Pet First Aid Kit
December 13, 2021
Every pet parent’s worst fear is having something bad happen to their beloved friend. One helpful tool in case of emergency is having your own first aid kit designed for your cat or dog. Now, this might not replace a trip to a veterinary urgent care center, or a 24-hour animal emergency hospital, but it can prevent the injury from getting worse, while you get there.
It is also important to mention that unless instructed by a doctor, you should never keep a wrap or bandage on your pet for very long. Swelling, infection, or serious damage could happen if it is not wrapped appropriately. You never know what can happen on hikes, in the woods, swimming in the lake, or even in your own home. So let’s get our kit prepared, let’s train all the humans who might need to use it, and let’s keep one in our car and one at home.
What You’ll Need for Your Pet First Aid Kit:
| A hard sided box/bag or bin to keep everything in one place: These come in many different sizes, shapes and colors, or look around your house, you probably have an un-used lunch box, or tupperware container that will work. |
| Phone numbers, addresses and URLs: Your regular veterinarian, the closest veterinary urgent care clinic, a 24-hour animal emergency hospital. A good practice is to add these to your phone today and keep them updated, and also keep them in the first aid kit.
Poison Control: 888-426-4435 |
| A spare leash |
| Self-cling bandage (or vetwrap): Bandage that stretches and sticks to itself |
| Muzzle or long piece of cloth to prevent biting When pets are badly injured it won’t matter that you are their best friend. If they are in enough pain, they will want to protect their injury. |
| Gauze pads |
| Bandage tape |
| Ice pack |
| Cotton balls |
| Scissors |
| Saline solution |
| Tweezers |
| Rectal thermometer Temperatures should not rise above 103˚F or below 99˚F |
| Disposable gloves |
| Rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes (to clean the thermometer) |
| Blanket |
| Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) if approved by a veterinarian You can ask your veterinarian for your pet’s dosage and write it on the notecard with your phone numbers. |
| Styptic powder (Kwik stop) |
| Nail clippers |
| Flashlight |
| Your pet’s paperwork Copies of your rabies certificate and any other important medical records |
| Print this list and keep it in your pet’s first aid kit so you can make a note of what needs to be refilled. |
| Pens/Pencils and Notepaper |
Another reason to keep an animal first aid kit in your car is to help someone else who is need. Not everyone is as prepared as you are (or soon will be), but their pets shouldn’t suffer! Good luck, and we hope you’ll never need to use it!