Always prepared

If you share your home with a canine companion/working dog you should always have a canine first aid kit on hand! Many of us who spend much of our time outdoors with our companions carry a canine first aid kit in our vehicles as well. We never know if our companion might step on something, fall, encounter another animal, etc.  

 Below are items I carry in my first aid kits.

•  Phone numbers: your veterinarian, poison-control center or hotline (such as the ASPCA  poison-control center, which can be reached at 1-800-426-4435)
•  Paperwork for your pet (in a waterproof container or bag): proof of rabies-vaccination status, copies of other important medical records and a current photo of your pet (in case he gets lost)
• Nylon leash
• Self-cling bandage (bandage that stretches and sticks to itself but not to fur—available at pet stores and from pet-supply catalogs)
• Muzzle or strips of cloth to prevent biting (don't use this if your pet is vomiting, choking, coughing or otherwise having difficulty breathing)

Basic first-aid supplies

• Absorbent gauze pads
• Adhesive tape
• Antiseptic wipes, lotion, powder or spray
• Blanket (a foil emergency blanket)
• Cotton balls or swabs
• Gauze rolls
• Hydrogen peroxide (to induce vomiting—do this only when directed by a veterinarian or a poison-control expert)
• Ice pack
• Non-latex disposable gloves
• Petroleum jelly (to lubricate the 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

Other useful items

• (Benadryl®), if approved by a veterinarian for allergic reactions. A veterinarian must tell you the correct dosage for your pet's size.
• Ear-cleaning solution
• Expired credit card or sample credit card (from direct-mail credit-card offers) to scrape away insect stingers
• Glucose paste or corn syrup (for diabetic dogs or those with low blood sugar)
• Nail clippers
• Non-prescription antibiotic ointment
• Penlight or flashlight
• Plastic eyedropper or syringe
• Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) to clean the thermometer
• Splints and tongue depressors
• Styptic powder or pencil (sold at veterinary hospitals, pet-supply stores, and your local pharmacy)
• Temporary identification tag (to put your local contact information on your pet's collar when you travel)
• Towels
• Needle-nosed pliers