Yep! Just like you, your pup needs his very own First Aid Kit, for several reasons. If you are traveling long distances, camping, boating, fishing, or hiking, that makes perfect sense. But what about just being out for a short walk on your local trail or at the dog park with friends?
You’re not going to be gone long. Right? What could possibly go wrong that can’t be taken care of once you and your pup get back home? Well actually, you have absolutely no idea what might happen. Small or large. Just be prepared. It might just possibly save the life of your pup or that of someone else’s furry friend.
You don’t need a huge kit when on errands around town or on short walks, etc. You should have, however, a full scale larger First Aid Kit when camping, boating, fishing, hiking on the trails for many hours, or any overnight trips where you’ll be away from home three-plus hours.
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Mini First Aid Kit
A DIY Mini First Aid Kit that’s simple, easy, and cost-effective. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Small container. I emphasize “small” because if it isn’t small enough, you probably won’t want to take it. Use a Ziploc freezer bag or even a cosmetic bag. Whatever works best for your personal needs.
- Self-adherent cohesive bandage wraps, sterile gauze pads, cotton balls, Q-Tips. These are your basic first aid dressings. Self-adherent bandages are a MUST have, because they don’t stick to your pet’s fur. You’ll only need a few of each.
- Rounded scissors and/or tweezers. I like to include both. If you need to cut his fur, rounded scissors are a must. Especially, if he’s moving about, the rounded scissors won’t pierce his skin. Hence, the reason for rounded in lieu of pointed scissors. Tweezers are great for removing thorns, ticks, etc.
- Saline Solution. Extremely important for washing out debris in his eyes and also for cleaning out a wound.
- Styptic Pencil. Great for stopping the bleeding from a torn toenail.
- Benadryl. A product we all probably have in our own medicine cabinets. An antihistamine you can use for the obvious bug bites or bee stings. But, most importantly, snake bites. Snakes can be found almost anywhere, so if out hiking you have to be extra vigilant. Before you venture out on the trail with your pups, check with your vet for the correct dosage for him.
- Muzzles. You might be thinking, “Why would I need a muzzle? I’ve never had to even consider using one, let alone owning one.” This is a great question. Although your dog may be the sweetest pup on earth and never harm a fly, there comes a time when he’s hurting and under stress when he’s most likely to want to bite. Remember, he’s frightened and injured and unlike a human, we cannot explain to him what’s happening. Unfortunately, and with great sadness to us, we can only do what we must to keep him from further injury to himself or others. So, in a pinch, you can always use your leash, a strip of gauze tape, or your self-adherent bandage wrap to secure his mouth. You can also purchase and pack a cloth muzzle for short term use. You need to protect yourself and others who might be assisting you. Cloth muzzles are very inexpensive and easily packable.
- Emergency Information. Your vet’s phone number, rabies tag info. And medication info can be printed up and placed inside the small container. Time is of the essence in an emergency and in a crisis, we may not be thinking as quickly or clearly as usual. Understandable. Our fur baby is in a stressful situation; hence, as are we, and everyone’s adrenaline is working overtime. So, knowing who to call is vital. If your pup is on any medications, it will be important for any emergency personnel to know.
This is a great place to introduce our FREE downloadable PET MEDICAL EMERGENCY CARD. You can fill it out ahead of time online or print it and fill it out later. It’s also a great idea to download it and give one to all of your friends and family who have pets. Mention it to your vet so he can offer it to his human clients for their pets. It’s a well-thought-out and all-inclusive medical information card. We hope you’ll not only take advantage of it but give it to other pet parents. It just might save their pet’s life one day.
Large First Aid Kit
This First Aid Kit is important for any trips more than two hours away from home as well as overnights or longer. It is especially important on long hikes and camping in the backcountry or just at a regular campsite. You can assemble your own more comprehensive kit, or you can purchase one already assembled for you. Adventure Medical Kits makes a small kit and a large version – the latter includes, among many essential items, QuikClot Advanced Clotting Gauze*. However, it may be more fun and interesting to assemble your own. This is what I found useful when putting together my own kit for our Golden.
In addition to the items already listed in the MINI FIRST AID KIT, you’ll need a larger waterproof container or bag.
Colloidal silver antibiotic wound care
Colloidal silver antibiotic wound care can be used for a multitude of things (for humans as well) and not just for wounds. For example, several drops in your dog’s water can help with any bacteria he may have picked up along the way from nasty stuff he may have ingested or water he may have drunk. It can also be used for wound and abrasion cleaning. Colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic for dogs and can be used both before or after to fight any fungal, viral, or bacterial infection that seems to be invading their body.
Colloidal silver was used back in ancient times. It was even used in the Roman Empire to prevent wine from spoiling. Even Chinese Emperors ate with silver chopsticks. It’s also said that nearly all ancient Royals would only eat on dishes laced with silver. Colloidal silver can pretty much clean anything from your home air filters to the water you drink. It can also take care of a staph infection without any compromise to our immune system. So, it makes sense to consider using it on your precious pup when he decides to wage war with the ant colony in your yard or when he’s wallowing in your local mud hole or on his daily poop-inspecting sniffing expeditions. It’s amazing how quickly our shaggy little soul mates can find themselves nose deep in an infection.
Okay, so now you’ll want to know the difference between colloidal silver and that old Indian head nickel tucked away in your dresser drawer. Colloidal silver is nanoparticles of silver suspended in a liquid base. This is quite interesting as the actual silver particles are so extremely small that they are able to penetrate cells and kill pathogens. This process makes it the ultimate model of excellence in their ability to kill the bacteria at its source, thus, preventing the growth of any additional bacteria. But, as we always remind you, please check with your vet first before using anything new and untried on your pet.
Colloidal silver has a plethora of uses:
INFECTIONS. Earlier I mentioned that it was a natural antibiotic for fighting fungal, viral, or bacterial infections. Remember you can also use it as a preventative measure to stave off infection before it starts.
SKIN. It’s also terrific for nearly every skin condition. Everything from burns, scrapes, and even infections such as ringworm. And when your dog gets a little too inquisitive about nature’s creepy crawly creatures and ends up with a battle wound from a nasty bug, it works wonders.
EYES. Yes, it’s even great for treating eye conditions like infections or inflammations. It’s also painless, so you can comfortably apply a Colloidal Silvet Towelette/wipe as well and watch what happens. It’s almost like magic. (NOTE: Silvet is a Nexderma product that can only be purchased from your vet.)
Okay, now that I’ve explained the benefits and uses of colloidal silver and for using Silvet spray or wipes, it’s time to get down to brass tacks and understand exactly how to use these products correctly.
Apply the Silvet Spray or the towelettes/wipes topically. The recommended usage is 2-3 sprays or one wipe up to three times daily according to your dog’s condition. NOTE: There’s no need to shake the bottle as each spray has a consistent measure of colloidal silver.
I know I’ve spent a lot of time discussing the medicinal properties of colloidal silver, but in my research, I decided it warranted the time allotted to make sure you understood how amazing this stuff truly is. Every First Aid Kit, small or large, human or pet, should most definitely have this item. I also think it’s important to keep in your medicine cabinet at home.
For humans, I recommend Sovereign Silver Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol for immune support and Bioactive Colloidal Silver. But I suggest you do your own research, as I have. There are several different brands on the market. But no matter which you decide upon, just be sure to keep it handy. Both are good for humans and pets. Again, a big must-have for your First Aid Kit.
Activated Charcoal
I’ve used activated charcoal for my children when they had eaten something that didn’t agree with them. It absorbs toxins from all sorts of things your pup might get into. If you think your dog has eaten something he should not have, check with your vet for the proper dosage. But this is another good thing to have in your large First Aid Kit.
3 % Hydrogen Peroxide
3% Hydrogen Peroxide will induce vomiting when your dog ingests something he shouldn’t have. Check with your vet before using. He’ll advise the proper amount for your dog’s size and weight. (It’s important to NEVER GIVE YOUR DOG an amount higher than 3%. For example, 10% hydrogen peroxide is extremely corrosive to the gastrointestinal lining and should NEVER be used. EVER!)
Trust me. It works! I know firsthand. And when your vet says it’ll take about 15 to 20 minutes for him to throw up, I highly suggest you have him outside. We found this out too late the first time. However, we didn’t make that mistake again. And, peroxide can also be used on wounds, just like for humans.
Rescue Remedy
Rescue Remedy is a natural stress and sleep-support for your pet developed by Dr. Bach. It contains a combination of five natural flower essences, hand-picked from his original gardens in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. The five flower essences are Star of Bethlehem for comfort; Rock Rose for fearlessness; Clematis for focus; Impatiens for patience, and Cherry Plum for composure.
Sometimes, simply riding in the car, visiting the groomer, or hearing loud noises can stress out your pet. This product has been trusted by veterinarians and pet owners for generations to safely reduce occasional stress and tension without having to use strong sedatives. The dosage does not depend on the weight or breed of the dog. It depends on the situation of stress in the animal. But always check with your vet before self-prescribing any medications or treatments. This is another good thing to have in your Large First Aid Kit. It’s a pet-friendly, alcohol-free formula. Just a few drops can help reduce their stress without the side effects often found in sedatives. It has been trusted for more than 80 years by vets and pet owners.
Mylar Emergency Thermal Blanket
A Mylar Emergency Thermal Blanket is an extremely essential product to have with you even in your Mini First Aid Kit. In the event of an extreme emergency, it will help to keep your dog’s core body temperature stable. This is very important if he’s injured. It’s also a good thing to have for any human injury as well.
Israeli Compression Bandage Battle Dressing
Trust me on this one. It truly may save not only the life of your pet if severely injured, but it might just save your life as well. The Israeli Compression Bandage Battle Dressing is a combat-proven first-aid device for the staunching of blood flow from traumatic hemorrhage wounds in pre-hospital emergency situations. It’s the ideal solution for emergency treatment when every second counts. It’s quick and easy to use by non-professionals as well as professionals. It’s easy enough to use that even an injured person can self-apply the bandage with just one hand.
*QuikClot Advanced Clotting Gauze
QuikClot kaolin-impregnated gauze formed clots in under two minutes compared to gauze without a hemostatic agent, which took on average more than ten minutes to clot. I cannot recommend QuikClot Advanced Clotting Gauze enough. We had to use it one time in an emergency and we were truly amazed at how quickly it stopped the bleeding. We’ve given these to family members for their home medicine cabinet. You should keep one in your glove compartment just in case. But it’s a real necessity for both Mini and Large First Aid Kits. They take up no room and weigh nothing. Very important for people on blood thinners. It’s an absolute must especially if camping, particularly in the backcountry where you are out of reach from just about everything, except nature and all her elements. Including wild animals. Also, hiking long trails, fishing, boating, etc.
Additional Items
Several pairs of latex gloves, extra rolls of gauze, alcohol/iodine prep pads, digital thermometer, coconut water (electrolytes). Don’t forget you can use eyedroppers or syringes to flush wounds or to give oral meds to your pup. Include an LED magnifying glass; moisture-proof pill organizer box; LED tactical flashlight; Microfiber dog towels, and collapsible bowls.
But!
All the supplies and fancy equipment won’t help your dog one bit in an emergency unless you know how to use them properly.
One of the best things you can do for yourself and your precious pup is to have a copy of the book, FIELD GUIDE TO DOG FIRST AID. This is an essential and highly recommended resource to keep in your First Aid Kits. But more importantly, please familiarize yourself with its contents before venturing out on an adventure with Fido. However, while in the field, you’ll most likely want a smaller more concise quick reference pocket guide. The PET EMERGENCY POCKET GUIDE can be ordered from Amazon. You can easily stow it in your backpack or jacket pocket. It’s spiral bound making it easy to lay flat; plus, it’s water-resistant.
Before leaving home, go over your checklist and be sure all your supplies are full and up to date. Check expiration dates on all medications/treatments, at least every six months.
Extremely important
Remember, before leaving home with your pup for your trip, make certain you have the name, address, and phone numbers of the closest emergency vet clinic where you’ll be staying. Whether at a campground, hotel, or camping/hiking the backcountry. Write it down on paper and place it in your First Aid Kits. You cannot rely on cell service or your battery life. Be sure to have an extra cell battery pack or two fully charged before heading out on your adventure.
To make it easier for you, we have a PET MEDICAL MEDICAL CARD available for you FREE of charge to either fill out online before printing or to fill out at your convenience after printing. Also, do your family and friends a great favor by downloading and printing copies for them. They’ll be grateful that you thought of them and their best buddy.
We want you to enjoy your trip with your faithful companion. Be safe, use good judgment and common sense, and have loads of fun. And be sure to take tons of photos for wonderful life-long cherished memories of you and your furry friend to be enjoyed in years to come. Plus, we’d really appreciate it if you would consider sharing them with us here on our website, goodolddoggie.com. We’d love to share them with our doggie community and enjoy your journey right along with you.
Safe and happy travels,
Carroll and Lisa
