First Aid Kit

[LaFlaca]

What items are absolute 'must haves' in a greyhound first aid kit and what others have you found to be useful in emergency situations and every day nicks and cuts.

[Guest spider9174]

neosporin/emt gel

vet wrap

surgical paper tape

bandage scissors

2x2 guaze

4x4 guaze

betadine

hydrogen peroxide

muzzle

cotton

10 and 50 cc syringe

 

ETA

I also keep some foam curlers that I use for wrapping a case of happy tail.

Edited April 28, 2008 by spider9174

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showto...mp;hl=first+aid

 

 

Hope this helps

[LaFlaca]

Wonderful! Many thanks.

[LaFlaca]

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showto...mp;hl=first+aid

 

 

Hope this helps Tremendously helpful, thank you.

 

 

You mention that Spud is...ummmm...accident prone? When he gets a gash where the skin is torn, do you take him to the vet or mend it yourself? The reason I ask is that Wendy tore a gash in her thigh (on our two week Gotchaversary!) and I panicked and raced to the E-Vet. $800 later she was neatly stitched up, was is fine, but it was done under general anesthesia, which is very scary to me. I wonder if those greyhound gashes can be safely dealt with at home.

[BootsyCollins]

I can't speak for Spud's mom, but when Argos gets dings and dents on his legs, which is frequently, I let him take care of them for the most part. Unless they look particularly bad and/or are really bleeding, I find that if I wash them once they heal up just fine.

[Guest StagnBob]

Self adhesive dressings

Vetrap

 

Because:

 

Having just had to deal with Becky chewing one of her pads, the vet gave her various tablets and some cream to put on the wound. Well there was no way she was going to let me apply cream!!!

 

I bought some self adhesive dressings, this enabled me to apply cream to dressing, wrap said dressing around foot and then wait for her to gallop to safety and settle before applying vetrap and then go on our walk. It has been far easier than the vet's suggestion of 'a childs sock' to keep it clean - no matter what I did, it kept falling off!!!

 

Lisa

[Guest Enna]

Can't speak for Spud's mom either, but I have definitely started tending my thin-skin hound's wounds at home.

 

Before I decide to treat at home, I go through a mental checklist--Is it in an area where the skin tends to be under tension? Is it in an area where a joint flexing will cause the wound to re-open or expand? Is it still bleeding excessively after basic first aid? Are there any areas where the skin gapes--leaving room for infection to develop behind the skin? If the answer to any of those is, "Yes," then I will likely go to the vet.

 

For many of the other wounds, I am more than adequately prepared to treat at home. We have all of the supplies we need, plus the perspective to know when it might be worth the $300 vet bill to have the wound site heal more quickly.

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showto...mp;hl=first+aid

 

 

Hope this helps Tremendously helpful, thank you.

 

 

You mention that Spud is...ummmm...accident prone? When he gets a gash where the skin is torn, do you take him to the vet or mend it yourself? The reason I ask is that Wendy tore a gash in her thigh (on our two week Gotchaversary!) and I panicked and raced to the E-Vet. $800 later she was neatly stitched up, was is fine, but it was done under general anesthesia, which is very scary to me. I wonder if those greyhound gashes can be safely dealt with at home.

 

 

We have never taken Spud in to the vet for gashes and wounds. They have never been v shaped though. Some have been more severe than others and often in awkward places that don't allow for easy bandaging.

 

Remember, that it looks bad regardless, but sometimes it really does just warrant some antibiotic spray and a muzzle to keep them from licking. If I was ever in doubt though, I'd take him into the vet's for sure.

 

I will say though that we are not the types to run to the vet for every little thing Big things yes, but not little things.