Dog First Aid

Dog First Aid

for

Dog Emergencies

By: Bonnie Sweebe

Are you ready for your pet’s medical emergency?  Having a pet first aid kit on hand is essential.

But what goes into a pet first aid kit?  Is there a doctor in the house?  The answer is “Yes!”

Dr. Nicholas Dodman has granted me permission to reprint the pet first aid kit item list taken from Puppy’s First Steps by the faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.  Now that is a kit you can trust!

Have a Canine First-Aid Kit on Hand!

Keeping certain materials on hand can mitigate damage in the event of an emergency, including, sometimes, a poisoning emergency. If you have the proper first-aid supplies, you may be able to forestall complications in a dog who has to be rushed to the vet’s office. Sometimes the right supplies can ward off an emergency altogether. Here are the first-aid materials any dog owner should have in the house:

1. Gauze, sterile pads, and vet wrap, a self-clinging elastic wrap–all can be used to wrap a wound prior to transport to the vet.
2. Scissors.
3. Styptic pencil or powder to stop a nail from bleeding if it has been cut too close.
4. Tweezers or forceps to remove splinters, ticks, etc.
5. Triple antibiotic ointment to inhibit bacterial growth and infection, to be applied to wounds upon direction by a vet.
6. Antiseptic to help prevent infection in minor cuts and to disinfect minor wounds.
7. Hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching caused by insect bites and allergies.
8. Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine for allergic reactions.
9. Cold pack to reduce swelling.
10. Eyewash to rinse foreign objects or dust out of the dog’s eyes.
11. Hydrogen peroxide (10 percent strength, easily available over the counter) to induce vomiting in case of poisoning. Your vet or poison control center should be able to tell you the correct dose. (Either one should also be able to tell you whether induction is appropriate; sometimes it can worsen the poisoning, depending on the toxin.)
12. Antiseptic wipes, to clean your hands as well as a cut on the dog.
13. Alcohol prep pads to clean scissors and tweezers before use.  (They should not be used directly on a wound.)
14. Muzzle (a scared dog in pain may bite even a loved one).
15. Latex gloves.
16. A ready list of emergency health-care provider phone numbers.

From Puppy’s First Steps, by the faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Nicholas Dodman, editor. Houghton Mifflin Company. © 2007 by Tufts University.

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Bonnie Sweebe is a dog lover, dog owner, dog advocate, and rescue and service dog volunteer. She is also the owner of WelcomePup.com, an online dog gift delivery company.

Tags: canine emergency medical supplies, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, dog emergency, dog first aid, dog first aid kit, first aid, pet first aid, pet first aid kit, Tufts University, your pet first aid fit