Dogs get into trouble, and by knowing proper dog first aid you can save your pet a lot of trouble. Let's face it, our pets are curious, and sometimes that curiosity can lead to injuries. As pet owners we are charged with the responsibility of keeping our pets happy and healthy. It's not always an easy job. When they get sick or hurt we need to be able to examine them and take the proper steps immediately.Understand that there is no substitute for veterinary care, and your first response should always be to get your pet to the vet when he is seriously hurt. We're talking about the things you can do until you get there. Good dog first aid will make your pet more comfortable, and could save his life. Your care and attention during the first few minutes of an emergency will make a world of difference.
That's why it is so important to have a basic knowledge of giving your dog first aid treatment between the time of the emergency and upon arriving at your vet's office. Do not however use first aid treatments as a way of delaying professional help. A more prolonged treatment should only be used if you cannot reach medical care immediately.
The first step in properly administering dog first aid treatments is to plan ahead. By that we mean having the necessary supplies on hand and where they can be reached conveniently. Do not wait until an emergency to start looking for the proper tools and remedies or to start reading "how to" manuals. Being prepared keeps small problems from turning into big ones.
So what should your dog first aid kit included. The basics in every kit are ammonia water, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic treatment, Hydrocortisone ointment, eyewash and antihistamine liquid. You'll also need some basic materials. These include adhesive tape, cotton, gauze rolls or pads, rounded tip scissors, tweezers, a rectal thermometer, syringes without needles for giving oral medications, a blanket or two, elastic bandages, an enema bag, soap, and a plastic bowl for preparing dilutions.
Purchasing all these things seperately can get costly, that's why we recommend getting an already prepared first aid kit. We highly recommend the Medi+Pet Deluxe First Aid Kit from Active K9 Pet Supplies. With over 40 items included it is really one of the best on the market and is relatively inexpensive.
It is also important to have your vet's phone number available at all times. And also have the phone number of an emergency weekend or nighttime vet if your regular vet does not provide these services. We believe however in using a vet that does have an emergency on call 24-7. Honestly, we can't plan our dogs illness or injuries around their schedule. If our pet gets hurt at noon, we don't want to wait until they finish their sandwich at 1:00 before we can be seen.
Finally, you should have a veterinary first aid manual at your disposal to know what to do in the event of an emergency. There are two we recommend. The first is Chris C. Pinney's "Complete Home Veterinary Guide". This book is a fabulous resource and is relatively inexpensive. We also recommend the one put out by Merck. It's great as all their manuals are. It's a little more costly however and a bit more difficult to filter through for us. Our Pinney guide is worn out we use it so much. In fact, I think it's time for us to get another.