Mary Brady
Nicole Bedard
Camp Hill, Pa
717.805.5569
717.805.5769
Pet First Aid Kit
It’s kind of funny to think that most of us have a medicine cabinet stocked with bandages, tweezers, medications and other things we may need in case of a minor injury, but probably nothing for our pets! And really, if your dog or cat is more curious, rambunctious, reckless, and oblivious to danger than you are, who is more likely to get a big boo boo?
Because you may not have a 24-hour pet emergency hospital in your community and your own veterinarian may not have evening or weekend hours for the minor fixes, it’s wise to be well-supplied and prepared at home.
There are plenty of pet first aid kits available for purchase, and the American Red Cross will have their Pet First Aid Kit available this June (2008). Or, you might want to make your own kit – after all, you probably have a lot of the items on hand. They just need to be put together in one place for easy access in an emergency. According to the American Red Cross, here are some of the basic things you’ll need for your pet’s first aid kit. A complete list is available in the ARC’s Dog First Aid and Cat First Aid books.
- A list of emergency phone numbers:
- Veterinarian’s office and after-hours numbers
- Animal Poison Hotline: 1-888-232-8870 ($35.00 per incident charged to credit card)
- Cat First Aid or Dog First Aid book
- Dog Leash
- Muzzle that fits your pet – to keep him from biting during treatment
- Plenty of sterile bandages, gauze pads, gauze rolls, and hypo-allergenic adhesive tape for treating wounds.
- Cold compress
- Non-latex gloves
- Blunt end scissors (bandage scissors)
- Styptic powder to stop bleeding
- Nail clippers
- Tweezers
- Sterile eye wash and eye lubricant (available at pharmacies)
- Sterile water-based lubricant (such as KY® Jelly) – helps hold fur away from wound
- Pen light
- Antibiotic Cream
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Lubricating jelly
- Blanket to cover or carry pet
- Syringe, baby dose size
- Meds or other items for your pet’s specific medical conditions
If you keep all your supplies in a handy container, you can just pack it up with the rest of your stuff when you travel with your pet. It may be more difficult to find an after-hours veterinarian when you’re on the road, so it’s even more important to be prepared while traveling. If your pet goes everywhere with you, it’s a good idea to have a second kit to keep in your car or stay packed with your pet’s other gear.
Source: American Red Cross Dog First Aid, Cat First Aid