Since you never know when an accident will happen, keeping a pet emergency kit at your home is a good idea. A smaller kit could be used in the car. 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 |
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Veterinary clinic phone number and directions to the clinic |
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Emergency clinic phone number and directions |
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Poison control center phone numbers |
Equipment and Supplies |
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Muzzle, or roll of gauze for making a muzzle |
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Magnifying glass |
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Scissors |
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Tweezers |
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Nail clippers and metal nail file |
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Styptic powder or sticks, Kwik Stop, or cornstarch |
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Penlight |
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Nylon slip leash |
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Eye dropper or oral syringe |
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Cotton swabs |
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Cotton balls |
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Clean towels - cloth and paper |
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Rectal thermometer |
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Lubricant such as mineral oil or KY Jelly (without spermicide) |
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Disposable gloves |
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Syringes of various sizes |
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Needle-nose pliers or hemostats |
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Grease-cutting dish soap |
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Bitter Apple or other product to discourage licking |
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Pet carrier |
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Towel or blanket to use as a stretcher, another to keep your dog warm during transport (some pharmacies and camping outlets carry a thermal blanket) |
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Cold packs and heat packs (wrap in towel before using) |
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Stethoscope |
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| Bandaging Materials |
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Square gauze of various sizes - some sterile |
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Non-stick pads |
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First aid tape - both paper (easily comes off of skin) and adhesive types |
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Bandage rolls - gauze and Vetwrap |
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Band-Aids (for humans) |
Nutritional Support |
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Rehydrating solution such as Gatorade or Pedialyte |
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Nutritional supplement such as Nutri-Cal, Vitacal, or Nutristat |
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High sugar source: Karo syrup |
Medicines* |
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Wound disinfectant such as Betadine or Nolvasan |
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Triple antibiotic ointment for skin |
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Antibiotic ophthalmic ointment for eyes, e.g., Terramycin |
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Eye wash solution |
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Sterile saline |
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Antidiarrheal medicine such as Pet Pectate |
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Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for allergic reactions (obtain dose from your veterinarian) |
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Cortisone spray or cream, such as Itch Stop |
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Ear cleaning solution |
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Hydrogen peroxide (used to make a dog vomit - only use as directed by a veterinarian) |
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Activated charcoal to absorb ingested poisons (consult your veterinarian before using) |
*Watch the expiration dates on any medication, and replace as needed. |
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