Dog 1st aid kit- what to buy?

[Hairyfriend]

Just that really. Are there any must haves? Things not to bother with? I'd obviously take a dog to a vet, but work in human healthcare, so seems natural to have a 1st aid kit for our furry friend too.

You can buy canine first aid kits online for less than £20 - much easier than making up your own!

A few things I have always used are sudocreme (make sure to rub in so they can't lick it) piriton for stings, a tick removal tool and Thornit powder. Magical stuff for ears (and paws). I also have an apple cider vinegar gel for animals to soothe and reduce irritation.
I live with a medic so always have a supply of dressings and have had to use them on old dog when he burst a growth (always on a bank holiday, he was a very expensive dog!)

Leucillin antiseptic
Tick removers in a couple of sizes
Thornit powder
Tub of cornflour (acts as an anticoagulant for any mishaps when clipping nails)

Pro-kolin or similar for upset stomachs

After our experience last weekend, wire cutters and bandages will now be packed for walks 🤦🏻‍♀️

I keep a sort of human/dog first aid kit, one in the house, one in the car. It includes:

Gloves
Tick remover
Tweezers
Medical scissors (blunt ended)
Digital thermometer
Safety pins
Space blanket
Plasters, finger wraps and blister pads (for humans)
Paracetamol and ibuprofen (for humans)
Imodium (for humans)
Arnicare (for humans)
Germolene (for humans)
Anthisan (for humans)
Electrolyte gel
Folded lightweight sling (humans obviously!)
Non adhesive sterile dressing pads in a few sizes
Elastic/conforming bandage
Cohesive bandage
Roll of sterile cotton wool padding
Micropore tape
Small plastic sandwich bags to use as paw covers
Alcohol free antiseptic wipe pouches
Sterile wound wash pods
Eye wash pods
Leucillin antiseptic drops
Piriton (for humans and dogs)
Oral syringe
A small, shallow dish
Small bottle of water
Mine also contain salt sachets, as both myself and ds have a health issue that requires us to salt load and sometimes we need salt acutely.
Lightweight slip lead (I have this in case of finding lost dogs, as we used to find them constantly where we used to live)

I have a second kit and spares in the house, plus probiotic paste, electrolyte solution, hibiscrub and hexarinse.

The household one is split into a specific wound care/dressing kit and the main household kit. The main one has more human related meds.

For hikes I have a smaller version that fits in a small make-up bag size pouch and contains basic dressings and single doses of things like the piriton. Just enough to get us back to the car really.

@endoflevelbaddy

After our experience last weekend, wire cutters and bandages will now be packed for walks 🤦🏻‍♀️

Oh no! That doesn’t sound good. Hope you and your dog are ok.

Piriton
Sterile saline (to rinse eyes and wounds)
Low-adhesive pads or burn dressings
Cotton wool bandage
Crepe bandage
Vet wrap
Antiseptic wound powder
Plastic gloves
Wire cutters
Tweezers
Antiseptic eg Leucillin
Scissors
Adhesive tape (I have a couple of varieties)
Tick remover
Paw cover (either a very sturdy plastic bag, or a little boot)

I put two of my own together, one for car, one for house. It cost more than buying ready-made ones, but mine were more comprehensive and I had lots of extra vet wrap etc left.

Also look out for canine first aid courses. I went to one run by a vet which was really interesting and helpful.

I forgot the antiseptic wipes whilst x-posting!

@Grumpyosaurus I agree re first aid courses. I did mine as part of the health component of a canine studies course. To pass you has to put together a home, car and hiking first aid kit, hence my having all three.

The bandaging skills came into their own when we had a young Lurcher with faulty brakes and thin skin! Plus, thanks to said Lurcher, my vets have seen what I can do and are ok with me doing my own dressing changes, which has proved useful over the years as well, especially during lockdown with a dog that needed daily dressing changes.

I got a first aid kit as part of a canine first aid course but honestly mine is a pain to try to keep still to examine so haven't used it as I just go to the vets.

Great thread!! Thank you.

I used the human one . Mostly antiseptic wipes, non adhesive dressing, tape and bandages over the years, bought dog pain killers a couple of times

Not sure if been mentioned but a muzzle is useful, dog in pain may snap.

As a vet all I keep at home is some non adhesive sterile dressings and Conforming bandage. Confirming bandage can be turned in to a loop muzzle in an emergency.