Bella builds Her emergency first aid kit
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My readers may recall an earlier blog in which I sat down with Emma Zen and we barked at some length about her work to raise funds to equip first responders with special pet oxygen masks. Emma and her human, Debra Jo, are relentless champions for Pet Safety. When mommy learned that Debra Jo is also an instructor of Pet First-Aid & CPR and was bringing her class to my hometown, she registered immediately. This is the cover of the 71-page manual that was included in the five-hour class:
The topics included: Pet First-Aid for disease or injury, basic care of animals at home to improve quality and length of life, knowing your pet’s “normal” so you can tell when he is sick, pet-proofing your home and yard against injury and illness, dealing with emergencies such as choking and seizures, giving first aid until you can get the pet to a veterinarian if necessary, when and how to carry out CPR and rescue breathing, and building your own first aid kit.
First aid Kits for animals can be purchased from a number of different sources such as the Doggie and Me website, or you can build your own kit using the list and the pictures that I will give you in this blog. mommy has already accumulated many of the items that are on Emma Zen’s list, and the remaining items are on the shopping list. beginning with the first few items, here is a picture:
NOTE: for ALL consumable preventives, speak with your vet for the dosage which will differ based on your pet’s weight. You can write the dosage on the bottle or the box with a Sharpie Pen so it won’t rub off.
1. Kaopectate or Mylanta: this is an anti-diarrheal. Dosage will differ based on pet’s weight.
2. Pediatric Electrolyte or Pedialyte: though mainly made for human use, it may also be used for dogs. It is one of the most effective treatments to rehydrate your pet and re-establish the fluid and electrolyte balance. A 50/50 mix of Pedialyte to water will help with dehydration due to overheating, illness, and diarrhea. Dosage will differ based on pet’s weight.
3. 3% Hydrogen Peroxide: 1 Tbs per 15lbs of body weight administered orally by syringe (in kit) to induce vomiting when the canine has eaten something it ought to not have. collect the vomit in a plastic bag and take it, the poison container, and the pet to the vet ASAP. also good for cleansing skin wound and insect bites.
4. Syringes: good for administering Pedialyte or other liquids that might taste bad but are required for the pet’s survival.
5. Triple Antibiotic Cream, Neosporin: after cleansing a skin wound with 3% hydrogen solution, apply an antibiotic cream or ointment.
6. Antacids with famotidine: for upset stomachs, dosage depends on weight.
7. Antihistamines, Benadryl, Chlortabs: to decrease allergic reaction symptoms from bee stings, insect bites, allergies. Dosage depends on weight
8. Hydrocortisone cream: apply to decrease itching from insect bites and stings.
9. Latex-free gloves: just keep several pair in a plastic bag, you won’t need the whole box of 50 in your kit. Some pet diseases can transfer to humans, so if you are in an emergency situation where you are working with blood and body liquids, the gloves will safeguard you.
10. Ice packs: The packs shown are intended for single use, and the breakage of a capsule inside the bag mixes with other ingredients in the bag to produce the cold. If you are at home you can use ice packs that are in the freezer, or even frozen bags of peas.
11. sample bags of food: if you are somewhere away from home, and cannot get back rapidly because of the injury, you will have something to feed the dog.
12. emergency leash: this can be used to make a muzzle to keep an injured canine from biting while you treat his injury.
13. Q-tip: good for applying topical medications
14. digital thermometer: know your pet’s normal temperature so you can tell if he is overheated. When a dog’s temperature reviews 103F you should right away take steps to amazing the canine down to avoid heat stroke. apply cold packs to groin, armpits, and belly. relocation into the shade or into an air conditioned area. amazing from the feet up; pouring rubbing alcohol on foot pads will also amazing them quickly.
15. Non-stick pads come in a variety of sizes, use for burns, scrapes or cuts.
16. 2″ broad rolled gauze: wrap to protected the gauze or non-stick pad to the wound area
17. 2″ broad flex wrap: use to cover the gauze roll, it will stick to itself and stay secure.
18. waterproof tape
19. Blunt nose scissors
20. KwikStop, styptic powder: will stop bleeding of broken nails
Other items that we want to add to our First-Aid kit but we haven’t gotten yet are:
21. Bandannas and baby blankets: those pretty colored bandannas can be used as tourniquets, cleaning cloths, restraint wraps to keep the animal from moving.
22. Chlorexidine cleanser or antibacterial soap
23. Saline eye wash
24. Iodine or povidone swab sticks
25. Tweezers or a tick removal tool
26. Tri-buffered aspirin
When shopping for items for your First-Aid Kit, remember that you only need a small quantity of the item in your kit. For example, the smallest box of latex gloves came 50 to the box. I will put a few pair inside a plastic bag that will go in the kit, but the rest can stay here at home. If you transfer liquids to a smaller bottle, be sure to label the new bottle with its contents. The bottle of Pedialyte cannot be opened until it is used, because it should be used within 48 hrs of being opened.
I hope this blog has given you something to think about, and a framework for your own First-Aid Kit. None of us leaves home expecting to encounter an emergency, but the day it happens you will be delighted that you are prepared with your very own First-Aid kit for your pet.
Love, Bella
Bella