We spend a lot of time with our dogs in out-of-the-way places so we always travel with a first aid kit.  Even if you are a homebody, it is important to have a first aid kit with dog appropriate supplies.

You can buy ready-made kits but if you are like us, you may find they have things you don’t need and are missing things that you want to include in your kit.  So why not make your own?

2014-First Aid Button

First you need a sturdy container.  The size of the container you choose depends on how many supplies you want to include in your kit.

Sturdy Plastic Case
Sturdy Plastic Case

Obviously, if you are hiking you will need to pick and choose and just bring the basics.  You will want to find a light weight water proof container that fits easily in a pack.

We generally travel with our kit in our car so we found a durable plastic ammo case.  This works well because it is fairly indestructible, water-resistant, and is not too heavy.  It also has a removable tray that helps to keep things organized.

In our kit we include items for both dogs and people.  You never know when you might need a band-aid or a cold pack.

Here are some of the things that you may want to consider including in your kit:

First Aid Supplies
First Aid Supplies
  • Digital Thermometer
  • Scissors
  • Forceps
  • Tweezers
  • Tick Key

2014-First Aid 3

  • Gauze, Cotton Batting, Cotton Balls, Cottons Swabs
  • Tape
  • Vet Wrap
  • Latex Gloves
  • Eye Dropper Or Large Syringe
  • Skin Stapler
  • Styptic Powder
  • Antiseptic Cream
  • Antiseptic Wipes
  • Cold Pack
  • Benadryl Spray
  • Neosporin Or Antibiotic Ointment
  • Imodium, Gas-X, Pepcid, Antihistamine, Benadryl Tablets
  • Buffered Aspirin

2014-First Aid 4

  • EMT Gel
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Betadine Solution
  • Tuf Foot
  • Sterile Saline (for rinsing wounds or eyes)
  • A Pair Of Socks (for covering wounds or wraps)
  • Band-aids
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Wet Ones
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect Repellent
  • Basic First Aid Instructions And Medication Dosages Appropriate For Dogs
  • Important Phone Numbers (the vet, poison control)
  • Vaccination Records And Micro-chip Information
  • Extra Leashes And Collars

Note:  It is important to review your supplies once or twice a year to replenish used items, replace damaged items and replace expired medications.

HANDY TIP:  Use a permanent marker to write the expiration date on medications and items with a limited shelf life such as saline or hydrogen peroxide.

The above list is just to help you get started.  The important thing is to decide which items are necessary for your kit.  Once you have your list, making a kit is easy!

Do you have a first aid kit for your dog?

Is there any thing you would add to the list?

43 thoughts on “Make A First Aid Kit For Your Dog”

  2. Wow, really love this! It’s so detailed and something I’ve never thought of doing before. Will be sharing 🙂

  3. We too travel a lot of places with our dogs and many are out of the way. We average about 30 weekends a year on the road and most of those are with the dogs. I keep one on the RV and one in my car. The things that I have actually used when on the road are the Benadryl tablets…if there is a bee, it will find Biddy! And I’ve also used the pepto…Tristan can get a nervous stomach. I had written a post about this a while back…my tip: write the dosage down for each of your dogs for the OTC meds. Your vet or vet tech can give you this information over the phone…I can never remember how much Benadryl, how much pepto is safe for my dogs. So when your dog gets stung by a bee in a campground in the middle if no where on a Sunday…you are ready! Having my first aid kit has saved me more than once from having to see a strange vet or after hours vet. We are lucky, we have a 24 hour vet so I can always call with questions…but sometimes there is no cell service 🙂

    1. Excellent idea about writing dosages down. We keep our dosages on a separate sheet which we received at a field first aid seminar from a vet. I used to keep pepto, but now keep the Imodium which is what the repro vet prescribed for Storm when she was having issues while pregnant. It takes less space than pepto….lol…but pepto works great too.

  4. That’s a great list of supplies. We could be more prepared than we are, we carry a little bit of stuff when we hike.

  5. Great post and great list. So often (in the past) I would be out on a hike and find the need for something and just have to race home because I didn’t have a great pack like this. Very helpful. Sharing.

    1. My hubby takes a very small kit when he goes waterfowl hunting. It fits in his bag. It contains mostly wound care stuff.

  7. That is a awesome kit and I love the box, hopefully you won’t be collecting bones, lol. I can’t believe you got all that stuff in that box, I have all my stuff in a hugh rubbermaid container. It keeps getting bigger as i always need something I don’t have so it gets put in the next time. Being the technician I have a tourniquet and a stethascope. I will jog out and look at my box and will reply again if I got some other stuff.

  8. That is a great idea and probably a lot cheaper than buying one already made up. We are going to print out the list and check to see what we have got or not. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
    Best wishes Molly

  9. We have a plastic container at home with useful stuff in it. We try to remember to take a few basics on a hike, but don’t always remember.

  11. Pawsome idea, guys! You have loads in your 1st Aid Kit! We have a first aid kit, however it is a little bit smaller 🙂

    We think its important to carry one round too!

    Earl and I.

  12. I don’t really carry much when we hike, but then I’m usually less than a mile from home. I really need to get one of these kits together.

    BTW, I had to google two of the items as I had never heard of a skin stapler or Tuf foot. LOL

    1. Tuf Foot os a great product if pads are getting worn. That is why we keep it in the kit. Have only had to use it a couple of times.

  13. What a great list!

    We carry Benadryl and Pepcid everywhere we go with Silas, plus a prescription antihistamine for really bad episodes. We also have to carry a little bit of really delicious dog food when we travel. You’d be surprised how well a little snack on the road helps settle a dog’s stomach.

  14. Wow, impressive kit! I can’t think of a situation you would not be prepared for with that kit. I carry Benadryl with me everywhere I go, but that’s more for me than for Petal. I have loads of unknown allergies and have saved my throat from closing while away from home a few times with the Benadryl in my purse. I need to put together a first aid kit. We have a teeny one in the car, but it hasn’t been updated in years and doesn’t have much of anything that may help in a pet related emergency. Thanks for writing this up!

  15. Oh, this is something we need to get on! We have a lot of that stuff, but mostly it’s all loose in a drawer at home. Need to make a small kit for the car and another full-on one for home!

    1. Ours has come in handy many times. But we try not to leave meds in our car between the heat or cold, it may not be good for them. 🙂

  19. That is the best first aid kit I have ever seen! I keep thinking I might find something you have left out…but I really think you have everything. Are you in snake country where you are? Only other thing I could think of was some thicker bandage rolls for compression wrapping bites, as I’m not sure Vetwrap would do the job. Oh, and maybe some oral rehydration stuff like Lectade (or for the humans Gastrolyte).

    1. Thank you. Most of these items were at the suggestion of a vet who also hunt tests. We don’t have snakes, thank goodness! Great suggestions for those in snake country. I like the idea of the rehydration stuff too. 🙂

  20. I’ve carried a kit in my car ever since I was a pet sitter. But it was a ready made kit, and I really should go through it to update it, so thanks for the reminder on that!

  21. Thanks for the great post, it’s given me ideas for upgrading my kit. I always carry a small first-aid kit in each of the cars as well as a separate kit with my hunting supplies then I also wear a pocket vest that I bought at the army surplus store with a few “field” supplies: super glue, medical wrap, non-saline eye wash. This year I added small cable cutters capable of cutting 16-gage wire to my supplies after Elvis became caught in an illegal snare that could have killed him, had I not been able to release the tension lock. I also carry Cabela’s version of the Leatherman which came in handy removing porcupine quills from Mia’s mouth several years ago.

    1. I remember about the cable cutters and that would definitely be something to include in a field kit. I wonder if the forceps would work for porcupine quills?

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