DIY: Pet First Aid Kit
Channel your inner Doogie Howser and make your own Pet First Aid Kit for pet-related emergencies and accidents.
You’ll Need:
• Container: Traditional metal kits have handy compartments for all items, however a sturdy storage box with a snap-lock lid can work just as well
• Cotton pads for cleanup and topical applications
• Gauze for swabbing, padding, or wound cover
• At least two bandages/vet wraps for compression, splints, makeshift muzzle, and dressings
• Adhesive tape for securing pads/bandages
• Q-Tips for topical applications and cleanups
• Blunt-end scissors
• Tweezers
• Antiseptic spray or wipes for small grazes and wounds
• Sterile saline solution for eyes and rinsing
• Disposable gloves
• Sanitizer for your own hands after dealing with wounds
• Pocket flashlight
Optional:
• Towels.
• Heat/ice packs.
• Pet first aid book.
This is merely a starting list for you. Think about what your dog needs medically day to day and in an emergency. Check with your vet as to what they would recommend including, and consider your local area and your dog’s lifestyle for any extras—such as doggie sunscreen or tick removal devices.
Package all the items into the container and don’t forget to label the kit with your vet’s emergency contact number. Should you have an emergency on your hands, this saves precious time by allowing you to call the vet for help while attending to your dog.
Don’t forget …
To clean out and review your first aid kit and any pet medications on a regular basis. Throughout the year it’s easy to build up old tablets, powders, lotions, and potions for the family, and your pooch is no exception. Trouble is these medications go out of date (hello random bottle from 2005!), and using them when they have expired can be ineffective and downright dangerous for your dog.
So go through your home medical collection and dispose carefully of anything damaged or out of date. Not too sure about something? Contact your vet or err on the side of caution and safely get rid of it. Once the clean out is complete, now’s the ideal time to stock up on treatments such as worming tablets or flea treatments for your at home kit, to ensure you have your dog’s healthiest paw forward.
DOG FIRST AID COURSES. THEY’RE TOTALLY A THING.
From doggie CPR, to how to deal with broken limbs, choking, burns, and heat stroke, these courses can literally let you go all Meredith Grey on your dog in an emergency. Check with your vet for local classes and learn how to save a life.
