A pet first aid kit is the first step in being prepared should an animal emergency happen. While there are many pre-made kits that may be purchased for pets, building your own kit, or adding to a pre-made one, may be the best way to have a kit customized for your pet's lifestyle and needs.
Just like your first aid kit at home, remember to replenish used items right away and monitor the contents of the box for age and expiration.
How To Organize and Store Things? The container you select to organize your pet's first aid kit should reflect where you are most likely to use it. For example, if you and your pet walk, bike or hike frequently, consider using a fanny pack as the container. If you travel with your pet, a back pack, small duffel bag or a cosmetics travel case might be more handy. If your pet is a stay-at-home kind of kid, a small plastic storage box may work the best.
What Should It Contain? Here are some of the items you should have in an at-home pet first aid kit: Scissors - for freeing your pet from entanglements. EMT (sometimes called "crash") scissors are recommended, as these are less likely to accidentally cut your pet's skin than traditional household sissors or kitchen shears. Bandage Scissors - these scissors have a blunted blade to easily slip between skin and bandage material and not cut the patient's skin. Sterile eye wash - make sure it is eyewash, not contact lens solution. Tweezers - to remove splinters, or other foreign materials from wounds. Tick remover tool - if you are in a tick-infested area, consider one of many tools to easily remove ticks and reduce additional damage or infection during removal. Ear wash - speak to your vet about what one would be best for your pet. Toenail trimmerand styptic pencils or powder - for torn or broken nails. Cornstarch or flour also works for torn nails, but should not be used for skin wounds. Tape* - preferably the 1" white medical tape. Easy to tear by hand, holds well and will not tear skin or pull out large amounts of fur when removing it. Telfa pads* - non-stick dressings for bandaging a wound. Roll Gauze* - used for bandaging, an aid to stop bleeding, and padding for splints. Can also be used to make a muzzle. Vet Wrap* - this is a conforming bandage wrap used over a telfa pads or roll gauze that comes in many colors and two sizes (2" and 4" - pick one that best fits your pet). It clings to itself and is semi-water resistant. Caution is advised to not wrap this too tight. Antiseptic wash or wipes - look for non-stinging preparations such as chlorhexidine or betadine. Rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are not good for open sores or wounds. Antibiotic ointment - over-the-counter antibiotic ointment for light use with minor skin wounds. Not for eye use. Caution is advised for animals that may ingest by licking. The antibiotics are absorbed via the skin, remaining ointment may collect debris or actually slow healing in some cases. Prolonged use should only be under the direction of your veterinarian. Latex or plastic exam gloves - use when the situation is messy. A muzzle - or materials to make a muzzle. Even the most well-trained animals may bite when injured or frightened. Muzzles should NEVER be used if your pet is nauseous or vomiting! Thermometer - normal body temperature for dogs and cats is roughly 101.0ºF to 102.5ºF. Lubricating or petroleum jelly - for use with rectal thermometers. Ice and hot packs and dish towel - cool down skin after a burn or keep an animal warm if hypothermic. Always use a cloth between the pack and skin and check frequently for redness or irritation. Extra towels, wash cloths and a blanket - use for washing, keeping warm/cool, and if necessary, a way to transport the injured pet (using a blanket as a sling). Dawn dish soap - if exposed to certain chemicals or products, your pet may need to be bathed to remove these substances from their coat. A pet-safe grease-cutting dish soap is often the safest and most effective way to remove many oil-based agents. Be sure to avoid soap contact your pet's eyes. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)** - for minor allergic reactions - speak with your vet first about proper dosing for your pet. Syringe or large eye dropper - to flush wounds or administer fluids or medication by mouth. A list of phone numbers - your regular vet, the emergency vet, animal control, and animal poison control numbers. Keep a copy of these numbers both in your pet's first aid kit, as well as in programs these numbers in your cell phone. A copy of your pet's current medical record - it is important to provide current pertinent medical history to your vet or an emergency vet during your pet's emergency, the best way to do this is to have a copy of their medical history on-hand An appropriate container - plastic or metal, fanny pack, back pack, cosmetics case or tackle box - it just needs to hold all of your supplies and be easy to carry and pack.
*Bandages placed on your pet at home or at the scene of an injury/accident should be considered temporary and never left on for extended periods of time. Inappropriately applied bandages and splints can cause more harm than good and ultimately can result in the loss of a limb or a life-threatening systemic infection.
**Consult your veterinarian about appropriate medications that should be included in your pet's first aid kit and the proper dosing for your pet. Some medications are toxic, even fatal to pets or may interfere with more appropriate medications your vet may wish to administer in certain emergency situations. NEVER give any over-the-counter, previous prescription or human-prescribed medications without consulting a veterinarian first.
Customizing A First Aid Kit for Your Pet Different species, age groups, and pet lifestyles have different first aid kit needs. For example, a ferret or diabetic pet kit should include honey or Karo syrup in the event of a low blood sugar episode. Pets who take medications regularly should have a couple days supply of all current medications (be sure to rotate meds to make sure they don't expire). Your veterinarian can help you customize a first aid kit to meet your pet's additional medical needs.
Building a First Aid Kit Isn't Enough Purchasing or building a kit is a great first step, but won't be a lot of help in the event of an emergency if you are not familiar with how and when to use the items. Taking a pet first aid class from the Red Cross is the next step in ensuring you know how to best help your pet should the need arise.
Red Cross Pet First Aid Classes
Emergencies can occur suddenly and without warning. Knowing what to do in the initial moments can be critical to your pet's life. Thanks to the Red Cross, pet owners can equip themselves with first aid and CPR skills.
American Red Cross Pet First Aid classes give pet owners the confidence and skills necessary to tend to unexpected emergencies until they can get their pet to a veterinarian. Many Red Cross chapters across the country offer classes with hands-on training in Pet First Aid procedures. In Erie, contact Grey-Save of NW PA for information on class availability at 825-7825 or at [email protected]. (Price: $30.00/person and includes manual.)
Reference guides are also available to provide quick answers to questions about caring for family dogs and cats. Red Cross Dog First Aid and Cat First Aid manuals can teach you how to:
Administer medications;
Recognize an emergency;
Perform CPR and first aid;
Treat common problems and emergencies requiring immediate attention; and
Stock a pet first aid kit
The manuals come with a 30-minute DVD that features step-by-step instructions on safety procedures, disaster preparedness and dealing with medical emergencies.