FIRST AID KIT FOR DOGS (What you need and why)
Ok so you want to get a first aid kit for your K9 bestest buddy, but you are really not sure what to get. Making up your own is the best way to achieve what you actually need. SO - here's a guide to the things you might need in an emergency. Some of these items you will carry on your person and some will be in the boot of your car.
1) A WHISTLE - starting with the less obvious, I see very few kits that contain this basic yet potentially extremely useful item. In a lot of first aid situations getting assistance is super important. Whistle worn around your neck can be put in your mouth and blown repeatedly to draw attention whilst leaving both of your hands free.
​2) BANDAGING MATERIAL - this is the thing that everyone thinks of when they think of a first aid kit. Most human first aid kits
contain dressings that are not completely suitable for animals (though they can be used at a push). It is better to get your own dressing materials to get the best bandage possible. For this you need a first layer to cover an injury (usually a soft pad such as Allevyn) followed by a soft wrap layer (products such as Soffban or Orthoband), then a conforming layer of a woven bandage and finally a cohesive layer of dressing (Vetwrap or similar). Having a roll of elastoplast is also very helpful.
3) T-SHIRT - or similar piece of light material clothing that is of a suitable size for your dog, and covers the majority of the body. This can be useful to prevent licking of a body wound, or to be soaked with water to help keep an overheated dog cool, or a strip cut off (especially if cotton) and tied around a wound to prevent bleeding, or, again if cotton, a strip cut and packed into a wound to stop bleeding and then bandaged over.
4) BLANKET - Something large and relatively robust but also soft and warm. Useful for the obvious action of warming the patient but also useful to help cover the head if the dog is in pain and trying to bite or having a fit and you want to block out light stimulation
5) FOIL BLANKET - staying on the theme of warming, very cheap to buy and very useful.
6) SCISSORS - for cutting dressing material
7) 2 LITRE BOTTLE OF WATER - for hydration, soaking the dogs hair coat or a worn t-shirt if over heated and for flushing wounds.
8) MEDICINES - under current legislation, Veterinary Surgeons are not allowed to recommend the use of human medications, even where they are the same as a "licensed" veterinary product. I cannot personally see a single good use for this legislation other than to force vets to use more expensive veterinary branded drugs which benefits only the pharmaceutical companies. However thankfully we can legally bypass this rule in case of first aid situations. As such I would advise that you carry both paracetamol and chlorphenamine (common example of the latter is piriton).
I will not advise on doses here so as to avoid issues, but having them with you to control both pain and swelling / allergic reactions is invaluable and can be administered at the time with guidance from your vet over the phone.
************************DO NOT GIVE PARACETAMOL TO CATS ************************
9) TICK HOOKS - another invaluable tool, and far superior to the use of finger nails or tweezers.
10) SMALL BOTTLE OF ALCOHOL HAND GEL - useful for personal hygiene when dealing with animals
11) GLOVES - disposable
12) POO BAGS - Useful for the obvious, but also useful to cover a foot dressing to prevent it getting wet on the walk back to the car.
13) ELASTIC BAND - Having a thick and a thin elastic band available is useful for keeping a foot covering in place, i.e. a poo bag for waterproofing a dressing, or in more extreme examples and with veterinary guidance, as a makeshift tourniquet.
14) SILVER NITRATE PENCIL / STICK - this is for those nails that are cut too short accidentally whilst clipping. Apply to the bleeding end to stop the blood loss through chemical cautery. Just avoid contacting your own skin as it will turn it a brown colour that won't come off until your skin peels!
15) SMALL POT OF FLOUR - Slightly odd one to end with but useful. A small, airtight pot of regularly changed plain baking flour or corn flour is a great haemostatic agent (stops bleeding). Useful to pack in small wounds that are bleeding, it can be readily washed out during treatment of the wound subsequently at the vets. Do not put near eye wounds, down ears, or up noses!
