A good first aid kit is a must to be prepared for emergencies. There should be a first aid kit in your car, at your job site, and in your home. The more complete your first aid kits are the better you can deal with emergencies as they come up. The best time to assemble those kits is now. If you wait until an emergency happens, you will be too late.
If you have animals, then supplies for them should be included in both your car and your home first aid kits.
The primary objectives of first aid are to relieve suffering, to save a life and to prevent further physical or psychological injuries until you can reach or be reached by qualified health care personnel. These goals will help you assemble your first aid kits. Consider all of the possible emergencies which can happen.
If you decide to prepare your own kits, you will find
that many supplies will come packaged in larger quantities than you
find in a single prepared kit. Divide the packages into the different
kits you are making. Many supplies are appropriate for all kits.
First aid kits should be kept in containers that are labeled as such. Small containers which can be used for first aid kits can be found as cosmetic boxes, sewing boxes, tackle boxes, tool boxes, etc. If you purchase your supplies first, you will have a better idea what size box you will need to find to store them. Keep the box in a single location in your house, car and work place. Everyone should know where it is. If you are the injured party and unconscious or if you are not present at the time of injury, the best first aid kit in the world will not help when no one can find it. It should be stored out of the reach of very young children and pets.
Here are some basic items that all first aid kits should contain.
| Pet Kit Case | First aid kits should be kept in containers that are labeled as such. Buy after you have the supplies to know the size you will need found as cosmetic boxes, sewing boxes, tackle boxes, tool boxes, plastic toolboxes, lunch boxes, plastic pencil cases | ||
| Muzzle |
Can use leash or gauze rolls | ||
| Latex Free Gloves | To protect hands and prevent contamination of open wounds, burns and abrasions. Personal protection from blood. | ||
| White petroleum jelly Vaseline | To lubricate the rectal thermometer | ||
| Rectal Thermometer |
This can be the glass kind or the newer electronic kind. The electronic ones beep when they are finished registering a temperature. They are slightly smaller than the glass kind. They do not break as easily. They can be covered with thin sleeves to halt the spread of germs. They can also be used as oral thermometers. They do have a battery which will need replacing and they are more expensive then the glass ones. [normal canine temperature - 100.5 to 102.5F] |
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| Blunt Tipped Scissors | (A must for animal first aid - used for cutting hair away from wounds) |
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Bandage scissors |
To cut coflex tape and gauze |
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| Plastic Forceps and/or Tweezers | Used to gently remove foreign objects (splinters/tick removal) from skin and paws. | ||
Syringe (without the needle) |
Used to administer liquid medication. | ||
| Hemostats | |||
| Bottle Styptic Liquid « Fl. Oz. |
Used for toenail bleeding. | ||
| Ear syringe -- two ounce capacity | Used for flushing eyes, ears, wounds | ||
| Custom splints | Tongue Depressors, Newspapers, Magazines | ||
| Anti-Bacterial Hand Wipe | For personal cleanup. | ||
| Alcohol Prep Pads or Rubbing alcohol | Use to clean scissors, tweezers, and hands. (Do not use on wounds). | ||
| Antiseptic Wipes | Used to disinfect wound area or to clean hands. | ||
| Biocaine Lotion | For treatment of wounds, abrasions, minor burns and hot spots. | ||
| Povidone-Iodine Ointment | Provides antiseptic action in the prevention of infection in burns, lacerations and abrasions. |
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| Triple Antibiotic ointment -- Betadine ointment, Bacitracin, Neosporin |
Inhibits bacterial growth in cuts and abrasions. Promotes wound healing. (for non puncture type wounds) (not for eyes)(Caution: read and follow directions on label). | ||
| Hydrogen Peroxide | 10 ml every 15 minutes to induce vomiting in animals that have ingested a non-caustic poison (syrup of ipecac is not always effective for animals) Used to clean and disinfect wound area. |
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| Iodine Prep Solution | Antiseptic solution for cleansing wounds or burns. (Caution: Follow directions on label) | ||
| Cotton swabs -- Qtips | To clean debris from wounds and apply ointments or creams (not good in deep wounds because fibers are left behind) | ||
| Gauze Pads | Sterile stretch gauze bandage -- three inches by four yards (the larger 4" size is better since it can easily be cut smaller if necessary) To cover and cushion injuries. | ||
| Gauze Rolls (1-2") | Gauze Roll can also be used to fashion a temporary muzzle. (Even the most loving animal may bite if they have been injured or are sick.) | ||
| Gauze sponges -- 50 four-by-four inch sponges, two per envelope |
To cover and protect injured areas. | ||
| Stockingette | To protect bandage on leg or foot | ||
| Abdominal Pad -- feminine pad | Used as a dressing for heavy bleeding. | ||
| Cloth Tape | Dermicil hypoallergenic cloth tape one inch by 10 yards | ||
| Vet Wrap -- Ace self-adhering athletic bandage -- three-inch width |
A flexible bandage used to wrap and stabilize injuries. Adheres to itself, no clips or tape needed. (Caution: do not wrap so tightly that circulation is cut-off). | ||
| Instant hot and cold compresses | Use to reduce swelling or pain. Do not leave animal when in use to avoid digestion. | ||
| Opticlear (A gentle eye wash) | Contact lens solution for rinsing eyes, to clean wounds (water can be substituted) Read and follow individual package directions provided on bottle. | ||
| Emergency Blanket | Prevents shock by preserving animal's body heat. Can also be used to protect a car if the animal is vomiting or bleeding. Can also be used to attract attention. | ||
| Ziplock bags -- sandwich & gallon size | For stool samples -- to hold documents that you don't want to get wet Pet Care Card (detailed first aid instructions) Pet Emergency Card (record your vet's emergency #'s) animals records, Medical Sheets, Paperwork, including the dog's health record, medications, local and national poison control numbers, regular veterinary clinic hours and telephone numbers, and emergency clinics hours and telephone numbers. | ||
| Buffered (enteric coated) Aspirin | 5 mg. per pound every 12 hours for pain relief; antiflammatory.
[Maximum dosage - one 325 mg tablet/33 lbs (max 2) every 12 hours - for small dogs you might want to use "Half Prin" which is an enteric coated aspirin with only 81mg.] [Note - acetaminophen is poisonous to most animals] |
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| Pepto Bismol | 1 tsp. per 5 pounds every 6 hours for relief of vomiting, stomach gas or diarrhea | ||
| Di Gel Liquid | Up to 4 tbs. every 8 hours for antacid and anti-gas (feline dosage - up to 2 tbs. every 8 hours) | ||
| Kaopectate | 1 ml per pound every 2 hours for diarrhea (feline dosage - same as canine) | ||
| Mineral Oil | Up to 4 tbs. daily to eliminate constipation (feline dosage - up to 2 tsps. daily) Imodium AD 2mg - 1 caplet per 30 lbs every 8 hours to relive diarrhea | ||
| Benadryl | Up to mg per pound every 8 hours to treat allergies, itching, etc. Can also be used as a tranquilizer when the dosage is reduced. (feline dosage - same as canine dosage) | ||
| Hydrocortisone acetate -- one percent cream |
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| Dramamine | Dramamine - up to 50 mg every 8 hours to reduce motion sickness (feline dosage - up to 10 mg every 8 hours) |
Simple things like not giving eye contact is extremely
important as this is considered a threat to a scared or free-roaming cat.
Rita Cockrell Wood, Founder
PurrEver Ranch Sanctuary (A Hospice For Senior Kittizens)
Don't rely on shelters to accept your furry companion -- most only allow service dogs. Have another option at the ready. Ask friends and family members ahead of time if their homes would be available to you, and research pet-friendly hotels in outlying areas. Store a list of potential hosts with your emergency supplies. And to ensure your pooch is prepared for uncertain times, get him microchipped and invest in extra training. Obedient dogs are better at handling stress and following commands when under duress.
Courtesy of DogAge.com
First, place your palm on top of her snout, with your fingers on one side of her mouth and thumb on the other. Gently lift the lips and insert your index finger behind the long upper teeth on one side and your thumb behind the long upper teeth on the other side. You may need to squeeze lightly to accomplish this. When you do, pull her nose up and with your other hand drop the pill in the back of the mouth, behind the hump of the tongue. Close her mouth and immediately bring her nose back down, holding her mouth shut. She should swallow right away. If she doesn't, try blowing on her nose or squirting water into the side of her mouth with a turkey baster.
Courtesy of DogAge.com
Antifreeze's sweet smell and taste may attract animals, but the toxic
substance can be lethal to the curious critters who lap it up. Learn how
to keep your pet and your wild neighbors safe.
Courtesy of Humane Society of the United States