caring for your house cat

Your dog is your best friend and reliable companion. You know that your dog would be there for you in an emergency, and you need to be ready to do the same. Sometimes, medical emergencies can't wait the amount of time that it would take to get to the animal hospital. You need to be ready with a first aid plan in the event that your dog needs immediate medical treatment. Take a look at some tips for a first aid kit that could save your dog's life in an emergency.

Include a Muzzle

The idea of muzzling a hurt dog might seem counterintuitive, but hurt animals can behave in unexpected ways. You don't want to end up needing first aid for yourself as well as your pet. Muzzling your dog in an emergency can free you up to care for your dog without worrying about getting hurt yourself.

One thing to remember, though, is that if your dog is vomiting, you can't use the muzzle. Muzzling a vomiting dog can be dangerous – your dog could choke or asphyxiate and stop breathing.

Directions to the Vet

Your first aid kit should include a written or printed set of directions to your vet, as well as directions to the nearest animal hospital. Include the phone numbers for both places as well.

It doesn't matter if you know the route to the vet's office like the back of your hand; include the directions anyway. You may find it difficult to think in a life or death situation, and having the instructions written in front of you can help. You'll also want to make sure that any pet sitters will be able to find your pet's medical providers in a pinch. One more number to include is the number for a pet poison control center.

Shelf-Stable Fluids

Your first aid kit should contain a bottle of an unflavored electrolyte replacement drink. This can help prevent dehydration if your dog has been vomiting. Remember that your pet can dehydrate quickly – and the smaller the dog, the faster they can dehydrate. The unflavored electrolyte drinks should just taste like water, but you may also want to include a shelf-stable container of low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth. You can add this to the electrolyte drink to tempt your dog to drink it, and it will also give your pet some extra protein.

One more bottle to keep in your first aid kit is a bottle of corn syrup. You can pick it up in any grocery story baking aisle, and just one or two drops can rapidly raise the blood sugar of a hypoglycemic dog in an emergency.

Of course, your first aid kit should also contain first aid staples like bandages, compresses, tweezers, towels, and a thermometer. If your pet has special medical needs, ask your veterinarian if there are specific supplies that you should have on hand in case of an emergency. Click here to continue reading.