Dog First Aid Kit
A dog first aid kit is a must have for any pet sitter or dog owner to have on hand and ready to go. If you travel or spend time outdoors with your dog, it's also a good idea to have portable kit you can easily carry with you at all times.
You can purchase one already made, or you can easily put one together yourself. "Harry" Photo courtesy of Timo Balk |
To make your own dog first aid kit, simply start with a container large enough to hold all the items you will need. A solid plastic container or a small water-proof duffel bag will work well. You can also buy a regular kit for humans and adjust it for your dog. You will have to make sure to replace any medications that are harmful to your pet.
Following are some of the recommended items that may come in handy:
Accessories: - Pet First Aid Book - This is a must even if you already feel comfortable administering first aid. You never know how you will react in an emergency or if someone else may need to care for your pet.
- Flashlight
- Elizabethan Collar (a.k.a. the lampshade collar)
- Rubber Gloves
- Muzzle
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Syringes (easier to give liquid medicines orally)
- Eye Dropper
- Thermometer
- Nail Clippers
- Blankets and/or towels
Bandage Materials:
- Non-Stick Pads
- Cotton Gauze Wraps
- Ace Bandages - Self Adhesive
- Liquid Bandage (such as New Skin)
Medicines - Buffered Aspirin (NEVER give a dog Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Naproxen)
- Antibiotic Ointment or Spray (such as Neosporin)
- Alcohol
- Iodine
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Kaopectate (for diarrhea)
- Pepto Bismol
- Vaseline
- Benadryl (or equivalent anti-histamine) - Must be plain benadryl - make sure it doesn't contain any other medications
- Eye Wash
- Styptic Powder (to stop bleeding nails) You can also use baking soda. I keep mine in a plastic film holder. These are also great for storing pills.
- Prescription Medicines if your pet requires any.
- Dosage Chart - keep a chart listing the correct dosage of all medicines for each of your pets in a visible area of the pet first aid kit.
Once you have your dog first aid kit completed, keep it in a visible, easily accessible area. It's also a good idea to clearly mark it in case someone else needs to find it quickly.Remember to switch out the medicines on a regular basis so they do not lose their potency.
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