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Many Thanks to Anne McGuire for such a fine article!
How to put together a Dog First Aid Kit
contributed by Anne McGuire
Email:
vintage@flash.net
Copyright (1995)© by Anne V. McGuire. May be
reprinted, whole and unedited, for distribution free
of charge and for educational purposes only.
Assembling a canine first aid kit for home or travel
use is fairly simple. In fact, its pretty easy to
assemble a kit that will serve both human and canine
members of your family!
Before reading further, know that I am NOT a
veterinarian. The contents of my first aid kit were
assembled using common sense and my experiences with
my own dogs. Dosage information listed here comes
from the Merck Manual or from my own veterinarian.
***PLEASE consult your own vet about appropriate
uses and doses before giving your dog any of these
medications. Also be sure to become familiar with
the side effects and Adverse Reactions before using
any of these medications -- while they are
considered fairly safe and are not prescription
medications, there may be some dogs that will react
badly to some of these drugs.***
The first thing you need for a good first aid kit is
a suitable container. We use a fishing tackle-type
box. On the outside, with permanent marker, label
the box "First Aid" on all sides -- in an emergency
someone else might have to locate and use this kit.
Tape to the inside of the box lid, a card with the
following information:
your name, address, phone#
name & phone# of someone to contact, in an
emergency, who will take care of
your dogs if you are incapacitated
your dog's names and any information about any
medications they take, any allergies or significant
medical conditions they have
name & phone# of your vet
Also tape to the inside of the box lid, a card with
a list of common medications, their general dosages,
and the specific dose for the weights of your own
dogs: For example:
Benadryl 1-2mg per lb, every 8 hrs (65lb dog, 2-4
25mg tablets every 8 hrs)
Aspirin 5 mg per lb every 12 hrs (1 325mg tablet per
65lb dog per 12 hrs)
Hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting: 1-3 tsp every
10 min until dog vomits
Pepto Bismol 1 tsp per 5lb per 6 hours (3-4 TBSP per
65 lb dog per 6 hrs)
Kaopectate 1 ml per 1 lb per 2 hours (3-4 TBSP per
65 lb dog, 2 hrs)
Immodium 1 mg per 15 lbs 1-2 times daily
Mineral oil (as a laxative) 5-30 ml per day..do not
use long-term
(NOTE: my dogs both weigh about 65 lb. YOURS may
differ. List the actual doses needed for your OWN
dog's weights. This way they are quickly and easily
available and you don't have to be searching for a
calculator or trying to recall from memory when your
dog needs medication.)
NEVER EVER give Tylenol (toxic to liver) or
ibuprofen (Nuprin, Motrin, Advil, etc.). Ibuprofen
is very toxic and fatal to dogs at low doses. Only
aspirin is safe for dogs, and buffered aspirin or
ascriptin is preferred to minimize stomach upset.
Check with your vet to confirm dosages before using.
If symptoms persist, consult your vet ASAP -- do NOT
continue to try to treat at home, the problem might
be more serious than you think!
Give liquid medications using an oral syringe tucked
into the side of the dog's mouth, holding jaws
closed (rather than poking straight down the throat
and risking getting liquid into the lungs).
Its also a good idea to keep copies of your dog's
vaccination records, including a copy of the Rabies
Certificate, in the First Aid kit, or in a packet in
your car. I keep packets with shot records, what
heartworm preventative the dogs get and which day of
the month it should be given, emergency contact
information, and my vet's name and phone number, in
EACH car, and in my dog show equipment bag. In
addition the emergency contact and vet information
are clearly posted on my refrigerator door at home
where anyone who needs it can find the information.
You never know when you may be incapacitated in an
accident and your dogs may be in the hands of a
complete stranger who will need this information.
THINGS TO PUT IN THE FIRST AID KIT
cotton gauze bandage wrap - 1.5 inch width, 3 inch
width
Vet Wrap -- 2 inch width, and 4 inch width (4 inch
is sold for horses)
Ace bandage
first aid tape
cotton gauze pads
regular band-aids
cotton swabs or Q-tips
Benadryl
ascriptin (buffered aspirin)
Pepto Bismol tablets
New Skin liquid bandage (useful for patching
abrasions on pads)
iodine tablets (if you hike and camp in areas where
the stream water may not be safe for consumption
with out first treating with iodine or boiling)
oral syringes (for administering liquid oral
medicines, getting ear drying solution into ears,
etc...very useful!)
needle & thread
safety pins in several sizes
razor blade (paper wrapped for protection)
matches
tweezers
hemostat (useful for pulling ticks, thorns, large
splinters, etc)
small blunt end scissors
canine rectal thermometer (get one made specifically
for dogs)
antibiotic ointment (such as Bacitracin, Betadine,
or others)
Eye rinsing solution (simple mild eye wash)
small bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide
small bottle of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing)
alcohol or antiseptic wipes (in small individual
packets)
small jar of Vaseline
specific medications YOUR dog may need (for
allergies, seizures, etc.)
Also have the following around the house, and
consider packing to take on out-of-town trips:
*Ottomax (ointment for ear infections)
*Chlorasone eye ointment (or a similar
cortisone-antibiotic eye ointment)
*Gentocin topical spray
hydrocortisone topical spray (such as Cortaid brand)
ear cleaning solution (Nolvasan Otic, Epi-Otic, or
your favorite)
homemade ear drying solution (1 part rubbing
alcohol, 1 part white vinegar, 2 parts water)
otoscope (for examining ears)
Epsom salts
Hot spot remedy ingredients -- whatever your
favorite hot spot remedy is, never leave home
traveling with your Golden without everything you
need to treat a hot spot.
Those supplies preceded by a * must be obtained from
a veterinarian. All other supplies can be purchased,
over the counter, at most any drug store. Several
dog supply catalogs, such as Dr.s Foster & Smith,
UPCO, and Omaha Vaccine, offer a variety of medical
and first aid supplies.
If your dog has severe allergies to bee stings or
other things that might be commonly encountered in
places you take your dog, consider asking your vet
about stocking your first aid kit with medication
that might be needed for that sort of special
emergency. Likewise, trackers and field trainers may
want to consult their vet about equipping their
first aid kits with specific supplies to deal with
snake bites.
Be sure to clearly LABEL all medications and
supplies with their name and expiration date. Be
sure to replace medications that may have exceeded
their recommended expiration date. Go through your
kit at least once a year, replacing expired
medications, replenishing used supplies, etc. We do
this right before going on vacation with the dogs,
so we know the kit is up-dated and complete when we
are travelling and away from close veterinary care.
For good canine first aid descriptions and
instuctions:
Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook
by D.G. Carlson and J.M. Giffin
Howell Book House, 1980 or more recent new edition?,
ISBN 0-87605-764-4
For more detail:
The Merck Veterinary Manual
C.M. Fraser et al. (editors)
published by Merck & Co.,
7th Edition 1991.
ISBN 911910-55-7
*** If in doubt, see your vet! ***
*** Your dog's health is too precious to play gotta-save-money
guessing games with! Remember first aid is just that
-- the "first" aid given as you get the patient to a
doctor for proper medical attention. ***
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