Blessed Be the Animals

First Aid/Home Remedies

First Aid Kit for Animals

Be sure to put together a first aid kit to have in your home. When traveling take this kit along in the car.

  • Pet first aid book
  • Phone numbers: veterinarian, nearest emergency veterinary clinic (and know how to get there!), poison-control center or hotline (such as ASPCA poison control center at 1-800-426-4435)
  • Paperwork (in a waterproof container or bag): proof of rabies vaccination status, copies of other important medical records, current photo of your pet in case he gets lost
  • Nylon leash
  • Self-cling bandage (Stretches and sticks to itself but not to fur—available at pet stores and through pet supply catalogs)
  • Muzzle or strips of cloth to prevent biting (as long as pet is not vomiting, choking, coughing, or otherwise having difficulty breathing)

Basic supplies fo Your First Aid Kit

 Xerox copy of medical records-not the originals.

  • Absorbent gauze pads
  • Adhesive tape
  • Antiseptic wipes, lotion, powder or spray
  • Blanket (foil emergency blanket)
  • Cotton balls or swabs
  • Gauze rolls
  • Hydrogen peroxide (to induce vomiting when directed by a veterinarian or poison)
  • Ice pack-for one time us-it can be activated when necessary
  • Non-latex disposable gloves
  • Petroleum jelly (to lubricate thermometer)
  • Rectal thermometer (your pet's temperature should not rise above 103°F or fall  below 100°F)
  • Scissors (with blunt ends)
  • Sterile non-stick gauze pads for bandages
  • Sterile saline solution (sold at pharmacies)
  • Tweezers
  • A pillowcase to confine your cat for treatment
  • A pet carrier
  • Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) to clean thermometer
  • Splints and tongue depressors
  • Styptic powder or pencil (sold at veterinary hospitals and pet supply stores and your local pharmacy)
  • Temporary identification tag (to put your local contact information on your dog's collar when you travel)
  • Towels and large safety pins
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Wash cloths in plastic zip lock bags
  • Antibacterial ointment
  • Pepto bismol
  • Prescription medications (for you and your pets)
  • Sterile latex gloves
  • Eye wash
  • A book on human and pet first aid
  • Mineral oil
  • Buffered aspirin
  • Benadryl
  • A blanket
  • A large bottle of water
  • Self-activating hot pack
  • Hydrocortisone cream

  • Betadine is a brand name for a range of povidone-iodine (PVPI) topical antiseptics produced and distributed by various manufacturers.

    Betadine, like most PVPI products, is available in two formulations:

    A solution, sold over-the-counter (OTC) for cleaning minor wounds and used in hospitals to prepare a patient's skin prior to surgery. Solutions are 10% povidone-iodine in water.

    A 'surgical scrub', which is a  mixture of povidone-iodine and detergent, sold OTC as a skin cleaner and disinfectant hand wash and used for cleansing hands prior to surgery and other aseptic procedures.

     Whenever possible, a cell phone with service that can reach 911 in case of emergencies with the phone number of the nearest emergency vet programmed is a great addition to your emergency first aid kit. Check your batteries periodically to make sure that they are ready to go when you need them in an emergency.

    Giving First Aid to Animals
    After you've put together your kit, be sure to look into taking a pet first aid course or workshop.Some pet hospitals offer courses in pet first aid, and so does the Red Cross.

    Courses are not expensive and approximately only one or two days. Some courses include a pet first aid book that you can keep  with your first aid kit. 

     

Video: How to Make a First Aid Kit for Pets | eHow

www.ehow.com › … › Reptiles, Rodents & Small Pets › Small Pets

with help from a veterinarian in this free video on first aid for pets.