Pet First Aid Kit: Preparedness for Pet Emergencies

Even the ideal first aid kit for the family may not be that helpful when it comes to your pet’s emergencies. To properly aid your pet during urgent situations, it’s helpful to put together a pet first aid kit beforehand. Similar to first aid kits for people, a pet first aid kit will need to have the essential supplies for pet emergencies, as well as a durable and portable container to hold it all in.

Like you first aid kit, it would be advisable to have the pet first aid kit both in your home and in the car. Emergencies may occur anywhere and anytime, so the best thing one can do is be ready. Having a pet first aid kit on hand will help lessen the anxiety in the event that an emergency arises. Here are some of the basic supplies that needs to be in your pet first aid kit:

Roll cotton or cotton balls; gauze tape; gauze pad; hydrocortisone ointment; hydrogen peroxide; pet eyewash; scissors; tweezers; silver nitrate; oral syringes; electrolyte fluid; large towel; baby food; exam globes; one-inch white tape; emergency ice pack; rolls of elastic wrap; and thermometer.

If you’ve chosen to gather all the supplies together instead of buying a ready pet first aid kit from drugstores or online retailers, you can place all the items in a small toolbox, small pencil box, or fishing tackle box. These types of boxes will hold the necessary supplies quite well. Label the box’s exterior part with your name, telephone number, and address just in case it’s left or lost. Include emergency numbers inside the kit, such as the phone number of your veterinarian and local veterinary emergency facility.

Additionally, when you’re pulling together an emergency supplies kit for the household, always include items for the pets. These items can include pet food, bottled water, water pails and bowls, cleanup supplies, extra collar and brush, flea/tick spray, blanket, and pet medications. You can also discuss with the pet’s veterinarian about some more useful supplies that you can add to your pet first aid kit.

If the pet is being taken to travel with you, make sure you modify the first aid kit. It would be helpful to do some research on the type of environment you’re heading to. Most importantly, when your dog or cat is injured, keep in mind that they’re injured animals and not people. The need to muzzle the dog so they don’t bite while giving first aid may be appropriate.

A pet first aid kit is very useful when it comes to handling pet emergencies. Keep the kit effective by regularly checking for expiration on medications and supplies.