First aid training for dogs is a vital skill for a pet owner. Dog owners are some of the most caring people in the world. Many would come close to a nervous breakdown if harm should come to their dog. Unfortunately, part of the tremendous love owners feel for their dogs involves seriously overestimating the dog’s ability to understand the risks around it and avoid injury. Even more troublesome, most dog owners would have no clue what to do if their dog becomes injured.

The first step an owner should take to prepare to provide first aid for their dog is to put together a first aid kit and keep it somewhere handy. Among other items this first aid kit should include day and night contact numbers for the dog’s veterinarian, directions to the veterinarian’s office and the number for the local poison control center. Locating these numbers quickly in the event of an emergency could save your dog’s life.

Other items which should be included in the first aid kit mirror much of the contents of a normal kit for humans such as bandages and gauze of different sizes, scissors, tweezers, cotton balls, cotton swabs, a rectal thermometer, and disposable gloves. For dogs, it helps to have a thick towel handy in case you need a stretcher. You should also include a rehydrator such as Pedialyte and a dense high calorie supplement designed for dogs. Medicines you should have available include diphenhydramine hydrochloride (An allergy medicine safe for use in dogs. You should clear the proper dosage with your veterinarian ahead of time), antibiotic ointment, eye and ear wash, sterile saline, hydrogen peroxide, cortisone spray and activated charcoal. Having the tools you need handy can make the difference between an emergency and a tragedy.

Some of the most common pet injuries involve insect bites – Stings from bees, hornets, yellow jackets or fire ants. Dogs can not tell us how badly a bite may be bothering them so we have to be vigilant when the dog has been anywhere a bite might have occurred. A reaction to a sting normally happens within 20 minutes. Any dog that has a strong reaction to a sting should be monitored closely for the next 24 hours. There is a danger of anaphylactic shock.

If you notice your pet start scratching excessively, or biting at a particular area you should check for an insect sting. You should give the dog first aid as soon as possible. Find the location of the sting and attempt to locate the stinger. Insect stingers often break off and remain attached to the victim. Pulling these stingers out with tweezers often causes more venom to inject into the sting so you should gently scrape with a credit card, driver’s license or some similar piece of plastic to dislodge the stinger. A paste of baking soda and water can be applied for quick relief. If that does not work, diphenhydramine may need to be administered in the proper dose.

Another major source of pet injury is chocolate poisoning. Dogs love getting into chocolate, yet a dose as small as 1 oz. of milk chocolate or .1 oz of baker’s chocolate per pound of bodyweight could easily be toxic. At the least, lower doses can cause difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, vomiting, diarrhea and increased body temperature. If you suspect that your pet has ingested a large quantity of chocolate, you should induce vomiting by administering 2 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide with a syringe and get the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

These are just a couple of potential dog emergencies in which preparation can make the difference between recovery and death. Knowing the right action to take in case of an injury to your dog can save you a world of unnecessary grief. Talk with your veterinarian and make sure you are prepared before the danger presents itself.

The funny thing about emergencies is that you never know when they’re going to strike. But, medical emergencies, at least minor ones, can be planned for. A good first aid kit that’s well stocked can really help take the panic out of an emergency situation and help you and your loved ones get back to the business of living quick. Every home should have at least one well stocked kit to enable family members to handle minor situations that arise.

A first aid kit in a home should be put in a location that’s agreed upon by everyone. If it contains items that might be dangerous for little people, keep the kit out of their reach. But, do make sure family members who can use and benefit from it know its whereabouts.

When stocking a first aid kit for a home, it’s important to include basic items. The list includes:

Band-Aids. You should have several sizes of bandages included in a good first aid kit. It’s hard to tell when these will be needed and how large they need to be, so multiple choices help you cover your bets. Burn cream. Burns happen at home. There’s no way around it. Whether it’s from cooking or lighting a fire, they just happen. A good, medical grade burn cream included in a first aid kit can help take the sting out of the situation. Speaking of stings, bee stings, mosquito bites and other such insect run-ins can be real problems around the home. Inasmuch, a good kit should include anti-itch cream to help combat the effects of these critters. Peroxide. If a wound is present, it should be properly cleaned out. Peroxide is therefore a smart thing to include. Aspirin or baby fever reducer. If you don’t think these things belong in a kit, trying being up at 3 in the morning with a little one who has a high fever. If the medicine is kept in the first aid kit, you always know where to find it. Cold compresses. Sprains, strains and so on can require fast treatment to help avoid swelling. These portable first aid kit created compresses are wonderful for getting the job done and they are easier to bring with you if an emergency room visit is in order. Butterfly bandages. These are vital to include. These close small wounds effectively until medical treatment can be sought out.

Depending on any special needs in your home, you might need to have other items in your first aid kit. A home with a diabetic, for example, might want a glucose shot for crash emergencies and one with a small child might require lotion for diaper rash and so on.

Store bought first aid kits are great, but the ones that really pay off are those that have enough room for you to add items you think are important. Medical needs in each home can differ, so first aid kits should not be one size fits all.

(c) 2008 Mary Ann Copson

In the spring and summer your kids ? and you too- are more likely to be outside barefoot or rolling and playing in the grass. Getting an insect bite or sting can put an end to these happy go lucky times. This quick and easy bug bite and sting natural remedy never fails to work and to get the kids back on track for more outdoor adventures.

To squelch a bug bite or sting:

Quickly find a broad leaf plantain leaf – these are easily found as they are common weeds in almost all grassy areas. (This is one plant I would choose not to eradicate from my lawn because of these medicinal benefits.) It is low growing, dark green and broad, with ?ribs? on the leaf ? please look it up in a plant identification book if you are not sure.

Chew up the leaf ? the action of salvia activates its sting stopping powers. (If you are afraid to chew it up then bite on it to break the skin and mix it with some of your salvia.)

Place the chewed up plantain leaf on the bug bite or sting. Almost immediately the pain will stop. You or your child can hold the plantain mass in place while you go inside and get the rest of the remedy.

Find your comfrey tincture (you do have a good herbal first aid kit, right?), a big Band-Aid (my kids always went for a gauze pad and first aid tape – so much more dramatic).

Leaving the plantain mass in place, secure it with the Band-Aid or gauze and first aid tape. Secured the bandage then dribble some comfrey tincture under the dressing and on the sting. The comfrey is soothing and cool and takes away any lingering pain, stinging or discomfort.

Leave on until it falls off later that day or the next morning. If it is a bad bite or sting, you may need to put a fresh plantain/comfrey dressing on the next day.

This remedy has never failed and prevents infections from the bite or sting. The best thing is how much it seems to empower the children (and adults too!). If someone around them gets a bug bite or sting the kids are the first ones to find the plantain (so be sure you teach them to be able to accurately identify it) and they show up beaming and full of compassion ? ?Don?t worry. It?s OK –we have the plantain!?

When it comes to our safety and the safety of those we hold dear, we often find no cost is too great. No one wants an accident to happen, but when an accident does happen. We would be foolish not to be prepared. When we prepare for the inevitable, we are going to save lives. That is why many people purchase personal first aid kit pouches. Because when it comes to being prepared, we understand that something so small and well thought out can indeed save the life of someone we care for or about.

There are a multitude of personal first aid kit pouches on the market today. These are handy to have around, and they are affordable. In fact, those personal first aid kit pouches generally are cheaply priced making them perfect for having on hand no matter where we go. Of course, some of those personal first aid kit pouches will be of differing size which means some of them will offer more protection, but generally speaking, you will discover that these are going to all have the basic necessities.

What will you be getting as a minimum when you choose to purchase personal first aid kit pouches?

Instant Ice Pack – These are great for keeping the swelling down due to a sting, bite, or sprain. The majority of these kits will have at least one instant ice pack.

Pain Reliever – When you need something to stop the pain or ache, sometimes pain relievers are used. These are generally orally taken and will take a while to kick in, but if you need it, these are great additions to any personal first aid kit pouch.

Adhesive Strip – These are perfect for covering scraps, burns, or other injuries. In fact, most kits will have a couple of different sizes at least. The adhesive bandages are great to keep wounds or scrapes clean or to even stop the bleeding.

Burn Cream – No matter what you enjoy doing outside, there is always the chance of getting burned either by the sun or by other substances. Burn cream will allow you to relieve the pain and promote healthy healing.

Sting Relief Swab – When you get a bee sting or any type of sting, these strong relief swabs will offer relief and slow down the swelling. Usually, these are snapped in the middle which will release the medicine into a swab where you directly apply the medicine for relief.

Iodine Swab – This is a great way to sterilize a wound or burn. These are popular to promote healing. This acts as a barrier between the body and outside contaminants that may cause infection or worse.

Antiseptic Swab – These are in personal first aid kit pouches because they can be used on the spot to cleanse wounds, burns, or other such injuries. These should not be used on deep wounds, but for minor injuries, these are going to sting the wound clean.

Personal first aid kit pouches are great because you can even add your own items into this nifty kit. Add pain relievers as you use the ones in the kit, add a few more adhesive bandages, or more.