Pets Need First Aid Too

The morning news and local papers always have tips and advice on how to protect your family and prepare for catastrophic events but you rarely hear about how to do the same for your pet. They'll mention first aid kits for children, but what about a first aid kit for dogs? Your pet's life and health is just as important and valuable as that of the rest of the members in your household. In fact if one of the people in your family needs first aid assistance they are more likely to be fine than a dog or a cat. The reason simply being that a person can retrieve a bandage or an alcohol swab while an animal can't; therefore it's up to you to be ready and able to assist your pet in the event of a disaster. We can improvise, your animal can't.

Dog with an Injured Paw by Lauren Oostveen

There are many types of accidents to consider that may unfortunately occur. The most common and likely nightmare a dog owner is prone to experience is their pet being hit by a car. This type of thing happens all the time and even to the most highly trained and intelligent dogs. Even if you always keep your pet on a leash accidents happen. You may drop the leash, your dog's collar may become loose, or he or she may simply escape from the back yard or through the front door. All it takes for a dog to dart into traffic is an enticing squirrel or a sudden spook.

If your dog is hit by a car an ambulance will not come to your rescue, but what most people don't know is that the fire department will. You should always have the direct phone number to your local firehouse saved in your cell phone and land line. While a pet's injury is an emergency, calling 911 won't get you the quick response you'll need to save your dog's life. The second thing to do is grab your dog first aid kit. In there will be an "Emergency First Aid Kit for Dogs Handbook". This will index the types of emergencies you may be facing and explain what to look for and how to respond.

Another common type of accident that plagues pet owners is a deep wound. Since most dogs don't wear shoes when they go for walks it's not unlikely that they'll step on a piece of glass or other sharp object. For a child you can simply clean the wound and put a band-aid on it, but that won't work for your furry friend. In your dog first aid kit you'll find Styptic Powder; this will stop the bleeding almost immediately. This powder can also be used if you clip your pet's claws too short. A dog first aid kit also contains sterile gauze pads and waterproof self adhesive wrap that will sustain you until you can reach a vet's office.

Natural disasters are also something you should prepare for. Food and water are items you should always add to your first aid kit for dogs, and remember to replace these items as they expire. If there's a catastrophic disaster such as Katrina it may take time for your pet to get assistance, so you'll want to make sure you have food for them. Purchasing a life preserver for your pet may also be a good idea in the event of a flood, or if you take your pet boating with you as many people often do.

A dog first aid kit contains the main essentials which you may need when faced with an accident, but don't hesitate to add items to this kit as you feel necessary. Some suggestions might be a list of emergency contacts such as your primary vet, and animal hospital as well as the phone number to an animal loving neighbor or relative who may be able to help out if you're in a panic. Other items you might want to consider are snap heating pads, an extra collar and leash and while this may sound silly, a familiar toy can sometimes calm a pet when they are in pain. Never keep your first aid kit short on love, and take good care of your precious pal.

About the Author
Written by Margherite Cermak
Buy Dog Grooming Products and Dog Shoes online at PuppyLaPu.Com.

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