First rule, do not panic. Assess the situation in as calm a manner as possible (panic oftentimes leads to mistakes and harm for the pet).
If the dog is in a street or near traffic, etc, immediately make attempts to move the dog to a safer area, but keep yourself safe too. Flag if you need to, to get help with moving the dog. More below.
Your sister did good by muzzling him first. If the dog is
not in breathing distress, or bleeding through the mouth and nose, then muzzling if possible, is the best first course of action so the handler does not get bit. Hurting dogs will bite at someone out of fear and pain.
However, if there is obvious breathing distress, or blood coming from the mouth or nose, it is best not to muzzle, and to try to get help immediately. In a distressed patient, muzzling should only be a quick, temporary thing as the dog is moved for transport. If a muzzle is not available, a heavy blanket (or a coat, item of clothing, etc) placed on the head and face is an option.
Care should be taken to move the dog as gently (yet quickly) and in as lateral a position as possible (on the dog's side). A heavy blanket or coat placed on the ground is an option for a make-shift gurney.....either gently slide the dog onto the blanket or have one person lift under the fore legs directly above the chest, and the other person lift from the groin area, between the thighs, onto the blanket. (careful, this is where pain occurs and the dog may bite). All dogs, regardless of size, should be kept in a lateral position during transport, unless the injuries are minimal and the dog is able to move about without alot of pain.
If transport is in a car, one person should get into the back seat to lift the dog either onto a seat or the floor, the other person lifting from the groin area, as described above (if the dog is on a blanket, both people should lift the blanket from each end). If transport is in a truck, and if able, the dog should be lifted into the back of the bed and someone able to ride there with him in transport. When arriving to the vet, let the staff handle getting the dog out and into the clinic.
At no time should food or water be given a traumatized patient. The patient could choke or aspirate, and as Karen notes, if anesthesia is to be used, food or water will interfere with intubation and the dog could vomit or regurgitate or aspirate during anesthesia.
Do not attempt to tie off or tuniquet a broken limb. If a broken limb is manipulated, this could cause further damage to the limb. If available, a clean cloth should be placed above the wound and left alone until the dog is at the clinic.
Do not attempt to turniquet a bleeding wound unless it is truly gushing blood. Most hit-by-car wounds can be managed temporarily by applying pressure to the bleeding, without the use of a turniquet. A clean cloth or item of clothing can be used for this purpose. If gentle but firm pressure is applied to any bleeding wound, this should suffice until you get to the vet.
If you are alone, without help, call the police or an emergency clinic for help. Police are often called to help transport a pet who's been hit by a car and most are familiar with getting the dog into transport. Don't attempt to "treat" the dog in any way if you're unfamiliar with assessment, triage, shock treatment, etc. Most times, there is internal damage that requires immediate veterinary care, the less done prior, the better for the dog. In all cases of a hit-by-car, it is imperative the dog is transported to an emergency vet at once, the sooner the dog is in for treatment, the better. Assessment, treatment for shock, and reducing hemorrhages or swellings in the brain are best treated at once. (where head injuries are concerned, the first hour is critical for treatment, every hour thereafter decreases the likelihood for survival, although depending on the injury, the first 4-6 hours after the injury can be life-saving with appropriate treatment)
CPR should only be attempted if the person is familiar with the procedure. The airway must be checked and cleared before attempting CPR, and the heart rate/respirations must be assessed before CPR as well. If there is blood in the mouth or nose, it would be difficult to attempt CPR, and attempts may fail. Some blood may only be from broken capillaries, in which CPR could be attempted, but the person should be able to assess where or the amount of blood is coming from before attempting CPR. More about CPR
here. For cats,
here.
Basics: keep the dog as warm and comfortable as possible during waiting for help and during transportation. Try to call the emergency clinic at the onset of finding the dog or knowing the injury, so they can be prepared that you are coming.
Kudo's to your sister's quick reaction, she probably saved this dog's life. Wish she could have gotten the liscence plate number of the evil creep who hit the dog!
.