In Reply to: First Aid Kits posted by Bill D. on August 07, 2000 at 10:41:45:

Bill D.,

This is a very complete kit and may contain some items you are not comfortable using. It should give you a starting point.

First Aid Kits for dogs:

Two kits are recommended.

Field kit:

1. Tourniquet - Used to control bleeding
A. Rubber penrose drains (latex tubing) - preferred because they will bind down with a simple knot and can be loosened easily
without relieving all the pressure.
B. A leash
C. A belt
2. 4 or 5 - 4x4 gauze sponges
3. 2 rolls of Vet Wrap – A self-adhesive wrap that can be used to bind down the sponges over a wound.
4. Tape – 1” white tape to secure bandages.
5. Epinephrine (.5mg Sub Q) - dose for anaphylactic shock
6. Dexamethasone (2mg/lb) – dose for shock
7. Instruments – Forceps, tweezers, scissors, nail trimmers
8. Small towel or wash cloth – can be used for extra padding when bandaging wound or to clean wounds.
9. 1 ice pack – the instant kind that can be activated by squeezing or shaking.

Truck kit: Use a large watertight container like a rubbermaid box or the sportsmans boxes like you see at Wal Mart.

1. Large cotton bandage – (po-boy) Use to wrap large wounds or to stabilize fractured legs. A hand towel or small towel can be
used for the same purpose.
2. Nsaids ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatories – such as Rimadyl or Etogesic )
3. 1 bottle of Opthane – Used to deaden eye prior to flushing or removal of foreign body such as grass seeds, etc.
4. 1 bottle of Lidocane 2% - Used to deaden area prior to suturing.
5. Non-absorbable suture material – Prolene
6. 2 rolls of 3 “tape- stretch tape such as elasticon or expandover. Use to bind down bandages.
7. 1 roll of 1” white tape to secure gauze or Vet Rap when wrapping wounds.
8. Stretch gauze – 2 rolls of each size 2”, 3”, and 4”. Use to wrap around bandages or wounds.
9. Antibiotics – Broad spectrum (recommend oral tablets or capsules such as Cephalexin). Won’t have to worry about refrigeration
or going out of date.
10. Some type of topical wound dressing – we use nitrofurazone powder, to put on wounds prior to suturing if contamination or
dirty.
11. 12 or so 4 x 4 gauze sponges – use to pack wounds and clean wounds ( keep in rubbermaid type container).
12. 1 – 8 oz bottle of surgical wound scrub (Betadine or Nolvasan) – You can pack gauze in solution and keep in small rubbermaid
type container. Used to clean wounds prior to suturing or bandaging.
13. 1 – 8 oz bottle of wound solution (Betadine or Nolvasan) – used to clean wounds.
14. Clean empty rubbermaid container – large enough to hold and instruments and sterilize with alcohol. Use also to pour scrub
solutions in to dip gauze sponges in to clean wounds.
15. Isopropyl Alcohol – to cold sterilize instruments in above container
16. Thermal blanket – Used to keep warm and treat shock. ( aluminum foil type such as in survival kits)
17. Medium sized regular blanket – Again used to keep dog warm for shock or can use as a stretcher to carry dog. Roll dog on
blanket and grasp the corners to carry.
18. Phone number of National Poison Control – 1-900-680-0000 you will be charged for the call, but can use credit card.
19. Iodized salt – can be given orally to a dog as an emetic (will make it vomit) 1 or 2 tablespoons for a large dog.
20. Wound cream – to dress wounds under bandages, we use derma-clens
21. Triple antibiotic opthalmic solution – Use when the eye is scratched.
22. Triple antibiotic ointment – Use only if the cornea is not damaged or scratched. Use when conjunctiva (the white area around
the eye) is red or swollen.
23. Phone number of regular vet.
24. 4 rolls of vet rap.
25. Triple antibiotic ointment – Neo-sporin, Neo-poly bac w/HC. Used to dress small wounds.
26. Combination water/enema bottle - You can fill with hot water (or hot coffee) to help treat shock. Fill with cold water to help
control swelling or use to treat Heat Prostration by placing against the abdomen. Fill with cool water and use enema attachment to
treat Heat prostration.
27. Saline solution or eye wash – Used to irrigate wounds or flush eyes if foreign body such as grass seed is present.
28. Appropriate syringes – 2 of each size. 3ml, 6ml, 12ml, and 20 ml.
29. Needles – 4 or 5 of each size. 18 gauge and 21 gauge.
30. 1 bottle of Procaine Penicillin G.
31. 1 bottle of Dexamethasone.
32. Instruments – scissors, forceps, drivers, hemostats, nail clippers, etc. (depends on what you feel comfortable doing).
33. Rectal thermometer.
34. Benadryl
35. 2 instant Ice packs – Use to treat heat prostration by packing against abdomen. Also use to wrap in bandages to control
swelling.
36. 2 instant Heat packs – Use to pack against abdomen for shock and then wrap with blankets
37. Elizabethan collar – Used to keep dog from scratching at eye or ear injury. Also used to keep dog from biting or licking at
wounds on legs.

I do not recommend using hydrogen peroxide or Isopropyl alcohol to clean wounds. I would also not use hydrogen peroxide as an
emetic as I have found it to be to unreliable.

DR.J
Good Luck and Good Hunting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
p.s. There are also some commercially available kits for dogs.