A dog first aid kit might prove vital when you have no vet access, but how do you know what it should contain? An injured dog is unpleasant to see and it's not like a first aid kit can prevent this but it can certainly help in such a situation. With that said, what should be in a dog first aid kit?

What Should Be In a Dog First Aid Kit? 

A dog first aid kit should contain:

• Dog First Aid Saline Pods
• Dog First Aid Dressing Bandages with Ties
• Dog First Aid Foil Blanket
• Dog First Aid Gauze Swabs
• Dog First Aid Microporous Tape
• Dog First Aid Conforming Bandage
• Dog First Aid Gloves
• Dog First Aid Alcohol Free Wipes
• First Aid Scissors
• First Aid Tweezers

Meeting a panicked pet owner with an injured dog is not a nice situation to be in. It's even worse if that panicked dog owner happens to be you. You know that sinking feeling you get because there's no vet to help? Find out how one small, cheap item could be a game changer for you and all you have to do is know what contents should be in a dog first aid kit, how to use them and then place the kit in your backpack or car. 

Dog First Aid Kit - £14.99

What Does a Dog First Aid Kit Look Like? 

Dog First Aid Saline Pods 

Saline pods for dogs are great for washing out small foreign bodies from a wound. If your pet is injured with a wound and you are out on an adventure, you must clean the area before you bandage it up. A saline solution is simply a mixture of salt and water. It will typically contain under 1 percent (0.9) of sodium chloride. It's a great item to have with you as it has a variety of medical uses. 

Dog First Aid Dressing Bandages with Ties

Great for protecting a wound. A little tip, if the wound is around the paw, try to place some little pieces of cotton wool between each of the toes including the Dew-Claw if you need to prevent swelling. . 

Dog First Aid Foil Blanket 

These are used with marathon runners at the end of races. They are great to keep your pets warm, will help to prevent shock after an injury, keeps them warm. If you have to wait with them for an emergency service, then this could be a life saver. Try to keep it comfortably tight on them. 

Dog First Aid Gauze Swabs

These are made of an open-weave cotton material and are applied to lacerations or burns where other materials could stick to the injury. Gauze is made from blood protein fibrinogen which will dissolve over time. 

Dog First Aid Microporous Tape 

It's used instead of plasters or band aids. It is a very soft paper and is nice and sticky and good for use on bandages because the material used has little pore holes in it which are tiny in diameter. These pores make the tape breathable which helps to further promote healing for a better chance to have the injury recover rather than tape which just closes everything up.

When you think about dog injuries you need to remember they are obviously a little more furry than us! The tape is gentle on the skin and easier to keep applying and removing without really pulling like traditional tape. It is used on older people with sensitive skin and hence is good for dogs as it doesn't rip out their fur on removal. 

Dog First Aid Conforming Bandage 

These stretch and mould to body contours and grip to themselves. As dogs come in all shapes and sizes and their legs and other body areas are in different shapes and sizes, the bandage can conform to their needs which is helpful when you are trying to apply a bandage to one of them awkward areas. 

Dog First Aid Gloves 

These are necessary when it comes to administering first aid. It will help to ensure the wound remains clean when you are working on it. 

Dog First Aid Alcohol Free Wipes 

Alcohol free wipes are great for cleaning your hands and an area to be treated. The wipes will kill 99.9% of bacteria and if you are going to treat an open wound you need to ensure your hands are bacteria free first. 

First Aid Scissors 

Scissors can be used for removing bandages, or cutting bandages and other materials to ensure you use the right amount to protect a wound.  

First Aid Tweezers 

Tweezers will be your best friend in some situations. if Shards of glass or other foreign items are in a wound, you will need these and a sterile environment to remove the objects before you can bandage up an injury. 

How Much Does A Dog First Aid Kit Cost?  

You can buy a pre-packed dog first aid kit from Travfurler for £14.99 with a refill kit costing £8.99. The first aid kit will contain everything you need for a dog first aid situation and refill kits are available too. 

Dog First Aid Kit - £14.99

How Many Dog Injuries Occur a Year? 

According to PetMD.com "An estimated 86,629 fall injuries associated with cats and dogs occurred in the United States each year from 2001 to 2006". 

What Are Common Dog Injuries?

It doesn't tend to be a twisted ankle or eye injury for dogs. Bite wounds and lacerations from a fight or attack are typically seen. Such injuries will leave open wounds, bacteria, saw areas of skin and will need cleaning and bandaging to protect the wound and to allow it to heal. 

Where Do Dog Injuries Happen? 

Dog injuries are more likely to happen when the terrain becomes more difficult to navigate. If you are on flat fields then the potential for injury is low, however if you are hiking up Snowden in Wales with them, then bumpy terrain, windy weather or hot weather, rain, slippery surfaces, glass and other foreign items all add to the risk. However, typically on dog walks more injuries happen to those of us walking the dogs than the dogs themselves. This can be caused by dogs pulling or by the dog walker suddenly jerking or tugging on the lead which can cause repetitive strains to the muscles and tendons of the shoulders. 

What Details Do I Need With Me On A Dog Walk?  

Here is a list of pet first aid items useful to you when adventuring with your pets but first make sure you have done the following:

Write down;

• a vets details close to your destination
• Your vets details 
• Any emails or phone numbers that will be useful 
• Your location and co-ordinates in case someone needs to come to you

See What Our Customers Had To Say

★★★★★

We absolutely recommend this for any adventure pet! We take it on our big adventures it’s small and compact and fits in a rucksack easily! It’s full of lots of products to help in any minor accident. Luckily we haven’t had to use it yet although I always feel prepared when I’m up a mountain with Buddha if there were any injuries to occur. A MUST HAVE! 5 stars.
Thank you.

I was so impressed with the quality and thought put into the first aid kit. As soon as i opened it i was delightfully surprised how many cool things were in there for absolutely ANY emergency that could happen on a cat adventure !

The first aid kit is very practical for taking on walks, can be carried or clipped to your belt. Very compact and all you need if you needed to treat your pet for something minor or until you could get it to a vet.

Dog First Aid Kit - £14.99

Related Questions 

Why take a dog first aid course?

The same reason you would take a human first aid course. It gives you the confidence and ability to react quickly and efficiently to a dog that has been involved in an incident or urgent injury. We know that when you travel, it could be anywhere from a city through to the middle of nowhere and your actions and preparations could make all the difference. 

How much is a dog first aid course and which dog first aid course should I attend?

If you want to look into a first aid course for some training away from the books then try First Aid for Pets 

Conclusion

To conclude, we hope you never have to use a first aid kit for your dogs. However, should the occasion arise as it could do for any Travfurler we would like to ensure you are prepared to handle the drama in a calm and confident manner. 

Happy and safe Travfurling! 

Resources

FirstVet has some free consultations with certain pet insurance providers.

Stay safe when travelling with your pets remember to tag us on instagram in your adventures @Travfurler.