What's In Your First Aid Kit?

[Guest DMBFiredancer]

I am preparing myself for adoption and wanted to make sure I have a first aid kit in case of any cuts (reading a lot about how thin their skin is has got me thinking about being prepared!)

I was wondering if there is anything in your first aid kit that is different than regular stuff that would be in my human one....bandages, gauze pads, gauze rolls, etc.

Is there anything dog-specific I should be picking up?

 

Also, I assume I treat cuts and scrapes the same way I would for a human?

 

Thanks so much!

[45MPHK9]

We always have hydrogen peroxide in our kit. This will induce vomiting if your dog has eaten something they shouldn't have.

 

Oh, and lots of vet wrap.

[Guest DMBFiredancer]

Is Vet Wrap the same as the human Nexcare wrap?

Also, so I am prepared....how often does your grey get skin injuries that require you to pull out the kit? Or call the vet? Once a year? Or are cuts to skin an ongoing thing?

[rschultz]

lots of wrap, septic powder to stop bleeding

[Batmom]

Bandage scissors (blunt bulb on one side to slide under the bandage)

Tweezers / hemostats

Nail clippers

Extra muzzle, leash, harness, collar

Hydrogen peroxide (fresh!)

Saline or Nolvasan solution for washing a wound

Bactine

Cortisone cream

Triple antibiotic cream or SSD ointment

Bandage stuff -- Vet wrap, elastikon, nonstick gauze pads, thick cotton wrap, white medical tape

Oral meds -- Benadryl, Gas-X, Immodium, Endosorb, Metamucil wafers

 

The things I've used most often on the road are the bandage scissors and Immodium -- both for other folks' dogs, not mine . At home, I use the bandage scissors, Nolvasan, bandaging supplies, antibiotic/SSD, cortisone ......

Edited May 18, 2013 by Batmom

[rschultz]

Lexie usually only gets bad scrapes from running in the yard after squirrels ( we have a lot of mulch that I think kicks up) Twice she needed stitches, once from running in the winter in the ice and slid into an outside lamp. The other time was playing with a dog and the dog had on one of those metal collars and we think it open her skin up by her leg when lexie jumped over the dog. You can't really determine how often but as long as u keep the first aid on hand u will feel more prepared if something does occur.

[Guest june]

When I was a new owner I found myself at the vet a lot. Now if it's a scrape I clean it and if it absolutely needs it I bandage. I have an e-collar at home so if it is something I don't want them bothering I slip it on but usually the muzzle is enough. If it is something that looks like it will need stitches we go to the vet. I think how often depends on the dog. One of mine is accident prone and probably goes once a year for something unexpected. My other two hardly ever.

[Feisty49]

Is Vet Wrap the same as the human Nexcare wrap?

 

Also, so I am prepared....how often does your grey get skin injuries that require you to pull out the kit? Or call the vet? Once a year? Or are cuts to skin an ongoing thing?

I've had my girl almost 2 years and she's never had a skin injury requiring me or the vet to do anything. She did have a dew claw rip halfway out and because it was my first experience, I took her to the vet. Next time I'll handle it myself.

 

I must admit that one of the reasons, if not the major reason, Annie has never had skin rip is because she doesn't run with other dogs. She doesn't run much at all; her choice. If we go somewhere she can run, she tends to sniff allll over the entire area and then come to me to go home. We do walk in the woods a lot so she gets minor scraps but they don't bleed.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Feisty49

[brianamac]

This isn't meant to scare you, because I have certainly met greyhounds who let humans touch their cuts with no problem...

But we ordered an extra muzzle to keep in the car in case our boy gets a cut or injury while out and about. He screams bloody murder and snaps at anyone getting near even a tiny cut to clean it. We've learned to deal with it but a muzzle is necessary... so an extra one is something you may want to consider adding. Besides, it's awfully handy if you go to a hound play date and someone forgot their muzzle.

[Yamaha_gurl]

My bf, he's a paramedic

[Guest DMBFiredancer]

This isn't meant to scare you, because I have certainly met greyhounds who let humans touch their cuts with no problem...

But we ordered an extra muzzle to keep in the car in case our boy gets a cut or injury while out and about. He screams bloody murder and snaps at anyone getting near even a tiny cut to clean it. We've learned to deal with it but a muzzle is necessary... so an extra one is something you may want to consider adding. Besides, it's awfully handy if you go to a hound play date and someone forgot their muzzle.

 

Great advice. Thank you!

 

My bf, he's a paramedic

 

I wish I could throw my sister in there - she's one, too! I wonder if she will move from NJ to come into the kit?

[Riverhound]

Benedryl and Pepcid. Xanax for Joe's storm phobia. Leftover Rimadyl and Tramadol so we don't have to go to the vet for every tweaked joint. Paws brand booties, because they cut their feet more than anything else. Epsom salts and betadine to clean said cuts. Big ziplock bags to soak the cut feet.

 

The most important thing, IMHO, is pet insurance so you can take every issue to the vet until you get comfortable with the little things.

[a_daerr]

We have most of the same things listed above, but I also keep a tick key in ours. Ticks are rampant this year, and you gotta remove them the correct way.