Emergencies are not only for humans. They are unpredictable and are for all organisms. While encountering an emergency there is no such thing you can do rather than just to be prepared.

So, First aid kits are a very crucial element of treating these emergencies. If you are a dog parent then you should have a dog first aid kit in your house every time and also in your cars or luggage while traveling.

This list post will help you organize and assemble the emergency handling equipment for your dog’s first aid kit. However, this list applies to all pets.

1. Protocols of dog first aid kit 

Gauze swab, sterile pads, tweezers, gloves

Before dressing a wound it is important to clean it properly. For that, your dog’s first aid kit should consist of alcohol sterile pads or gauze swabs.

Do not squeeze or touch the wound to remove debris. Always use tweezers or tongs to catch the foreign bodies.

While dealing with the wounds make sure to wear medicated gloves to avoid infections.

2. Gauze and bandages

In the dog, first aid kits, gauze, and bandages are of several types and have different uses.

To apply an ointment over the wound a piece of gauze roll or cotton ball is used. After that adhesive latex tapes are applied and then the wound is finally dressed by elastic gauze or self-adhering moisture-free bandages.

These are all low cost and are easily accessible. Moreover, water-proof and self-adhering bandages are a good option for dogs because they are active and they do not take care of their wound as humans do. So it is good to pack them well enough so they don’t hurt themselves further.

3. Hydrogen peroxide 

The most susceptible part of an injury is the bactericidal invasion. A lot of bacteria and viruses reside in it and cause disease more than a disease. To help this out antiseptics are the best solution.

In this case, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the dog’s first aid kit can make things easier. It is a powerful antiseptic and bactericidal agent and effectively manages the propagation of bacterial colonies at the wound site.

4. Antibiotic Spray/Ointments

Ointments of course are the most important inclusion of the dog first aid kit. Make sure to have an antimicrobial and non-toxic ointment. That in case the animal ingests it accidentally it should not be harmful to it.

Apply it gently to wounds, sores, infections, and cuts. Never massage or rub the ointment otherwise it can be painful for the pet. 

5. Digital Thermometer

Digital thermometers are perhaps the most useful inventions for the dog’s first aid kit. Therefore, you should have one with a bendable fibrous tip for oral use. 

Thermometers used in humans are not effective for dogs because the dogs can bite them in pain causing serious problems.

6. Flashlight

Flashlights are a very important part of a dog’s first aid kit or first aid kit in general. Besides just lighting the way they can be used for several other purposes. For example, if you are stuck in a situation at night you can signal the rescuers by using a flashlight. 

If you do not carry the light it is almost impossible to reach you out at night. 

For that purpose, the flashlight should be long-lasting and weather resistant. It should also have a powerful narrow beam and bright wide beam, both to be used in different situations. 

7. Paperwork

In case of an accident, the basic injuries can be handled easily by the owner or pet parent. But there are possibilities of fatal traumas that have to be checked by veterinary experts. In such cases, a dog’s first aid kit should have required paperwork.

This may include the medical reports, vaccination certificates, user manuals, do’s, and don’ts, and emergency phone numbers. These are a few small checkpoints that can make things go wrong if not managed properly.

8. Soft muzzle

Soft muzzles are very important and useful safety inclusions for dog first aid kits that can be life-saving for the dogs, especially in cold areas.

This is because dogs suspend their tongues out of their mouths and disperse heat from their bodies. Thus lowering the overall temperature of the body. This process is known as panting. We can simply compare panting with the sweating process of humans.

This process is natural as well as normal up to a certain point. Yet, in cold areas, if you are stuck in case of emergency, the panting can be life0-threatening to them. Because they eventually lose all the body heat and die of cold.

To prevent these soft muzzles are used. It is a type of moth cage that doesn’t allow the dog to suspend out tongue out of the mouth. And prevents maximum heat loss.

Besides that, there are some side advantages of panting as well. For example, they can be used to dilute the barking and biting habits of dogs.

But, never use muzzles in dry, harsh, and hot areas. Or if your dog has some breathing disorder. People using muzzles to control the barking and biting habit of dogs usually do this mistake and the poor pups then die of warmth.

9. Leash and collar

In emergency kits, extra utensils should be kept also. For example, if we say for dogs, an extra pair of leash and collars should be kept in the dog’s first aid kit.

So, In case of any mishap, if they break you should have a backup.