Fear not, fellow dogs and humans!
Boss got down to the bottom of this.
A dog "furr"st-aid kit is just as important as a human first-aid kit. We all have similar organs, skin, tissues, etc, and we all participate in similar activities. Hiking, climbing, swimming, running, the list could go on. When we all went camping in July, Small Boss took a huge fall down a rock face (and I'm not exaggerating) when we were trying to get to the top of a scenic overlook. She fell/rolled/splattered about 15 feet down, with her really nice camera in hand, so naturally, she tried to save that. Whoops.
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| View from where the overlook is- just don't fall down part of it! |
She ended up being stopped by a tree trunk, thank goodness. She was pretty cut up, though. She only sustained minor injuries, but after the incident, we all were looking for a few bandages to cover up the wounds. Hmmmm. All the Bosses forgot to bring any first-aid equipment!
Bad idea.
So...Boss ended up hiking another 2-3 miles with open wounds. Had they thought about packing some first-aid supplies, she probably would've been a bit more content walking back. Which gets to my point here:
What if me, as a dog, got hurt? What if I got stung by a bee? Fell down a rock face? Got caught on something? Scratched myself really good?
Enter the thought of packing some doggie "furr"st-aid supplies. Taking care of us fluffies is just as important as the humans. Someone wise once told me "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Can't we prevent worsening symptoms by planning for the worst?
Absolutely!
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| Beautiful nature also brings dangers- like all those pointy rocks! |
Now, you've got to be wondering: "What do I pack in my "furr"st-aid kit?
Wonder no longer! Here is what we have put together as our little "furr"st-aid kit!
- Benadryl (ask your veterinarian what the appropriate dose would be for your fluffy friend)
- Gauze bandages
- A paper with vet phone numbers and emergency contacts (nearest emergency vet to your location, poison hotline, etc)
- Vet records (we made a copy and put them in a ziploc bag)
- Extra leash- you never know what could happen!
- Coban Wrap- this stuff is nice because it sticks to itself, not to fur.
- Disposable gloves (we used latex ones since we're not allergic to them)
- Hydrogen Peroxide
Things we have on our trips, but are not in the specific dog bag:
- Tweezers
- Antiseptic
- Cotton balls
- Scissors (the kind that don't have pointy ends)
- Antibiotic ointment (the kind you can get from the store)
- Flashlight
- Needle-nose pliers
This is merely a list that I thought would be nice, however, the Humane Society has a great list of some possible things to think about packing, whether it be in your doggie "furr"st aid kit, your human "furr"st-aid kit, or in both. Ours will probably change in materials over time, too, as we learn new information. Long story short, be prepared!
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| I love camping, staying active, and being prepared! :) |
Chow!
Excellent post. We have an extensive first aid kit that we travel with when we take our car to hunt or to hunt tests. I have done a couple of posts on our kit over the years. Hubby also takes a small one in his gear bag when he goes duck hinting. We use our kit quite often. In fact on vacation last week I had to dig out some buffered aspirin to treat Freighter's cold tail. One thing I added just this year was a soft muzzle. If a bad injury happens, sometimes dogs panic and we don't want to risk a bite.
ReplyDeleteOh, muzzle's a great idea! It's better to keep safe as the human, too...can't forget about that! I know I'd never want to bite my Boss, but......if I were in enough pain, anything can happen. Great point!
DeleteGood thinking. We worry more about things happening on our daily walks and runs, so the cell is usually along for emergencies. About 2 years ago, Mom carried me a mile home because I got stung by a bee on the bottom of my paw and refused to walk. She was worried I might have a reaction, so she powered up all her muscles and did it. It can be scary. Good to have your first aid kit if you are out on a trip, though. Thanks for joining the hop!
ReplyDeleteThat's so important, too! Boss probably wouldn't enjoy carrying me, since I'm 53 pounds! But I'm sure she'd do it out of love! ;-) Being prepared makes the scary moments a little more comforting though, I'm sure!
DeleteAlways better to 'Be Prepared" as the Boy Scouts say - great list of things to keep handy.
ReplyDeleteYou bet! Big Boss is an Eagle Scout, so he's very concerned about having everything prepared! Of course, except the one time someone gets hurt, there's no first-aid! ;-) haha!
DeleteGreat suggestions! We never go too far away from our car since most of the trails we're on are big loops, so it's pretty easy to get back--but when we went on our adventure in unfamiliar territory this summer, I got a little dog first aid pouch to stick in our back in case we couldn't get back to the car easily--it's got a lot of these items plus some medicated wipes to clean injuries easily. Luckily, we haven't had to use it yet, but it stays in our little backpack for all of our adventures now!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea! Now that we have this in mind, I don't think we'll go very far without bringing something along. Hey, maybe even one that stays in the car would be good too...just in case we're out and about and either me or another furry friend needs a little "furr"st aid! There will always be one in the camping backpack for us, too. :)
DeleteGreat idea! It's always better to be over prepared then stranded!
ReplyDeleteYou're exactly right!
DeleteI usually carry a small first aid kit. I need to remember to put in back in my pack.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! We have to still find a bag to fit these things into- something that's really convenient and hard to forget! :)
DeleteWe have a combined human and dog hiking first aid kit that Huxley usually carries in his pack: http://www.cascadiannomads.com/pet-adventure-blog/kit-updating-our-perfectly-complete-do-it-yourself-pet-first-aid-kit Fortunately I have only ever used two items in it- the tick spoon and antiseptic wipes. Hopefully when I update it each year, it will keep being mostly unused!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a great post about your "furr"st-aid kit! The tick spoon would be a good thing to pack- sometimes, the woods/prairies in Minnesota can be thick with them! Yikes! We're hoping ours never gets used, either! :)
DeleteGreat post! I furrst Aid kit is a must when traveling or going hiking. I don't have Benadryl in mine but that's a great idea for bee stings. My vet recommended Benadryl for children.
ReplyDeleteLove & Biscuits,
Cathy, Isis & Phoebe
www.dogsluvusandweluvthem.blogspot.com
That's a great idea! I can't believe Bosses didn't hike with one of these for longer- even for themselves! These guys gotta wise up! :)
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