How to Make a First Aid Kit for Your Dog

A smart person has a first aid kit for the humans in the house. Well, a smart dog owner has a first aid kit for the dog in the family. Sometimes, you can fix a problem without having to go to the vet (which will save you money). And sometimes, the problem will be so great that you need to act quickly.

A reliable and trusted vet is always your best source for canine injuries. But a smart owner recognizes that sometimes the vet won't be available. So here's how to prepare your own canine first aid kit.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Identify Likely Risks. Look at what your dog does and your lifestyle--this will give you an idea of some of the possible problems to prepare for. For instance, if you do field work in rough ground, the chances of a tail injury increase significantly. If your dog is mostly inside and around young kids, than it's very likely your dog might get fed grapes or gum with artificial sweetener (both are toxic to for canines) or pick chocolate off the floor. If your neighborhood has feral dogs or raccoons that scavenge in your trash, your dog faces the risk of being bitten. Dogs that compete in agility can easily suffer joint injuries. Big dogs (even ones in good shape) can become overheated quickly and die.
   
   It's not reasonable to have a first-aid kit for ALL circumstances (especially if you carry it when camping or hiking) so start by figuring out what are the most likely risks your dog faces. If you're not sure what the likely risks are, either ask other dogs who own your breed (for instance, Italian Greyhounds have a significant risk of leg injuries their first year) or check with your vet for advice.

2. Educate Yourself About Critical First Aid. You don't need to go to vet school to learn enough to save your dog's life in a crisis. But if you own a dog, you must become savvy about some common treatment (especially likely injuries, common areas of ignorance or steps to keep your dog alive in able to get to a vet).
   
   For instance, lots of people don't know that Advil (Ibuprofen) is toxic for dogs. In sufficient levels (as low as a couple of pills) it can cause immediate shut-down of a dog's kidneys. Knowing CPR (yes, there is CPR for dogs) is useful. Dogs are often stoic or will continue to run through pain (especially if they're high-drive dogs or motivated to keep doing something) so you need to learn to recognize signs of injury or poison or dehydration or overheating. A simple test (like pinching skin near the spin and seeing how elastic it is) will tell you if your dog is dehydrated. This basic knowledge will also help you know when and how to use most of the items in your first aid kit.
   
   And make sure you have your vet's phone number as part of any first-aid kit. Also get the phone number for the Animal Poison Control Center: [phone]. Information on any allergies or recent vaccinations is also helpful to have in a first aid kit.

3. Recognize How Dogs Complicate Treatment. If a dog tears a paw and you put something on it (to prevent infection), you should automatically assume the dog will try to lick the paw. If you put a bandage on a leg with an abrasion, you should expect the dog to begin to gnaw on the bandage and try to pull it off. An injured or panicked dog may try to bite (out of fear) or hurt itself further my resisting help or moving in the car (and jostling a broken leg). So you may need to find ways to stabilize or immobilize your dog depending upon the injury (like a muzzle, a crate, or splints).

4. Build Your First Aid Kit. There are lots of possible items to put in the kit. Here are some basic items I think all home kits should have (and then you select items for trips or hikes depending upon types of risks):
   --Activated charcoal (for poisoning like consumption of advil or chocolate or mouse poison)
   --Vet wrap bandage (or the velcro-like wrapping that allows the bandage to stay on without tape), probably only a temporary solution but useful in the field or to keep the wound from bleeding in the car as you rush to the vet
   --Gauze pads (probably 2-4 4x4) useful for cleaning wounds that have hair/dirt in them or for a temporary blood clotting device
   --blanket (a cheap fleece one works well) as wrapping a dog up may also calm them down, also useful as an impromptu stretcher or carrying means for a big dog
   --zip lock bag. You may want to bring some sort of specimen (fecal matter, dead snake, what the dog was eating last that may be poisoned) to the vet's office for testing.
   --muzzle (dogs in pain or bewildered may be quick to bite) and note that a roll of gauze or the vet wrap can be useful for improvising a muzzle
   --tweezers (helpful in removing thorns, items from ears or eyelids or paw pads)
   --magnifying glass
   --rectal thermometer
   --pen light (injuries don't always happen in broad daylight under an unobstructed sky)
   --Bitter Apple spray (useful for discouraging licking if you have an open wound)
   --Old towel, wipes, paper towels since many health problems may involve cleaning up vomit or diarrhea (or the dog may have gotten sick on itself)
   --Syringe without needle (very useful for injecting medicine down a throat or squirting water in an eye to clear out dirt or irritants)
   --Wound disinfectant (like Betadine or Nolvasan
   --a chemical cold pack (very useful for big dogs in the field that overheat quickly)
   --Canine aspirin (I'm very leery on administering any human drug to a dog: they usually take much smaller doses than humans. If you must use a human aspirin, make it a buffered aspirin and remember to NEVER use ibuprofen).
   --benadryl (children's version) for use with allergic reactions
   --hydrogen peroxide (to cause vomiting and also clean infected wounds).
   
   Some people also carry rehydrating solution or gatorade. I think it's better to use Pet Pectate and water in case of diarrhea. A disposable razor (for shaving fur if you have to get at something quickly and can't wait for the vet's office) is a useful thing for camping or h

Tips & Warnings

• There are lots of great books and summary articles out there that talk about basic first aid for dogs. If you own a dog, do more than build a kit, do some reading so you're reading and can spot a problem.
• When in doubt, ask your vet.

[lablover]

on 2/21/2009 Really great information--this could save your dog's life someday!