First Aid Kit

Mikey

I definitely know there is no substitution for vet care, but I'm looking into doing a first aid kit for Mikey (I know there are some on the market but I want to have it tailored and not missing anything).

I have and have needed on numerous occaisions a first aid kit (home made) for my rabbits-it's come in handy more times then I can count. When rabbits get sick it's always an emergency and it is sometimes a miracle to get them through the night to the vet office-a first aid kit is needed for sure.

I realized a needed one when I found that seed pod in Mikey's eye the other day-I had to go the bunny first aid kit and steal


I was thinking

~Vet wrap
~thermometer (plastic not glass)
~polysporin
~peroxide (disinfecting and encouraging vomit should chocolate or the like be ingested)
~styptic
~maybe metacam?
~critical care (carnivore)
~syringes
~pedialyte

Sooo what do you guys have in your first aid kits? What's essential?

Criosphynx

tweeeezers (i love that word) for sure

q tips?

fawkese1

same basic stuff, you could add an e-collar,bitter apple, a soft muzzle, and try to keep stuff around for splinting, and i like to use bactine or betadine solution instead of peroxide for cleaning wounds on anything, i am taking a dog cpr and first aid class on the 17th, i will keep you posted if there is anything relevant to add to this.....

Mikey

Sounds great!! Thank you!

fawkese1

please read this post before asking members here for advice.
New members posting in the health section please read

first aid is not meant to replace vet care.

learning pet first aid and cpr may just help you save the life or your pet. i took a dog cpr/first aid class a couple of weeks ago and i wanted to share some of what i learned with everyone here. the red cross has a website too so if you want more info or want to check for a class in your area check out www.redcross.com i found the class to be very worthwhile and i learned a lot.
first this link gives a really good list of all the things that you should keep int a kit
Making a First Aid Kit for Your Dog

there are only a couple of things i would add to this list and they are:
-a supply of any special medications you already know that your pet will need
-you may want an e-collar that you know fits your pet(the cone head thing, not a shock collar)
-a list of all your dogs current vaccinations...and proof(you will often need these if there is an emergency and you need to have your dog boarded somewhere-most emergency shelters do not allow pets)
-i also recommend buying a muzzle rather than the kind you make (just my preference from experience, my dog was still able to nip me with the homemade on on)
-the site lists benedryl, some dogs don't do very well on benedryl...check with your vet before adding it too your kit

the other really important thing i learned was to figure out what is normal for my dog before i was faced with an emergency. you should learn how to take your dog's temperature, check for a pulse and what is normal for both. you should also learn how to check your dogs mouth and lips (or eye lids if these are too dark...) for signs of shock...and again, what is normal for your dog. i would guess that your veterinarian could help you with this stuff during your dog's next exam.
it is also really important that you crate train your dog. there was a recent natural disaster type situation in my area and a lot of people had to be evacuated. in that type of high stress emergency situation...what will you do with your dog? a lot of dogs suffered more injuries and more stress because they hadn't been crate trained.
so... there it is (in a tiny nutshell) hope this helps!

Criosphynx

Good info!

Iam guilty of not owning a muzzle...perhaps I should change that!

ScentHound

HI all,
I'm being lazy this morning.
Here's a site that pretty much sums up my kit, + or - a few item. It also has some good books listed on the subject.

http://www.doglogic.com/firstaid.htm#reading

close2prfct

My vet kit contains:
Vet Wrap
Tweezers
Hemostats
Peroxide
Benedryl(generic children's liquid)
Antibiotic Ointment
Qtips
surgical scissors
syringes various sizes(1cc-20cc)
pepto bismol
sterile gauze bandages
saline solution
lactated ringer solution
extra leashes
muzzles
Qwik Stop
Super Glue

fawkese1

i've never had a dog, until clover, that didn't trust me to help him when he was hurt. in fact a little terrier mix i had when i was younger once peeled all the skin off his back from the withers almost all the way to his rump and he just stood, shaking, while i cleaned it up enough to get him to the vet....i never would have thought of it as necessary, but clover has nipped me twice now, and i was using a homemade muzzle.
the vet tech instructing the class highly recommended a cat muzzle too. speaking of cats...did you know that if you pull on a cats tongue some reflex causes it to go into cardiac arrest of something! never knew that.

Mikey

Crio-You don't need a muzzle. You can wrap guaze (double thick) around the nose and tie it behind the head It's a vet trick

I also want to share something I learned having a dog who got into everything, and it just came in handy when my mom gave her dog the wrong pill one morning

Three TBs of peroxide forced down the throat will induce vomiting (DO NOT do this if the substance ingested is caustic!!)-this is perfect for accidental chocolate ingestion-as well, in Mandy's case, being given the wrong pill.

If they don't throw up in 15 minutes, redose with 3 more TBs of peroxide. It always works on the first dose though

(and then get ready for your dog to hate you for a day for forcing down yucky stuff!)