Traveling First Aid For Dawgs

The 2 brown dawgs travel with their very own bag and inside the bag is a first aid kit. Between hunt tests and hunting, the 2 brown dawgs spend a lot of time out in the middle of nowhere. There are times we have had to administer first aid to them out in the field. The most recent time was at Storm’s last hunt test when she fell over the log and came up limping. We gave her a buffered aspirin. Another time, we had to administer to Thunder for a cut pad after a walk through the woods. Using items from the first aid kit, we were able to clean and wrap the foot enough to get it to stop bleeding. We also have items for people too, namely pain killers and allergy medications. When stuck out in a field for the day, you just never know. 🙂

There are many prepackaged first aid kits on the market that are geared toward pet first aid. They are a range of prices and offer basic supplies to trauma kits. Depending on what you want, they are all good options. However, we opted to make up our own kit, because we wanted certain supplies in ours.

We started with the case which is an inexpensive ammo case from one of the local sporting goods stores, (about $12). We liked the case because it has small compartment on the top for items that we like to keep handy.

In this compartment we have:

Hand Sanitizer
Benadryl Spray
Neosporin Spray
Sunscreen
Aleve (for people)

The box opens and has a tray and a larger compartment in the bottom.

You will notice that we put a lot of the items in plastic bags. This is to keep them neat and dry should we need to use them in the field during bad weather.

Some of the things in the tray:

Thermometer (very important)
Styptic Powder
Vet Wrap (if you use vet wrap, make sure you you do not put it on too tightly)
Scissors
Forceps
Tweezers
Tape
Antiseptic Wipes
Latex Gloves
Eye Dropper
Antiseptic Cream
Band-aides
Cotton Swabs
Imodium, GasX, Antihistamine (for people)
Off Wipes (for people)

In the bottom compartment:

Wet Ones
Saline (for rinsing eyes or wounds)
Band aids, Gauze, Cotton Batting, Cotton Balls
A Pair Of Socks (for covering wounds or wraps)
Cold Pack
Hydrogen Peroxide
PVP Iodine
Buffered Aspirin
Pepcid
Benadryl Tablets
EMT Gel (if you buy one first aid item for a field dog, this is it)
Tuf Foot
Flys-Off
Basic First Aid Instructions and Medication Dosages

If you include medications in your kit, it is a good idea to check with your vet, or online, for the proper dosages and then make a list and include it. We have been fortunate to attend a couple different seminars about dog first aid. These seminars were presented by vets and as part of the presentation there were handouts with basic first aid information, including suggestions about when you can treat something in the field or at home, and when you need to seek out a vet. We also received a list of dosages for various medications which are based on weight. Also, if you include medications in your kit, remember to check expiration dates once a year to make sure nothing is too far out of date.

Taking the time to assemble a first kit is well worth the trouble should you find yourself in need of one.

Storm 9-2011 — OK Enough Talking. Can't We Get Going Already?

Healthy To-Do: Update Your First Aid Kit (fitsugar.com)
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A Day Hiker Carries a First Aid Kit (diaryofadayhiker.wordpress.com)

17 thoughts on “Traveling First Aid For Dawgs”

I think the first aid box is an absolutely great idea. You just never know what may happen and it always good to be prepared… There is nothing worse then being caught up in a middle of a crisis and running around aimlessy and not having anything handy to deal with it…:)

Awesome Kit – there were a few things you mention I am going to add to mine – thank you!!

Believe it or not, I do not have a first aid kit, but I definitely need to make one! Thank you for posting this, I now know what I must have!!

Wow, you guys sure are prepared, very impressive!!

Still, it is a little disappointing for me the bag wasn’t just filled with food, Tee Hee 🙂

Your pal Snoopy 🙂

I couldn’t agree more on the first aid box, however when I pull mine out Riva heads for the hills 🙂

This is a great idea! We’ll definitely be putting together a travel first aid kit for Daisy. We’d never thought about it before – thank you!! 🙂

Very smart to travel with a first aid kit! Always best to be cautious!

Just been catching up on your last few posts! First of all – big congratulations on the ribbon! Well done, Storm!! And we loved their hunting apparel – very snazzy! 🙂 It’s also been very interesting having a tour of your travel bag but I have to say – wow – we were so impressed with how organised you are, especially with the first aid kit! My human can barely get a first aid kit together for themselves in the house, never mind one for pets on go! 🙂

Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane

Great and informative post! We have a stationary First Aid Kit here, but what a great suggestion for a traveling one. Am sharing with our Facebook & Twitter followers! Thank you!

Great post!! We too carry around a very similar first-aid kit, as you never know when you may need it.

Great post with tons of very important and needed information. This is a great list of items needed, why they are needed, and how to best organize them for the health and safety of our pups. Excellent!

You all are well prepared when you are out and about. That brown bag holds a lot of very important things. Hugs and nose kisses

Well fancy that, I have the exact same Ammo box for our first aid kit. I need to get a second one and stock it for the field. Wish things were’t so darn expensive to put together, but in the end it is totally worth it. The two times I have needed it I did not have it with me… Let’s just hope that since I have a mini one in the car I won’t need it now. I need to make some additions though after seeing yours. Also it looks like you have Betadine Scrub in the bottom compartment too which was not on the list and is important.
Thanks for the post I will put this on my to do list.
Anna
http://www.akginspiration.com