A Pet First Aid Kit?

Most of us should have a first aid kit in our house in case of a scraped knee, bee sting, minor burn, or any other small injury.  The whole purpose of a first aid kit is to prepare for any incidents before they occur, and if you have pets in your home, you should definitely take the same precaution.

Pets are like younger children regarding their adventurous natures, and minor accidents do tend to happen.  When our wiemaraner accidentally broke a toenail (ahem…running into headfirst into a wall failing to look where he was going) causing his toe to bleed, we didn’t have a first aid kit handy and that was the first and last situation that needed to happen before we made our own first aid kit with a dog of his adventurous sort.  If he ran into a wall, goodness knows what actual life threatening situation he may be in next where a first aid kit could mean saving a life.

At Peninsula Pet Supplies we have the main ingredients to your own first aid kit.  Be wary of buying premade kits at other stores, because they may not contain everything you will need.  Many of the simpler things can be picked up at your local pharmacy letting you save some money for a kit that better represents your pets’ needs.  You can keep this kit in a bathroom sink cabinet and in your car when you go on holiday with your pet.

Contents

Start off with a durable waterproof container that can open and close.  A sealable plastic pencil box will probably be too small, but a 5x”x8″x12″ standard container with lid should definitely suffice.  Remember to stick a copy of your pet’s medical history in this box for a quick easy grab in case you will need to run your pet to an emergency vet after you sustain the wounds or injuries.  Also be sure to include a complete list of veterinarians aside from your own in case your vet can’t be reached.

List of Pharmacy Items

Make sure to pick up the following things from your pharmacy or home shopping center.

  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Rubber Gloves
  • Scissors
  • Tweezers
  • Eye Dropper
  • Gauze
  • Medical Tape
  • Small thin blanket or emergency blanket

Pet Specific Items from Peninsula Pet Supplies

  • Chloromide Spray- A pet safe antiseptic spray used in the treatment of topical infections, bacterial skin disease, wounds, cuts and abrasions.
  • Cohesive Bandage: Bandages in an array of colours that adheres to itself.  This is better for pets than the typical cloth bandages humans use since pets won’t likely keep even a hurting appendage still for long.
  • Digital Thermometer: Fevers can become deadly in our hot summers when a pet becomes overheated.  Taking a pet’s temperature will alert you to how severe a fever is.
  • Easy Feeder Syringe- Many pets may need immediate forms of medication administered in emergency situations.
  • Antiseptic cream with insecticide-  This cream will repel or kill insects while healing minor wounds in dogs and horses and preventing future infection from getting into the wound.

Tips to Remember

Remember that when a pet is hurt, stay calm.  Pets are super sensitive to the emotions that we emit, and stress is one of the key feelings that a pet can read and mirror in their own emotions.  The best treatment you could give your pet is constant observation and attention so you’re alerted to anything amiss.  If you have any reservations concerning whether or not your pet should be taken to the vet, they should probably be taken to the vet.  Any severe temperature changes or blood loss should be treated immediately wherever you happen to be, or the situation could be life-threatening.  That’s why it’s important to keep your first aid kit handy and access to a helpful vet over the phone.

Be safe and healthy!

Photo Credits:

First Aid Logo: Learn Pet First Aid Wesbsite

Hound with Kit: Women’s Day Magazine Website