February 5
Greyhound First Aid Kit Review
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“A first aid kit is a good thing,” says Freedom.
Way back in April 2010, I wrote a post about a first aid kit I was putting together for the hounds. Time to check it over. Here is a list of the items I wanted to put in the kit. I highlighted in red the items that have “gone missing” or that I never got around to including.
First aid kit is “ready to go” in the linen closet
Gauze Roll and Pads
Vet Wrap
Instant Cold Pack
Styptic Powder
Saline Solution
Hydrogen Peroxide
Scissors
Hand Sanitizer and/or disposable gloves
Bulb Syringe
Measured Dropper
Soft Muzzle
Small blanket for moving an injured dog (especially important with a large breed)
Flashlight
Photos (in case a houndie gets lost)
Extra Leash
I’m going to take Saline Solution off the list because I can’t think what I would need it for as long as I have Hydrogen Peroxide.
A nice container keeps everything handy
Things I’ve added to my kit:
Thera-Paws – I have two for Nikki, who suffers from corns, and one for Freedom and Casper, “just in case.”
Pawz (waterproof rubber dog boots)
Ready for a variety of ouchies
Things I want to add:
EMT Gel
What do you have in your kit?
On Saturday, I mentioned that Ann from Pawsitively Pets is hosting a fundraiser. I joined in and ordered badges for Freedom, Casper, Nikki & Twinkie. I told Ann that I would like four individual badges or one badge with everyone included. I was going to wait and reveal the badge(s) on Valentine’s Day, but IT IS SO COOL I CAN’T WAIT! Ann…you are pawsome!
Want one of Ann’s creations made just for you? Here are the details of the fundraiser:
From now until February 11th, 2013, you can donate $1 (US Dollar) towards the Share the Love fundraiser. In return, she will make you a Valentine’s Day graphic/card with your pet on it. So not only will you be donating for a good cause, you also get something in return!
Wondering which charity will receive the funds when it’s all done? That’s the even better part! After the fundraiser is over, Ann will add the names of everyone who purchased a Valentine’s Day graphic into random.org and choose a random name. That person will select their favorite pet rescue or charity and all of the proceeds will be sent off to them!
If you would like a Valentine’s Day graphic and a chance to win a donation for your favorite pet rescue, you can donate your dollar at the Chip-In HERE. Please leave a comment on Ann’s Share the Love post HERE, telling her that you’ve donated and which pet you want to be included on your graphic. Also, leave the name of the charity you want the funds to go to should you win.
If you want a certain picture to be included on the graphic, you can email Ann at annstaub at yahoo dot com. Any super special instructions can be emailed as well. Otherwise, she’ll find an image on your blog or facebook page. But, you don’t have to have a blog or facebook page to participate, just email Ann a photo.
If we win, the funds will go to Allies for Greyhounds of West Michigan.
Looks like you are prepared for every eventuality. I am ashamed to admit, I don’t have a dog first aid kit – or a human one either for that matter. I am hoping nobody has an accident (might that work?)
Lynne x
We have a people first aid kit and I use to have a dog one, but sadly I don’t have a dog so I don’t need one any more. I really mean sadly too!! I am not getting another dog b/c I can’t walk them enough and it is not fair to the dog!! I miss Zoie so much!!!!!!!!! If I had had a chance to walk her,, her normal 4 to 5 times the day before she jumped the fence she probably wouldn’t have jumped the fence and got herself killed!! It had rained that whole day!!
Going to one blog a day now!!! You are it!!
I so need a first aid kit!!!! Why do I not have one? I must work on getting one together. We will be visiting Ann’s page to donate
Our Lady doesn’t even think she has a full first aid kit for the humans. Thanks for a reminder to her to get making them.
Love your Valentine! It is great what Ann is doing.
Have a good night, Lee and Phod
Scissors
Tweezers
Hydrogen Peroxide
Rubbing alcohol
Liquid children’s benadryl, flavor and alcohol free
Vet wrap
Gauze pads in multiple sizes
Hand sanitizer
Towels
Wash clothes
Small pack of kibble
4 leashes
1 harness (Nola’s)
4 collars
Vet records
Syringes in different sizes
Gatorade
Pepto bismol
E-vet numbers
Our vet’s number
Microchip info
Neosporin
Quik Stop
Don’t have a kit, but I should. Thanks for the reminder.
Saline solution is good for rinsing foreign bodies or chemicals out of eyes, and for washing out prepuces. You wouldn’t want to use hydrogen peroxide for those – and in fact these days most vets here advise against hydrogen peroxide for wounds too, because it can damage healthy tissue. Lot of people still use it though.
You can easily make normal saline. Normal saline (what the ‘water’ in our bodies actually is) is .9% saline, so you can make it with .9% ordinary household salt plus 99.1% slightly warm water. If memory serves, it’s roughly a level teaspoon of salt to a pint of water. To do it properly, you need to sterilise a bottle, and boil the water + salt, but for most first-aid purposes it’s not necessary.
My first aid kit contains:
A thermometer
Various non-stick wound dressings (I like Melolin brand)
Micropore paper-type medical tape and elastoplast
VetWrap
Cotton wool, gauze and lint
Antiseptic and disinfectant
Scissors & tweezers
Tick remover (never had to use it!)
Pawz boots (snap – same colour too!)
A muzzle
A Bite-Not collar
Styptic powder
Capstar for instant, emergency flea removal
Carprodyl/Metacam (for when Sid is in pain with cramps)
Antepsin (for Jeffie’s over-sensitive stomach)
I think that’s it!
Hydrogen peroxide works amazingly at making a dog throw up if they have eaten something they should not. The first week we had our grey Miura she ate a tulip bulb and I called my vet since they are poisonous. As long as it is less than one hour since ingestion, and what they ate isn’t caustic, 2 tablespoons will make them puke up full stomach contents quickly. Lori saw this first hand when our foster got into something at her house – so much for dinner that was all ready while we made the sweet foster throw up!
* please confirm with your own vet before using this method
Oh, I forgot the syringes – I have a bag of 10ml syringes, most useful, not only for squirting liquids into dogs’ mouths, but also for crafting! I also have Benedryl or Piriton, but those are really mine – my vet told me the dose is the same for the dogs and the drug is no different to the veterinary version so I just use those if necessary.
Excellent idea mom needs to do this for us
urban hounds
Saline solution would be useful. I use it myself to wash out my eyes if they’re feeling dry or gritty. We have a basic first aid kit that came with Proplan years ago. I only ever check it before we travel with Georgia just to make sure things aren’t expired and that she has meds specific to her needs. I love the idea of a carry blanket! That would make transporting her in an emergency so much easier. I’ve never heard of using hydrogen peroxide the way that Amy described. I thought it was something for bleaching hair LOL. Good to know
Have to confess I don’t have a kit specific for Polly. I do have a few odds and ends that are just for her. Think anything that can’t be dealt with by the usual first aid kit stuff, the vet would be visited.
@ Amy – our vet doesn’t like the hydrogen peroxide method to make them throw up. They prefer we use washing soda. That may need clarification for the US people: it does NOT mean sodium hydroxide, that’s caustic soda and will kill them in a horrible, horrible way. WASHING soda on the other hand, is sodium carbonate and can be safely used.
I’ve done it myself, several times. It was easier in the days when washing soda came in large crystals. You just poked a hazlenut sized chunk down the dog’s throat, and stomach contents would come up almost instantly. Now we just get tiny crystals so we have to dissolve a tablespoon in warm water and syringe it down.
One of the problems with hydrogen peroxide here is that it comes in many strengths, the higher strengths will burn the mouth, oesophagus and stomach, and people are usually not very good at diluting it to the correct level. I think that’s the main reason vets don’t recommend it for this – though if you ask me, the potential for disaster is greater if people confuse the two sodas!
@Jay
Wow it is interesting to learn global differences! I only know of one strength of hydrogen peroxide available in the US and it is really mild, and I have never used washing soda. I looked for it at the grocery store after your post out of interest, and I had to ask someone where it was because I couldn’t find it, and they had to ask someone else where it was. Thanks for sharing the info! I love that Lori prompts us all to take extra good care of the dogs. In fact I just needed my first aid kit last night.
Neat idea to have emergency supplies in a drawer together. Things seem to get spread about here.
Thank you for this post…it reminds me that I need to check what I have on hand and put it all in one place! Also need to decide what picture(s) to use for my Share the Love graphic
I think your first aid kit looks great! Saline is great to have for flushing wounds actually. Hydrogen peroxide is OK, but I remember using saline for most wounds or sores. We just used the hydrogen peroxide for cleaning blood off of fur. Thank you for sharing the fundraiser too