Creating a Dog First Aid Kit
Our pets are like family to us. Whether you have one dog or many, you probably take care of them to the best of your abilities. You feed them the right food, take them to the vet, and make sure they get all their vaccines. While we do all these things to prevent any harm, many pet owners aren’t prepared for accidents or medical emergencies. It can be extremely scary to have something happen to your dog and not be able to get them the care they need, whether you’re far away from a vet or it is a strange time of day. Luckily, you can create a first aid kit and teach yourself a few things to make sure you’re prepared for anything your dog needs in an emergency. Here are our tips and tricks for creating a great first aid kit.
What Do You Need?
When preparing your dog’s first aid kit, think about what are the most common injuries and diseases that your dog could suffer from, and even more specifically to your dog. Does your dog love an activity that could lead to a specific illness or injury? If so, account for that in your kit. Some common dog injuries to plan for are ingesting a foreign object, bites by another animal, eye injury, ligament ruptures, broken nails and heat-related issues, such as heat stroke. Your dog may also suffer from ear infections, worms, renal failure, parvovirus infections, heartworm disease and fungal diseases.
The Staples
When we think of a first aid kit for humans, we think of bandaids and gauze. These are for the most common human injuries. For our dog’s first aid kit, we should do the same. Think about the incidents that will happen mostly frequently and prepare for them. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Adhesive tape
- Antibiotic ointment
- Bandages
- Cotton balls and swabs
- Disposable gloves
- Gauze
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Rubbing alcohol
- Scissors
- Towels and blankets
- Tweezers
- Wet wipes
Medical Documents
Something we don’t always think about including in our pet’s first aid kit is their medical documents. If you’re going on vacation or leaving your dog and their kit with someone else, they should have all the information they need to take care of your dog. This should include all their vaccinations, parasite/flea treatments, and any special medications/conditions your pup has. Anything that is out of the ordinary for your dog should definitely be included in the kit. You want anyone trying to treat your dog to be able to give the best care possible.
Additional Items
The items listed above are items that every first aid kit should have ASAP. However over time you should build your kit to have all different types of things, for less common injuries that could come up in the future. Some other things you may want to acquire in the kit are:
- Anti-parasite sprays
- Petroleum jelly
- Thermometer
- Ice packs
- Allergy medication (approved by vet)
- Ear cleaning supplies
- Nail clippers
- Flashlight
- Eye droppers
- Additional medications that your pet currently is taking
On top of this, ask your vet if there is anything they think your dog specifically needs. You need to know your pet’s medical history and be able to identify their needs.
What Else Can I Do?
Now you have this great, fully stocked kit. What else is there to do? There are plenty more steps you can take to be the most prepared possible. If you want to feel confident in your ability to take care of your pup, take a pet first aid class. You’ll be able to learn all about the actually process of completing first aid on your dog, which you can then use to help your own pup in any emergencies but also plenty of other dogs. Make sure you update your kit when you can and have it with you often, like on vacation, at the dog park, and other adventures.
We can’t prevent everything from happening to our dog. But we can be fully prepared to be able to give them care in an emergency. So starting stocking up and create your own first aid kit now! Good luck!