Which Essential Items Should Pet First Aid Kits Include: A Guide for Cats & Dogs
What sort of items are essential items for a dog first aid kit?
Every responsible pet owner ought to possess a first aid kit to have at the ready when required, as being able to provide pre-veterinary emergency treatment can mean the difference between life and death. A smaller portable kit should also be on hand to take with you when you travel with your pet, for example.
As a minimum, your kit should contain: a digital thermometer, sterile bandages, cotton wool, wound dressings, and microporous tape to attach such dressings, or safety pins; antiseptic wipes, a couple of pairs of gloves; tweezers and tick removers; a foil blanket, a blanket to use as a stretcher, wound/eye wash, and blunt-ended (rounded) scissors.
Which wipes are essential for a dog first aid kit?
Anti-septic wipes are a must as they provide an excellent and accessible way of cleaning a wound of dirt and bacteria, thus trying to prevent infection from developing. They are very useful to carry with you and to use while out and about. Using a cotton wool ball soaked in a pet-friendly antiseptic such as Hibiscrub, is also an excellent way of cleaning a potentially contaminated wound. Avoid alcohol wipes as the alcohol can be absorbed into your dog’s bloodstream and can cause difficulties with breathing, gastric issues, and even seizures.
Which supplements are essential for a dog first aid kit?
As a general rule, supplements such as glucosamine for joints, take time to build up in the system to produce positive benefits. However, there are a couple of exceptions which are very handy to have to hand when a fast-acting effect is required. One of these is Zylkene - a calming supplement clinically proven to have calming properties to help your dog relax inside and outside the home. This can be given 1-2 days prior to the anticipated “stressful” event such as a car journey, or a holiday in a non-familiar environment.
Another example of a calming supplement is Pet Rescue Remedy - a homoeopathic remedy which can be administered to food or water as often as needed depending upon the level of stress.
YuMove Digestive Care Plus is also a very handy thing to have in your doggy first aid kit. It has unique pro-and-pre-biotic formulas and provides fast-acting digestive support for dogs, maintaining gut balance and binds bacteria and toxins, supporting the intestinal barrier, and can be used for those unexpected gastric upsets.
Are poop bags essential for a dog first aid kit?
An emergency supply of poop bags is never a bad idea!! Not just to be a responsible dog owner to clear up after your pet, but they can also be used as a hygienic way of disposing of soiled dressings, for example, and can be used as a makeshift dog-bootie should an injury to a nail/paw occur, for example, to try and keep the injured area clean!
Is Active Manuka Honey an essential item for a dog first aid kit?
Active Manuka Honey is a natural soothing cream containing a unique compound called “methylglyoxal” which provides an antibacterial layer which blocks many types of bacteria. It is easy to administer and hence is a very handy item to have in your doggy first aid kit. It can be applied to damaged skin areas to minimise bacterial infection, and a dressing is not required as it does not warm up and run off but sticks there to provide a waterproof layer over the damaged skin.
Is Select (Electrosan) Hypochlorous spray an essential item for a dog first aid kit?
Select (Electrosan) Hypochlorous spray is perfect for flushing and disinfecting cuts, skin irritation and abrasions, for cleaning post-surgical sites, and also for insect and tick bites. It does not harm animals if they lick it, and is an advanced disinfectant and antiseptic that kills up to 99.9999% of all known viruses, bacteria and spores. Additionally, bacteria cannot develop resistance to it. It comes in a ready-to-use formula, so requires no diluting down first, and kills harmful pathogens on contact so is very fast working. It is pH neutral meaning that it can be safely used on even the most sensitive of skins, and completely eliminates all smells including urine, without masking. It is therefore another very handy product to have in your first aid kit.
Is Hibiscrub an essential item for a dog first aid kit?
Hibiscrub is a high-quality and effective skin cleanser suitable for cats and dogs, as well as providing antiseptic hand washing prior to surgery, or touching injured animals - although sterile gloves should ideally always be worn when dealing with open wounds, to try and prevent the risk of introduction of infection. It is a very useful part of a basic first aid kit for pets, and prior to use, it should be diluted down as per the directions on the packaging, for when used in too high a concentration, can prove irritant. It should not be used for eye/oral injuries for this reason.
What sort of items are essential items for a cat first aid kit?
A basic cat first aid kit should comprise of: delf-adhesives/crepe bandage, sticky surgical tape, a box of cotton wool, and some absorbent gauze, a pair of curved scissors ( these are blunt-ended so are unlikely to accidentally cause damage to your cat), a thick towel for wrapping an injured/frightened cat up in, a bottle of saline solution for flushing out/washing wounds and a buster collar. The saline solution could be pre-prepared at a dilution rate of a teaspoon of salt dissolved in one pint of previously boiled water - freshly made is better - or purchased ready mixed solutions in sealed bottles are very convenient to have on standby in an emergency situation, when time may be of the essence.
Which wipes are essential for a cat first aid kit?
Antiseptic wipes are a must for cleaning contaminated wounds and thereby trying to minimise the risk of those wounds getting infected. Cats are not always the calmest, or patient of…patients….and therefore wipes which are individually wrapped in sealed, sterile packets are very useful here.
Which supplements are essential for a cat first aid kit?
Zylkene Calming supplements can be very useful when travelling with your cat, or when a cat goes into a new environment, such as a cattery, although ideally need to be on board at least a day or two prior to the anticipated “stressful” event. Feliway (pheromone) spray can also be very useful to have to hand should a cat be experiencing short-term anxiety issues, as is Pet Rescue Remedy (a completely natural, homoeopathic supplement).
Is Select (Electrosan) Hypochlorous spray an essential item for a cat first aid kit?
Select Hypochlorous spray is a fantastic product to keep in your emergency first aid kit for your kitty. It acts as a topical wound wash, an antibacterial treatment, promotes healing by reducing potential infection and is a preventative solution, by destroying pathogens before they have a chance to take hold. It can be used safely in cats which do suffer from sensitivities to Chlorhexidine based antiseptics such as Hibiscrub, which can cause irritation, tissue damage, and occasionally deafness also.
Is Hibiscrub an essential item for a cat first aid kit?
Due to the possible sensitivity of cats to Chlorhexidine based products, I would advise using Hypochlorous spray (which has a neutral pH) if possible before reaching for the Hibiscrub, although Hibiscrub would be better than nothing. Do be sure to follow the dilution rates on the packaging very carefully.
What other items may be sensible to stock in a first aid kit for pets?
Here are some more products that could be useful to have in your pet's first aid kit:
Styptic stick - for torn nails
CPR mask - should you ever need to attempt resuscitation
A syringe - for flushing wounds, or administering oral fluids in cases of dehydration
A whistle - to raise the alarm should help be required whilst you are out on a dog walk for example
A pill box - so that daily medications required for your pet don’t get missed
A rubber tourniquet - to potentially be used following an injury resulting in severe blood loss - always follow instructions carefully on how to use this
Wooden tongue depressors - to help view into the mouth in cases of obstruction, for example, to relieve swelling of the throat should there be an allergic reaction to a sting in the mouth - but take care not to get bitten in the process!
Medically reviewed by:
Sources
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/basic-first-aid-for-dogs
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/cat/basic-first-aid-for-cats
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/all-pets/first-aid-for-pets
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/11755/pdsa-pet-first-aid-guide.pdf
https://www.cathealth.com/cat-care/safety/1749-first-aid-cat-supplies
https://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/21573-things-in-dog-first-aid-kit