[Lynn Cheffins]

I just got finished packing up the truck for the season and had to do pretty much a complete "re-do" of the first aid kit. I do keep a separate kit for dog foot care items as that gets used the most but I have combined the human/dog fa kit so as to only have to carry one kit on the rig/sled and not drag along alot of duplicate items. (People don't generally mind being wrapped up in pink Vetwrap and no one EVER asks to use the thermometre :-&!) I'm just wondering what everyone else considers the essentials for canine first aid items.

 

[Sarah Hall]

I usually carry 3 FA kits wherever I go. Call me parinoid, but I'd rather be safe(r) than sorry. My first is an infant/small child FA kit that contains syrup of epicac, kid-friendly medicines, etc.. My second is a FA kit like those that you will see paramedics carry (bought it at a hospital supply store w/ my special badge). And my 3rd is my Canine first aid kit. The kit contains:
Cotton gauze bandage wrap, 1" & 2" widths
Vet Wrap, 2" & 4" width
roll cotton batting
First-aid tape
Ace bandage
Eye-rinsing solution
Cotton gauze dressing pads 3" x 3"
Small bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide
Regular & Butterfly Band-Aids
Canine rectal thermometer
Vaseline (for thermometer)
Cotton swabs or Q-Tips
Antibiotic ointment for eyes
Antibiotic ointment for skin
Betadine solution for fresh cuts
Panalog
Alcohol swabs
Benadryl
buffered aspirin
activated charcoal tabs
Rescue Remedy
Iodine tablets
Ear-cleaning solution
Bar of antibacterial soap
Pepto-Bismol tablets
Immodium
New-Skin liquid bandage
Gentocin topical spray or a hydrocortisone topical spray
Epsom salts
Needle and thread (and suture)
Safety pins in several sizes
Space blanket
Velcro muzzle
Syringe
Single-edge Razor blade
Small, blunt-end scissors
Matches
Tweezers
moist towelettes (I steal them from Sonny's BBQ. shhh!!)
syringes
small hand towels
disposable razors
Hemostat
Instant ice packs (2)
Shoestring or latex tourniquet
Collapsable bowl for water
AND OF COURSE A COPY OF EACH ANIMAL'S VET RECORDS, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTED MEDICATIONS!

 

[Nancy Jocoy]

Additions:

I am going to add a stapler to mine - In the woods it can patch up a big tear until you can get to the vet and I learned how to use one this weekend at a SAR conference.

Superglue for torn pads (You have to pull the wound together and superglue the outside edges.

Thinking of adding an appropriately sized foal tube (plastic tube) for emptying the stomach if we get bloat. The word I got from the ER vet who gave our K9 first aid class was it can be a lifesaver (still would get to vet afterwards) but it will buy you time on the way. She says Gas-x is worthless for a dog if they start to bloat.

Benedryl for snake bites and bee stings at 25mg per lb dose

Ipecac (you CAN stil buy it; they took it off the shelf due to anorexics and it is now a special order item) -I just added it because they are not putting it in kid kids nowadays.

One pint sterile saline for irrigation of wounds or eye damage. Plastic cup to cover a major eye damage.

We usually have some heavy duty stuff at the truck like IV fluids etc. but then one of our team members is a nurse anesthetist.

For the vet wrap you really need to make sure it does not get squashed because once it does it is almost impossible to unroll.

I do not have a tourniquet in my kit.

Duck tape (Duck brand Duct tape) - Cant leave home without it - you can fix your car or make a mean splint with the use of that stuff.

 

[Bob Scott]

When I was doing a lot of earth work with my terriers we always kept an IV and ringers solution for skunked dogs.
In the groud, the dog can get such a concentrated hit that it can cause toxic shock and actually kill the dog in a few days after you think all is well.
I've heard of one, above ground **** hound that died from a full face skunk hit. Not very common....BUT!

 

[Sarah Hall]

I have Tear Mender for torn ears/paw pads. I also do have duct tape and usually have some sort of splint materials (usually scaps brought home by my fiance from his worksites). I've once had to make a stretcher from duct tape and tree limbs. Wish I had a picture of it, but it worked very well!

 

[David Frost]

Ours has most of what was listed. In addition, the drug dog handlers carry valium, narcan and atropine. Used in case of accidental ingestion of a drug.

DFrost