Since you never know when an accident will happen, keeping a pet emergency kit at your home is a good idea. You can put a first aid kit together yourself and buy the items separately, or buy one ready-made. If you make one yourself, use a small plastic tub with a tight fitting lid to store the following items:
| Important Phone Numbers |
| • |
Veterinary clinic phone number and directions to the clinic |
| • |
Emergency clinic phone number and directions |
| • |
Poison control center phone numbers |
Equipment and Supplies |
| • |
Magnifying glass |
| • |
Scissors |
| • |
Tweezers |
| • |
Nail clippers and metal nail file |
| • |
Styptic powder or sticks, Kwik Stop, or cornstarch |
| • |
Penlight |
| • |
Scalpel blades and handles |
| • |
Eye dropper |
| • |
Cotton swabs |
| • |
Cotton balls |
| • |
Clean towels - cloth and paper |
| • |
Rectal thermometer |
| • |
Lubricant such as mineral oil or KY Jelly (without spermicide) |
| • |
Disposable gloves |
| • |
Syringes of various sizes |
| • |
Needle-nose pliers or hemostats |
| • |
Wire cutters |
| • |
Pet carrier |
| • |
Heating pad or heat lamp to use at home |
| • |
Gram scale |
|
| • |
Stethoscope |
| • |
Heat pack or hot water bottle (to keep pet warm during transport; wrap the pack in a towel - do not apply directly to your pet, or burns may result) |
Bandaging Materials |
| • |
Square gauze of various sizes - some sterile |
| • |
Non-stick pads |
| • |
First aid tape - both paper (easily comes off of skin) and adhesive types |
| • |
Bandage rolls - gauze and Vetwrap |
| • |
Band-Aids (for humans) |
Nutritional Support |
| • |
Rehydrating solution such as Gatorade or Pedialyte |
Medicines* |
| • |
Wound disinfectant such as Betadine or Nolvasan |
| • |
Triple antibiotic ointment for skin |
| • |
Antibiotic ophthalmic ointment for eyes, e.g., Terramycin |
| • |
Eye wash solution |
| • |
Sterile saline |
| • |
A probiotic gel such as BeneBac, LactoBac, Probios, or Fastrack |
*Watch the expiration dates on any medication, and replace as needed. |
|
|
