First Aid items for first holiday with pup

[tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz]

Afternoon all

we’re off to the east coast in a few weeks with pooch who will be 7 months old by then. He’s a border terrier.

There are several supermarkets and a few pet shops close by but I’m thinking a few first aid items could be helpful? I’ve not got any of this stuff in at home yet so probably handy to have anyway.

What may be most useful to have with us? So far I’m thinking balm for sore pads, antiseptic spray, tick remover?

Or am I being too PFB about this?!!! He’s our first pup 😁

Honestly, don’t overthink it. Salt though is your friend to clean any wounds (human or canine)

I never thought of doing this, ever 😂
I guess a tick removal tool if you know how to use it? And the address of the local vet.

I bought a dog first aid kit when I had my previous dog. He passed 4yrs ago and I've since rehomed an elderly lady who is always in the vets 🙄

The doggy kit is still in my cupboard, cellophane wrapped. I don't even know what's in it!

My advice is a portable water bottle, microfiber towel and one of those shower doodibs you can pop onto empty 2ltr drinks bottles filled with water to hose them down when they're covered in sand/seawater/mud.

Thanks folks these are all very sensible suggestions actually … I had a feeling I may have been overthinking!!!

Will make sure we have those Generally Useful Items with us 😁

See I was going to get one of those but actually I’ve never used one and thinking if I mess the removal up it’s worse than leaving until we can get to a vet (which I have a number for)?

Only thing I do is make sure I have the contact details of the nearest vet as I don't want to be googling if it's an emergency.

You can't really mess up removing a tick. Just make sure you 'unscrew' it and don't pull.
Depending on where you are going and where you'll be walking, a tick hook is a handy tool to have. I'm in Scotland, so tick removal is a daily occurrence.

@tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz same here, I've never used one and am scared to try. Easier to go to the vet if needed. And I'm a few dogs ahead of you.
I think a couple of big towels are always useful, we always pack these plus water and food bowls and poo bags and dog food. It is surprising how easy it is to forget the dog food when packing the car. In my defence, I never forget the dogs.

As someone who lives somewhere with a lot of ticks - you don't need to go to the vets for a tick bite, unless it looks infected or your pup is ill - neither of which I've seen with my dog despite taking several off him each day.

Removing a tick is pretty easy if you have a tick removal tool - you can get various different ones, I have a card with notches in, you just slip it between the tick and skin and pull it out. There will usually be a wee instructions with it. A tool is much easier than tweezers in my experience. The key (for humans too) is to use a tick removal tool rather than trying to remove them by the 'older' ways of covering them as that's a safer way of removing them.

I'm not sure in what world it's easier to go to the vet than remove a tick with a tool that costs 1.99.

My last holiday would have involved at least 10 vet visits if I took that approach.

We take some bandage tape, paw balm, aforementioned tick tool, and pro kolin or belly buddy in case of digestives upset, some tea trea creme for scratches and Leucillin antiseptic spray.

I mean easier as in some people say twist them when you remove and other say pull straight up. So if I get it wrong then I’ve made things worse.

But yes those items are good shouts too - Pro Kolin already in the bag 😁

Love this thread, I have a holiday packing list for my pup too

includes fox foo shampoo just in case and that bio enzyme spray for indoor furnishings in case of vomit!

take a spare collar in case it breaks (says the person who takes a spare pair of shoes in case my ones suddenly fall apart 😂)

Don’t go to a vet for a tick. When we were on holiday recently dog had about six ticks a day 😫 if you’re in a high tick area you’d spend the whole
holiday at the vets.
not first aid but I recommend enzymatic urine remover. First think our dog did when he woke up the first morning was cock his leg on the sofa even though he’s been toilet trained for months.

I wondered about getting a first aid kit after dog wore his claw down to the quick hiking in the Lake District. It didn’t bleed that much but apparently they can do and styptic powder or a bar of soap can stop the bleeding. I definitely thought some kind of antiseptic spray might be a good idea or cream as he also got blisters on his pads from pulling over all the rocks.

I wouldn’t bother with a kit. But, what I absolutely would find is a vet who will see you in routine hours and out of hours. Just because a vet does an out of hours service doesn’t mean they will see you.

There’s two vets near where I go on holiday (Norfolk coast) who operate an out of hours practice but last time I checked, it was for their existing customers only (this was last August). Ditto, they also won’t see emergency day patients.

My local vet is the same - when I asked about it they said it was partly insurance and partly capacity.

We don’t have a dog any more but still always carry a tick card in our rucksack, as does our young adult DD. I’ve never picked up a tick but she had one in Scotland this year and DH has had quite a few over the years. The card is very easy to use.
I don’t know if ticks are much of an issue on the east coast but carrying a bit of plastic the size of a credit card is a no-brainer if you walk off hard paths anywhere with sheep or deer.

Dr Beckman stuff is indeed on the list!

Now that’s useful to know and I’ll call and check ahead, thanks

Thanks everyone some helpful stuff here

NW Wales here. We always carry a tick tool, you can’t really mess them up if you do what it says on the card (unless you’re using it on the cat, who won’t sit still, in which case it’s another story) but our dogs have always sat still for them.

I picked up a doggy FA kit from Pets at Home, but that’s mainly because I tend to go overboard am a bit of an over-prepared idiot when it comes to First Aid.

We always take a roll of vet wrap with us, and have used it a few times whilst away. We have Labradors, do lots of hiking and one of the dogs has torn their paw a few times so vet wrap has been essential!
I think it depends on the type of holiday you’re going on and what you’ll be doing but you won’t need to take much

We always carry vet wrap and some soffban too, I've experienced dogs ripping off claws and seen one that practically skinned itself on a stick, vetwrap was useful until you could get to a vet.

Great post. I have a doggie first aid kit at home and always take it away with me. Otherwise as soon as I get away a problem will crop up and I’ll be searching for items I already have at home. It consists of

hibiscrub for cleaning wounds or any kind of skin issue like hot spots
leucillin spray also for wounds
otodex for itchy ears - lab gets this a lot
cold tea bags for itchy eyes
(salt water is an ok replacement for above four if you are stuck)
tick remover
piriton - I take these with me on every dog walk in case of snake bite bits also good for insect bites or stings
I don’t have pro kolin in but it’s v good if your dog has tummy issues

I barely ever go to the vet.

I’m off to add vet wrap to my kit, great tip.

Honestly, my dog is 8 years now and has never needed first aid. Pure money making racket, if summits up that's what vets are for.