurance advice. Ask your insurer and an attorney what your service agreement should say.

What emergencies should a pet sitter be ready for?

Emergency	What you may see	Your first move
Choking	Silent or squeaky breaths, pawing at the mouth, blue or pale gums	Up to 5 back blows. Still stuck: head lower than the body or thrusts, and get to a vet. Goes limp: compressions.
Heat stroke	Constant panting that does not settle, lying down mid walk, heavy drooling	Shade, then cool running water. Stop at 103.5 to 104 F, or after 15 minutes without a thermometer. Then a vet, even if it seems fine.
Bleeding	A cut or paw wound that keeps bleeding	Press gauze firmly for at least 3 minutes without peeking. Soaked through: add layers on top.
Seizure	Falls on its side, stiff, then paddling	Note the time, clear the space, hands off the mouth. Still going at 3 minutes: go to the vet.
Poisoning	It ate something it should not have, or you are not sure	Keep the wrapper and call a poison line now. Do not make it vomit unless a vet or poison line says to.
Bloat	Retching with nothing coming up, a tight belly, restless pacing	Call the nearest open vet and drive now. No gas medicine, no food or water.

First moves for dogs unless noted, from our reviewed guides, which follow the RECOVER First Aid Guidelines 2026. They are not treatment: most rows end at a vet, and the poison row starts with a poison line.

Each row has a full guide: dog choking and cat choking, heat stroke, bleeding, seizures, toxic foods with a chocolate calculator, and bloat. Read the ones that match the pets you look after, so the steps are familiar before you need them.

What should a pet sitter or dog walker carry?

Keep a small kit in your bag or car: gauze pads, self-adhesive wrap, tape and blunt-tip scissors. Add disposable gloves, a soft muzzle, a spare leash, a digital thermometer, a towel and water, plus the emergency card for the pet you are with. A hurt animal may bite, even a gentle one, so the muzzle and the spare leash matter more than they look.

Our pet first aid kit guide lists what each item is for and how to use it without getting bitten.

How hot is too hot to walk a dog?

Press the back of your hand on the pavement for 7 seconds. If you cannot keep it there, it is too hot for paws. That test is recommended by The Royal Kennel Club. Choose grass and shade, carry water for both of you, and let the dog set the pace.

A dog that slows down, lags behind or lies down mid walk is often telling you it has had enough. Stop, find shade and watch closely. Our dog heat stroke guide lists the early signs.

Get to the vet now if

A pet in your care collapses, struggles to breathe, has pale or blue gums, bleeds through the bandage, has a seizure that reaches 3 minutes, or may have eaten a poison. Phone the vet or hospital on the way, with a passenger or hands-free, then call the client.

Do pet sitters need a pet first aid certification?

ProTrainings, which sells a course, says no single organization accredits pet first aid and CPR courses. Requirements, if any, may come from your clients, the platforms you work through and your insurer, so ask each of them which courses they accept before you pay for one.

Some sitters take one because it gives a client something concrete to see. Here are four options.

Course	Format and time	What you receive
Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid (we sell this one)	Online, 35 minutes per the Red Cross, log in anytime. Desktop or tablet.	Red Cross digital certification on completion
RECOVER CPR for Pet Owners and Pet Professionals	Online, self-paced, 1 hour, focused on CPR. An optional in person Pet Rescuer workshop of about 2.5 hours follows.	A certificate of completion endorsed by two veterinary emergency colleges. RECOVER Certified Pet Rescuer after the workshop.
ProTrainings Pet First Aid and CPR	Online course, 1 hr 39 min of video, with a final exam	A PDF certification in wallet and wall sizes, which they describe as valid for 2 years
Pet Tech PetSaver, or CPR and First Aid	In person class, 8 hours or 5 plus hours	A handbook, a certificate and a wallet card

Details read from each provider's own site on October 19, 2026. Check current terms before you enroll.

Pick online if you want something you can finish tonight, and in person if you want an instructor in the room. RECOVER focuses on CPR, so some sitters pair it with a broader first aid course. Our online Red Cross pet first aid course takes 35 minutes per the Red Cross, and it covers cats and dogs only. For rabbits and birds, read our rabbit and bird pages.

Is a pet first aid certificate the same as human CPR certification?

No. A pet course teaches cats and dogs, and a human CPR or first aid course teaches people, with different techniques. They do not replace each other. If you also care for children, or work inside clients' homes where someone could collapse, the human course is a separate, useful credential.

What should I tell the client after an emergency?

Call as soon as the pet is safe and a vet is involved. Say what happened, when, what you did and where the pet is now. Keep any wrapper, plant or package, and take a photo of it. Clients usually need the facts first and the questions later.

Learn it properly

American Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid, online at your own pace. $50, certificate when you finish.

See the online pet first aid course

Keep the steps on your phone

PetAid for iPhone, for dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, fish and reptiles. Free on the App Store.

Get PetAid

For the people in your care too, a human course teaches different skills: Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED.

Questions people ask

Can I take the Red Cross pet first aid course on my phone?

The Red Cross lists the course as compatible with desktop computers and tablets, so plan on one of those. Phones are not on its list.

Is the PSI Certified Professional Pet Sitter exam a first aid course?

Not on its own. Pet Sitters International describes the CPPS as a knowledge-assessed exam, not a class. Its study objectives include basic pet first aid, so it tests that knowledge, but a first aid course is where you learn and practice the steps.

What about pets other than cats and dogs?

The Red Cross course covers cats and dogs. Our free rabbit and bird pages cover those pets, and PetAid has guides for fish and reptiles too.

How often should a sitter refresh their training?

There is no single rule. ProTrainings describes its certification as valid for 2 years, and the Red Cross sets its own terms, so check the date on your certificate. Skills fade, so review the steps before taking on a new species or a pet with medical needs.

More pet first aid

This is first aid, not veterinary care. Get to a vet or an emergency animal hospital as soon as the steps are done.

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