Build Your Own Pet First Aid Kit
Apr 29, 2019 Tracey Aston Pet Safety
Accidents are an unfortunate fact of life. If we could control them, they wouldn't be accidents. As pet parents, we try our very best to keep our pets safe, but slips, trips, falls, scrapes and bumps are going to happen no matter how hard we try. In more dire circumstances, our pets may even require emergency care and stabilization until a veterinarian or animal hospital can be reached. For all of these reasons, it's essential that pet parents keep a pet first aid kit. Comfort at Home Pet Services LLC recommends making your own pet first aid kit instead of buying one. Most commercially made first aid kits only have the bare necessities, such as basic bandages and wipes and won't include everything a pet parent may possibly need. If possible, a first aid kit should be readily available in the home and in the car, especially if a pet travels a lot or visits a park frequently. Accidents aren't just confined to the home.
Covering everything from minor injuries to emergencies, your pet first aid kit should include:
• A tick key/remover/twist for quick tick removal. Removing a tick quickly can reduce the risk of many tick borne illnesses and infection complications
• Flexible pet bandage(vet wrap) for wrapping a wound, abrasions, cuts
• Cloth medical tape to adhere gauze to minor abrasions or wounds
• Antiseptic ointments and wipes to clean the wound
• Gauze/maxi pads to stop bleeding and cover an open wound and absorb blood
• Hydrogen peroxide as an antiseptic and to induce vomiting in the event a pet has gotten into something potentially toxic. It should be noted to never induce vomiting in a pet that has ingested something caustic as it can cause chemical burns going down and coming back up.
• Flashlight to look into throat, or get a better look at any injury for debris or remnants or objects in a wound
• Latex/rubber gloves to reduce infection risks
• Instant ice pack for minor strains or swelling. A homemade ice pack can be made with rubbing alcohol and water.
• Digital Thermometer to take your pet's temperature. Normal temp for dogs and cats: 100.4-102.5
• Syringes to administrator medications or flush wounds
• Scissors with blunt ends to cut medical tape/gauze or trim hair away from wound
• Pepcid or flomodimide for upset stomach, heartburn, nausea, indigestion
• Benadryl/Antihistamine (liquid gel tabs – pop with safety pin and squirt into pet's mouth) for allergies or minor allergic reactions
• Rubbing alcohol/alcohol pads to clean the wounds
• Tweezers to pull debris out of wounds, such as jaggers or splinters
• A large soup spoon to remove something lodged into a pet's throat
• Long needle nose pliers to grab an object out of the mouth
• Gas X for gassy stomach, bloat and indigestion
• Styptic powder (flour or cornstarch works in a pinch) to stop minor bleeding
• Vaseline to cover the wound or lubricate a thermometer, if your dog has digested something nontoxic but is at risk of the object getting stuck, administer Vaseline to help lubricate digestive tract to help expel object easily
• Plastic bags to collect samples of vomit or feces
• Vinegar or baking soda for neutralizing burns caused by acids
These items can be used to provide immediate medical assistance to your pet and to stabilize a pet until they can be taken to a veterinarian or animal hospital. They should never be used as substitute for veterinary care. Stabilize your pet and then continue to seek treatment with your pet's veterinarian.
