Why You Should Have a Pet First Aid Kit
Having a well-behaved therapy dog means you probably take your dog out into public quite often to train or enjoy their company. While we always hope our dogs will never be injured in public, it is a very real possibility. Being away from home might mean you do not have the supplies needed to take care of your dog in an emergency. This is why a pet first aid kit is crucial to have in your car or bag when you leave home. A common question to pet professionals is what to put in your pet first aid kit?
Here are some suggestions:
Gauze: These come in squares or rolls. Gauze is great for wrapping a wound, applying to a bleeding wound, or even using a roll as a makeshift soft muzzle.
Compression Bandage: Compression bandages can act as adhesive tape to hold gauze in place but does not pull on their fur when removing.
Small Scissors: These can be useful to remove sticky substances or items from your dog’s fur. These can also be used to cut bandages.
Tweezers: Tweezers can be used to remove small, sharp objects from your dog’s skin.
Extra Leash: Having an extra leash is very important whenever you leave the house. It can come in handy if you have to cut your dog’s leash during an emergency, using it as a makeshift muzzle, or helping to restrain an injured body part.
Muzzle: Even the nicest dog can be unpredictable when in pain, therefore a muzzle can come in handy. It is always recommended to desensitize your dog to their muzzle in training sessions so it doesn’t add to your dog’s stress when they might need it.
Antibiotic Ointment: Ointment can add a protective barrier to an injury before you make it to the veterinary clinic.
Sterile Saline Wash: Saline wash can be used to irrigate your dog’s eyes or wounds. This can help mitigate infection.
Styptic Powder or Pencil: Styptic powder stops bleeding from small wounds or torn toenails.
Plastic Card (like a credit card): Plastic cards can be used to scrape away insect stingers.
List of Emergency Phone Numbers: When you are in an emergency, it can be hard to think of all the phone numbers you might need in an emergency. Having them written down in one location can save you time in an emergency.
Clean Cloths and Towels: Towels and cloths can be multipurpose. Clean cloths can be used to wipe dirt off your dog and can act as a bandage. Towels can be used to help keep dogs warm after an incident.
Benadryl: Consult your veterinarian about carrying Benadryl, but this can help with allergic reactions.
Tick Remover: Enough said.
There are many different sizes of pet first aid kits and what you carry is ultimately up to you. Smaller first aid kits are more portable, but will have less supplies, while larger pet first aid kits are more likely to be left in a car, but can cover you in a variety of different emergencies. You might consider having a smaller pet first aid kit to keep on you when out and about and keep a larger pet first aid kit in the car. It is never a bad idea to keep a small pet first aid kit in your therapy dog bag for visits. Remember that you cannot treat others while on a therapy dog visit, but you can always take care of your own dog, as they are your first priority. What other emergency items would you carry in your pet first aid kit?
