Dog First Aid Kits are easy enough to create. First you need some kind of container to hold all the medicines, drugs and supplies in such as a tackle box, old lunch box or some other shoe box sized plastic container. It should be water-proof, strong enough to withstand mild pressure and have a clasp of some sort – but not locking.

Label it on all sides with a felt tip marker so that it is easy to read. Something such as “Dog First Aid Kit” or whatever just so you can easily know the difference between your human first aid kit (if you made it yourself as well) and this one for your dog(s) and puppy (s).

Under the lid of your dog first aid kit would be a great place to tape an index card which contains the numbers of your local veterinarian, poison control, and other canine emergency numbers for your dogs (emergency vet, etc).

It would also be a good place to list a description of your dog(s) including color, weight, name, health issues, distinguishing characteristics and a recent photo labeled with the name of each pet. Your dog will thank you in the case of some sort of disaster or emergency when you are not at home for some reason.

Below is a list of several items you should obtain to place within your dog first aid kit and brief explanations as to what each item is for. Remember, your dogs health may depend on it.

Dog First Aid Kit Ingredients

Activated charcoal: for poisonings (1 gram per pound, mixed with water),

Antihistamine tablets: for insect stings and allergic reactions,

Betadine or Nolvasan: cleaning open wounds,

Blankets: several if possible, to help prevent against shock in the event of an accident or injury as well as a good way to transport an injured dog,

Blunt nosed scissors: to cut tape and clip. Keep these scissors with the kit.

Canine rectal thermometer: to take the dog or puppies temperature,

Cortisone ointment: Used as a topical anti-inflammatory,

Cotton balls and swabs: Used mainly to clean wounds,

Eyedropper or dosage syringe: to apply medications to your GSD,

Eyewash: to irrigate the eyes of your GSD,

First-aid cream: to sooth and protect wounds,

Gauze bandage: for wrapping wounds,

Gloves: both thin plastic to avoid contamination and thicker ones if you have a fear of being bitten,

Hand towels: to dry hands, for clean up, etc.,

Hydrogen peroxide (3%): has various uses, one of which is to induce vomiting,

Ipecac: used to induce vomiting (1 teaspoon per 20 pounds),

Kaolin and pectin: to help diarrhea (1 teaspoon per 10 pounds),

Magnifying glass: to help locate any tiny objects

Muzzle: even the best German Shepherd may bite when in extreme pain. If you don’t have one you can also make one from strips of soft long fabric, tube socks, etc.,

Nail clippers: best case scenario, have both human and canine nail clippers,

Non-stick adhesive tape: to help tape bandages in place,

Non-stinging antiseptic spray: to help clean wounds,

Pepto-Bismol , Maalox or Kaopectate: to help relieve minor stomach upsets,

Petroleum jelly: for use with the rectal thermometer, also an aid in constipation (1/2 teaspoon per 10 pounds),

Saline solution: can be used for many things such as irrigating wounds,

Stretch bandages: for wound dressing,

Styptic pencil: to stop minor bleeding,

Tweezers or hemostat: use to pull our splinters or other small foreign objects,

Vegetable oil: for mild constipation (1 teaspoon per 5 pounds, mix it in with food)

When family pets wind up injured, pet first aid kits are crucial to have available because they will provide the basic medical items needed to prevent bleeding and forestall infection. They can buy valuable time while waiting for your pet to be treated by a pro vet.

As an example, my folks once had a little terrier named Roy. Our beloved dog had been a family pet for quite a while and had reached what would be considered an old age for a dog. One day, while the family was enjoying a lovely day in the backyard, he was attacked by a giant doberman. I had seen the doberman rambling the area, but wasn’t troubled as he appeared friendly enough.

Our pet was left with enormous cut which we couldn’t care for since pet first aid kits weren’t something our family thought would become critical to have in a second’s notice. In this instance, we had to improvise with kitchen towels and string to apply pressure and forestall more blood loss. We managed to get our pet to the emergency vet’s office, but because of his old age, he didn’t survive. Had our pet been a little younger and in better health, and had pet first aid kits been a family concern, he could have lived through the assault.

You need to also bear in mind that when using the items in these kits, your pet may be hurting which could end in a perilous bite or scratch to the person administering treatment. Even the most loveable pets will lash out when they feel encircled and are under strain.

Let’s look at the best way to handle an incident where an animal is at risk of losing its life. One scenario might involve a dog who has been hit by an auto and is now trapped under the vehicle. Truly the most important thing you can do, in the absence of being trained in this kind of rescue, is to simply reassure the dog until help arrives. Dogs in this type of situation will be intensely upset and sick tempered and may strike out and bite anybody who gets too near. You need to only think about employing pet first aid kits when the dog is unconscious or is physically unable to bite its rescuer.

In any sort of emergency animal rescue, call the gurus because they’ve been trained in each kind of emergency that you can imagine. Additionally, they are going to have pet first aid kits available as well as the mandatory appliances to execute the job properly. You will probably be tempted to become involved, particularly if it’s your own pet, but if it is not safe to do so you could find yourself making the circumstances even worse. Administering pet first aid should nearly always be handled by a professional animal rescue expert.

Pet first aid kits sometimes contain the same basic items that any human first aid kit would contain, but also include a guide which is restricted to the treatment of animal wounds.

Even the most fundamental pet first aid kits, if kept convenient, can save your pet’s life in an emergency. Also, check out this cool article concerning school survival.

Goals of first aid are: Keep your safety in mind at all times. Attend to any severe bleeding that is present. Administer CPR if needed. Immobilize injuries and/or pet for transport. Take your pet to the vet as soon as possible. Delay in seeking professional help often increase costs and decreases treatment success.

When you do encounter an emergency situation, do not panic! Look around your surroundings to be sure there are no moving vehicles, broken glass, chemical spills, fire and electrical hazards. Approach the injured or ill pet slowly and with caution. Use a calm reassuring voice. You might need to apply a muzzle. Injured or ill animals might bite out of pain or fear. If this occurs, don’t take it personally and don’t feel like your animal is now vicious or worthless and needs to be gotten rid of. Be understanding that the animal is under extreme stress and hardly knows what to do him.

Never use a muzzle on an animal that is vomiting, choking, convulsing or having breathing difficulties. If you cannot muzzle, use heavy-duty gloves or drape a blanket or thick towel over the animal’s head prior to handling.

Determine whether a life-threatening situation exists and give appropriate first aid. Look for unconsciousness, shock, hemorrhage, look for breathing difficulties. Trauma (like hit by a car), poisoning, and air leakage from chest are all life-threatening. Transport the animal to the vet or emergency vet hospital. Transport securely – use a travel kennel most preferably. If a travel kennel is not available, place the animal in a box.

If head or spinal injury is suspected, use a board, plywood, window screen or any flat, firm surface to transport. If this type of flat support is not available, transport the pet in a large towel or small blanket. You might call the vet clinic in advance of your arrival giving them the circumstances of the accident, or illness.

Planning for an emergency: Decide what you need to do ahead of time and rehearse. Have important telephone numbers such as your local vet and two of the closest 24-hour veterinary emergency clinics in a place you can find easily in a sudden emergency. The Poison Control Center number should be easily found: (800) 548-2423.

Items for your pet first aid kit: Muzzle Leash, Welder’s gloves Stretch bandage Roll gauze solar blanket Bandage tape sterile nonstick wound pads clean hand towel Cotton balls and/or swabs Chlorhexidine wash (0.5%) Saline solution Sterile eye ointment Lubricating jelly Clotting powder Hydrogen peroxide Kaolin-pectin Activated charcoal Triple antibiotic ointment Splint Forceps and/or tweezers Scissors Bulb syringe Plastic digital thermometer Reusable cold pack 12-milliliter syringe Disposable gloves Feeding Tubes Home remedies

Knowing dog first aid skills are very important, just as with humans and knowing what to do in the event of an emergency may mean the difference between life and death for your dog. Dog emergencies or any other extreme medical situations require that you get your dog to the veterinarian as quickly as possible.

Of course, not every possible ailment will need professional treatment but better safe than sorry. If your dog ever receives any kind of injury it is always best that you be aware of what to do in advance (depending on what type of injury the dog has received). Different kinds of injuries require different kinds of treatments. Many kinds of injuries may require immediate medical assistance. It is a very good idea to know how to prevent any dog emergencies, treat various minor injuries with first aid and just when you need to seek immediate veterinary assistance and care.

In case an emergency ever were to happen it is easy to prepare for it in advance by creating your own dog first aid kit. It is very easy to create. Good ideas for containers could be a lunch box, a tackle box or some other shoe box sized plastic container. Water-proof and strong enough to withstand mild pressure is the best idea.

It would be a great idea to label the first aid kit on all sides with something such as “Dog First Aid Kit”. It’s also a very good idea to list a description of your dog(s) including it’s name, color, weight, any health issues, distinguishing characteristics with a recent photo labeled with the name of every pet that you own.

An index card with the numbers of your local veterinarian, poison control, and other canine emergency numbers for your dog (emergency vet, etc) is also a good thing to include in the dog first aid kit. Here is a list of several items you should put in your dog first aid kit with brief explanations as to what each item is for. Remember, your dog’s health may depend on it.

Dog First Aid Kit Basic Ingredients List:

Activated charcoal: for poisonings (1 gram per pound, mixed with water),

Antihistamine tablets: for insect stings and allergic reactions,

Betadine or Nolvasan: cleaning open wounds,

Blankets: several if possible, to help prevent against shock in the event of an accident or injury as well as a good way to transport an injured dog,

Blunt nosed scissors: to cut tape and clip. Keep these scissors with the kit.

Canine rectal thermometer: to take the dog or puppies temperature,

Cortisone ointment: Used as a topical anti-inflammatory,

Cotton balls and swabs: Used mainly to clean wounds,

Eyedropper or dosage syringe: to apply medications to your dog,

Eyewash: to irrigate the eyes of your dog,

First-aid cream: to sooth and protect wounds,

Gauze bandage: for wrapping wounds,

Gloves: both thin plastic to avoid contamination and thicker ones if you have a fear of being bitten,

Hand towels: to dry hands, for clean up, etc.,

Hydrogen peroxide (3%): has various uses, one of which is to induce vomiting,

Kaolin and pectin: to help diarrhea (1 teaspoon per 10 pounds),

Magnifying glass: to help locate any tiny objects

Muzzle: even the best dog may bite when in extreme pain. If you don’t have one you can also make one from strips of soft long fabric, tube socks, etc.,

Nail clippers: best case scenario, have both human and canine nail clippers,

Non-stick adhesive tape: to help tape bandages in place,

Non-stinging antiseptic spray: to help clean wounds,

Pepto-Bismol , Maalox or Kaopectate: to help relieve minor stomach upsets,

Petroleum jelly: for use with the rectal thermometer, also an aid in constipation (1/2 teaspoon per 10 pounds),

Saline solution: can be used for many things such as irrigating wounds,

Stretch bandages: for wound dressing,

Styptic pencil: to stop minor bleeding,

Syrup of Ipecac: used to induce vomiting (1 teaspoon per 20 pounds),

Tweezers or hemostat: use to pull our splinters or other small foreign objects,

Vegetable oil: for mild constipation (1 teaspoon per 5 pounds, mix it in with food)

If you can think of other items to add to your dog first aid kit, feel free to do so. This list is just a place to get you started in creating your own dog first aid kit.

Any of the following symptoms or injuries require IMMEDIATE medical action from your veterinarian. Contact your vet immediately if your dog or puppy has any of the following:

Been hit by a vehicle,

No pulse or heart beat,

Broken bones,

Puncture wounds to the abdomen or chest,

Spurting blood,

Bleeding from nose or mouth,

Bloated abdomen,

Repeated vomiting,

Pale gums,

Diarrhea for more than 18 hours,

Muscle tremors,

Problems with breathing or swallowing,

Refusal to eat for 48 hours,

Seizures or disorientation,

Unusual swellings (especially ones that are sudden, hard or fast growing)

In any emergency situation try and keep as calm as possible and to get your dog to the veterinarian as quickly as possible. If anything ever happens, call first to see if the office is open, and to let the vet know what has happened and that you and your dog are on your way.

If your veterinarians office is not open for whatever the reason, call your nearest emergency vet clinic. Always keep all emergency phone numbers, including those of your veterinarian and emergency veterinarian clinic, near your telephone.