Making A Pet First Aid Kit

Safety is always first. Much like humans, we should always have a first aid kit for our pets. Hopefully it will never have to be used. A fully stock pet first aid kit could mean the difference between life and death.

Pet first aid kits can be purchased from any pet store, but it’s very easy to build your own.

This blog contains the list that you would need in your pet’s first aid kit if you decide to build your own.

To prevent the spread of germs between yourself and your pet. Always wear disposable gloves. This will keep both you and your pet safe by providing a protective barrier to prevent the spread of germs.

Having a book that has the basics of pet first aid. It’s important review this before an emergency, so you’re familiar with what should be done in the even of an emergency.

Always keep a copy of your pet’s update vaccine records and any important health records. For example, the type of medications your pet is currently on or what medical alerts (heart disease, seizures, breathing issues, etc) your pet may have.

During an emergency you may not be able to go to your regular veterinarian and having access to this information will help the veterinary staff immensely. Also having your current veterinary clinic’s

Just like with contact information, it can be easy to forget the details of your pet’s immunization records in times of stress. This is why it’s important to keep an up-to-date copy accessible in your first aid kit.

Everyone believes that their pet will never bite them and they may not.

No matter how friendly and sweet your pet is, if your pet is in distress their personalities may change and may cause them to lash out.

This is why it’s a good idea to muzzle them before you begin providing first aid. If you don’t have a muzzle, medical gauze provides a good substitute.

Keeping a selection of bandages, gauze, and vet wrap in your kit will allow you to control bleeding and cover wounds until they can be examined by a vet.

Just make sure that you try and avoid placing adhesives directly on your pet’s fur, as they can be difficult and uncomfortable to remove.

Try not to put the bandaging on too tight as well. Cause if you do, it may cut circulation off to the body part if it’s applied too.

There are lots of different kinds of scissors. The best type to have for cutting bandage material (vet wrap, gauze or cling) would be Bandage Scissors.

You can tell what type they are by the two blunted ends and the bottom has a piece to help you get under the bandage once it needs to be taken off.

Believe it or not, dish soap if very effective at removing toxins from your pet’s skin and fur.

Just make sure that you rinse all soap off later as prolonged exposure can cause dryness and irritation.

Dawn Soap is the best!

Hydrogen peroxide actually serves two purposes in pet first aid kits. The first, more obvious use is for cleaning wounds, but the second, less obvious use is to induce vomiting in your pet if they have ingested a poison.

Before using peroxide to induce vomiting, always consult with your vet or vet poison control employee.

Tweezers are important to have if you need to remove something that has become embedded in your pet’s skin.

The fine tip of the tweezers makes it easy to remove even the smallest embedded object.

Medical tape is specifically designed to stick to skin but can be removed easily. If you do need to adhere something, such as a bandage, directly to your pet’s skin or fur, do so with medical tape.

This makes removal much easier and comfortable for your pet.

Rectal thermometers are the best way to get an accurate reading of your pet’s temperature.

To make inserting the thermometer easier and more comfortable for your pet, keep a small quantity of water-based lubricant handy.

Antiseptic wipes can be used to clean the wound before you bandage it up, reducing the chance for infection.

These wipes can also be used to sanitize equipment before and after using it, as well as your own hands.

Treats are great to use if you need to calm or distract your pet while providing first aid. While your pet is focusing on their treats, you can quickly finish the task at hand, such as banding a cut or removing an embedded item.

You may want to give something high value, something they don’t get too often to use as a distraction. Bananas and Cheese work very well.

Royal Canin