Whether you are at home or traveling with your dog, always be prepared for any emergencies that could happen. A first aid kit for dogs is essential to keep them safe. Just like us, dogs might have emergency situations happen that need immediate attention like bleeding, heating, animal bite, fractures,etc. Having a dog first aid kit makes everything easier.
Identifying emergencies
Here are some common emergencies:
- Difficulty Breathing: Check if there is a life threatening situation like allergic or heart condition.
- Severe Bleeding:If your dog is bleeding, use a cloth or gauze pad to apply pressure directly on the wound. If blood seeps through, do not remove the cloth and add more layers. If it doesn’t stop after 5 minutes of applying pressure, veterinary care is needed immediately.
- Unresponsiveness: If your dog is unresponsive, this should indicate shock, heat stroke.
- Choking: Signs like coughing, gagging, pawing, it needs immediate veterinary care.
Special Conditions for Military Working dogs
Military working dogs or hunting dogs often face unique risks.
- Injuries from sharp objects: Military working dogs are more likely to have cuts and punctures. If the massive bleeding happens on limbs, use a tourniquet to stop the bleed immediately.
- Gunshot wounds: Gunshot happens to dogs, this wound causes massive bleeding and even more serious situations lead to death. If the gunshot causes an open chest wound, apply chest seals to seal the wound to prevent air entering.
- Heatstroke: Heatstroke is life threatening but it could be solved. Move the dog to a cool place and offer water. Use a medical instant ice pack (not from the fridge) or cold water to wet the dog’s body, focus on the belly and paws. Transport to a vet as soon as possible.
How to be prepared for dog emergencies
Prepare a dog first aid kit which includes essential medical supplies to handle emergency situations before your dog gets veterinary care.
- Know basic first aid: Take a basic first aid course or read guidelines or videos on CPR and emergency treatment for dogs. Know how to do CPR on a dog, how to stop the bleed, how to handle some basic emergencies.
- Have Emergency contacts Ready: Save numbers or contacts of your vet, call them immediately when you need.
Essential supplies for a DIY Dog First Aid Kit
Whether you are at home or exploring outdoor activities, these supplies might be essential for your pet first aid kit.
- Gauze pads: Use this for dressing or clean the wound for micro bleeding wounds.
- Self adhesive bandage: Secure dressings in place.
- Tweezers: Use this to remove ticks, splinters.
- Bandage scissors: The bandage scissors are different from regular scissors, they are designed with a blunt end which is safer during application.
- Alcohol pads: Clean tweezers or scissors
- Instant Ice pack: Used to cool your dog to prevent heating in hot weather.
- Thermal Blanket: Keeps your dog warm in emergencies or in cases of shock. This is especially useful when traveling or hiking.
- Medicine Case: Keep some regular medication in an individual pouch or bag.
- Injection device: Syringe without needle is great for flushing wounds.
- Folding Bowl: Feed your dog outside.
- Flashlight and Whistle: Useful for emergencies in dark to locate injuries, a whistle can call for help.
- Extra pocket: Keep essential everyday medications and records. Some medications like anti-inflammatory, it’s used for managing swelling or minor pain especially during travel and outdoors when you cannot get to a vet quickly. Inner pockets keep deworming medicines.
- Litter: Always prepare a litter with you when outside or at home. When your dog can’t move, a litter helps to transport the dog efficiently.
- Dog mask: To prevent licking of wounds or bites.
Special Considerations for Military Working dogs
Military working dogs are working in dangerous environments. The first aid kits for them need to be equipped with more trauma and injuries supplies.
There are some lists recommended for military working dogs/hunting dogs.
- Chest seals: Used for gunshot wounds on chest, seal the open chest wound.
- 14G Decompression Needle: Used for Tension Pneumothorax caused by gunshot, its life threatening situation which requires quick action.
- K9 tourniquet: Used to stop the massive bleeding on limbs.
- Splint Kit: To stabilize fractures or severe sprains till professional help arrives. Splint also can be used to fix the neck.
- Litter: To transport the dog to the vet easier and save time.
Final Thoughts
Be prepared no matter whether you are at home or traveling with your dog, or even for hunting dogs. Attend first aid training and prepare suitable first aid kits for you and your dogs, with the right preparation you can ensure your furry friend stays safe.
Author Byline:
Sasha is a blogger and the owner of YEYETAC tactical medical systems. You can check out their content on dog first aid so you and your pup can be prepared for emergencies.
Whether you are at home or traveling with your dog, always be prepared for any emergencies that could happen. A first aid kit for dogs is essential to keep them safe. Just like us, dogs might have emergency situations happen that need immediate attention like bleeding, heating, animal bite, fractures,etc. Having a dog first aid kit makes everything easier.
Identifying emergencies
Here are some common emergencies:
- Difficulty Breathing: Check if there is a life threatening situation like allergic or heart condition.
- Severe Bleeding:If your dog is bleeding, use a cloth or gauze pad to apply pressure directly on the wound. If blood seeps through, do not remove the cloth and add more layers. If it doesn’t stop after 5 minutes of applying pressure, veterinary care is needed immediately.
- Unresponsiveness: If your dog is unresponsive, this should indicate shock, heat stroke.
- Choking: Signs like coughing, gagging, pawing, it needs immediate veterinary care.
Special Conditions for Military Working dogs
Military working dogs or hunting dogs often face unique risks.
- Injuries from sharp objects: Military working dogs are more likely to have cuts and punctures. If the massive bleeding happens on limbs, use a tourniquet to stop the bleed immediately.
- Gunshot wounds: Gunshot happens to dogs, this wound causes massive bleeding and even more serious situations lead to death. If the gunshot causes an open chest wound, apply chest seals to seal the wound to prevent air entering.
- Heatstroke: Heatstroke is life threatening but it could be solved. Move the dog to a cool place and offer water. Use a medical instant ice pack (not from the fridge) or cold water to wet the dog’s body, focus on the belly and paws. Transport to a vet as soon as possible.
See also
How to be prepared for dog emergencies
Prepare a dog first aid kit which includes essential medical supplies to handle emergency situations before your dog gets veterinary care.
- Know basic first aid: Take a basic first aid course or read guidelines or videos on CPR and emergency treatment for dogs. Know how to do CPR on a dog, how to stop the bleed, how to handle some basic emergencies.
- Have Emergency contacts Ready: Save numbers or contacts of your vet, call them immediately when you need.
Essential supplies for a DIY Dog First Aid Kit
Whether you are at home or exploring outdoor activities, these supplies might be essential for your pet first aid kit.
- Gauze pads: Use this for dressing or clean the wound for micro bleeding wounds.
- Self adhesive bandage: Secure dressings in place.
- Tweezers: Use this to remove ticks, splinters.
- Bandage scissors: The bandage scissors are different from regular scissors, they are designed with a blunt end which is safer during application.
- Alcohol pads: Clean tweezers or scissors
- Instant Ice pack: Used to cool your dog to prevent heating in hot weather.
- Thermal Blanket: Keeps your dog warm in emergencies or in cases of shock. This is especially useful when traveling or hiking.
- Medicine Case: Keep some regular medication in an individual pouch or bag.
- Injection device: Syringe without needle is great for flushing wounds.
- Folding Bowl: Feed your dog outside.
- Flashlight and Whistle: Useful for emergencies in dark to locate injuries, a whistle can call for help.
- Extra pocket: Keep essential everyday medications and records. Some medications like anti-inflammatory, it’s used for managing swelling or minor pain especially during travel and outdoors when you cannot get to a vet quickly. Inner pockets keep deworming medicines.
- Litter: Always prepare a litter with you when outside or at home. When your dog can’t move, a litter helps to transport the dog efficiently.
- Dog mask: To prevent licking of wounds or bites.
Special Considerations for Military Working dogs
Military working dogs are working in dangerous environments. The first aid kits for them need to be equipped with more trauma and injuries supplies.
There are some lists recommended for military working dogs/hunting dogs.
- Chest seals: Used for gunshot wounds on chest, seal the open chest wound.
- 14G Decompression Needle: Used for Tension Pneumothorax caused by gunshot, its life threatening situation which requires quick action.
- K9 tourniquet: Used to stop the massive bleeding on limbs.
- Splint Kit: To stabilize fractures or severe sprains till professional help arrives. Splint also can be used to fix the neck.
- Litter: To transport the dog to the vet easier and save time.
Final Thoughts
Be prepared no matter whether you are at home or traveling with your dog, or even for hunting dogs. Attend first aid training and prepare suitable first aid kits for you and your dogs, with the right preparation you can ensure your furry friend stays safe.
Author Byline:
Sasha is a blogger and the owner of YEYETAC tactical medical systems. You can check out their content on dog first aid so you and your pup can be prepared for emergencies.
