Sit Down Dog Wheelchairs
How to Build a Pet First Aid Kit
Keeping family members safe is always our priority, and when an accident occurs, it is crucial to have a first aid kit on hand! This can help with minor injuries and sometimes assist in managing more severe ailments until further assistance can occur. For the same reason, it’s essential to have for yourself, and your 2-legged family member is also critical for your furry companions! Thankfully there is a wide range of options for Pet First Aid Kits, but if you would prefer to build your own or expand onto a kit you’ve already been making, there are valuable pieces you can add to your first aid kit. If you’re looking to take your pet on adventures out in the woods or up a mountain, or even on a beach day, make sure you bring their first aid kit with you in addition to your own!
The First Aid Basics
While you may want to customize your kit or have it filled with more than the ordinary “essentials,” it is vital to keep the basics stocked. Maintaining the basics, keeping your kit well-stocked, and housed in one specific place will help make it easier to react and find what you need in a possible crisis. You may see some overlap in what you have for your first aid kit with what you will need for your pets if you are building your own.
- Surgical sticky tape
- Self-adhesive bandages
- Open weave bandages
- Absorbent dressing for wounds
- Gauze
- Safety or blunt-ended scissors
- Any medication your dog may need if they have severe allergies
- Pet safe antibiotic ointment
- Hand or paw anti-bacterial wipes that are pet friendly
- Antibacterial wound spray
- Liquid bandages
- Disposable paw bandage wraps or washable reusable boots
- Clotting gel
- Elizabethan collar, a no-cone collar, or an inflatable collar
A bonus of creating your own pet first aid kit is that you can customize it to fit your needs! Pets with special needs or severe medical conditions will likely need additional supplies. Not sure what your pet needs? Ask your veterinarian for their advice.
Neoprene Wraps
Neoprene wraps for the front, and rear legs can be a great addition to any first aid kit. A soft leg wrap is essential for active dogs that are aging or if your pet has had issues with the joints in their legs in the past. These wraps and huggers work very similarly to our ankle or wrist supports. They help alleviate some pain and support the affected joint like a compression item we would use for ourselves. Wrist support is crucial for wheelchair dogs, as they place a lot of stress on their front legs when they're active. Canine ankle and wrist support can be worn to prevent injury from occurring or support an old injury from getting worse.
The Extras
While it is easy to find pet first aid kits with the basics included, it can be harder to find them with equipment that could help in case the injury isn't just a wound if your pet is injured while on a hike or while out with you in the world, or even at home there is only so much that can be done with adhesive tape and gauze. Having items that will assist you in moving your injured pet or even immobile pet will help you and your pet and can make the scary situation a little easier.
We can never be sure what we will need when an accident happens, so being overprepared is always a good thing. If you aren’t sure you need more than the basics, you’ll also want to be aware of your pet's breed and age, as they may be more susceptible to illnesses and diseases that can cause an issue for them down the line. That is why having additional tools can be very helpful.
A Rear Support Harness for Emergencies
A simple rear support harness support can be a great help in a pinch. Maybe your pet jumped off the couch wrong or has an unexplained weakness in its back end. It can be challenging to move a larger dog when they can’t get up themselves. They also do not take up much space, so adding them to a hiking pack won’t add much weight to you, even if unnecessary. Supportive slings for the mid-body can also be great options if you don’t know the cause of the immobility and your pet indicates their hips/ or rear legs are painful to the touch.
A Pet Stretcher
The last thing to add to any pet first aid kit would be a safety transport stretcher. These are usually made of a very durable material and are waterproof. They can be crucial when you have a very large dog who has completely lost the ability to move and is trying to transport them.
Stretchers are also great to have in situations where you don’t want your pet moving as it may cause further injury. The Walkin’ Pet Transport Stretcher is designed to hold pets up to 250 lbs. and has six handles so many people can be used it if needed to lift a larger animal. In addition, a strap runs in the middle through the width of the stretcher to help keep your pet stabilized while being transported.
A fabric pet stretcher is highly portable and folds flat, so it's easy to keep in your car or pack in your backpack. Keeping one on hand means the difference between getting your pet moved safely or not.
The moral of the story? Be prepared.
Having a pet is one of life's greatest joys, and keeping your pet safe is the most important thing an owner can do. It doesn't matter if you have an older pet who is a couch potato or an extremely active pet ready to hike a mountain with you, you need to be prepared in case they become injured. A pet first aid kit SHOULD NEVER replace a needed vet visit or emergency visit. But it can help you make your pet more comfortable and get them to where they need to be so they can be treated. Be prepared for anything, so that you know you'll be ready if the worst happens.
