Pets are part of the family. We want to provide the best care for them. That’s why it is so important to be aware that pets can get injured or lost too. The very nature of accidents means they happen unexpectedly, so it’s best to be prepared by creating your own pet first aid kit.
You can purchase ready-made pet first aid kits for the home and for your car, but there is no reason that you can’t combine your pet and human kits as many of the items cross over. With any first aid kit, make sure that you stock multiple sizes (for a child to adult and kitten to dog) and ensure that everything is in date. Do it this weekend if you haven’t checked your kits yet this year! Throw out any expired products and make sure to restock any low supplies.
If you are making your kit from scratch, you don’t need any fancy containers. Any spare storage box or zippered pouch will work. You can grab your supplies at any chemist, and you’ll want to grab:
- Sterile gauze pads. (If in doubt, grab the larger ones, you can cut them to size)
- Gauze roll to hold the pads in place
- Bandage tape to secure pads and rolls.
- Confirming bandage. This is to apply pressure and hold pads against wounds. It is not the same as a crepe bandage.
- Crepe bandage. This is your stretchy brown bandage and is excellent to apply over the other dressings or to apply splints.
- Blunt end scissors for cutting bandages and tape
- Saline flushes for wounds and eyes
- Plastic tweezers. These are good for removing splinters and ticks.
- Cotton balls and long cotton swabs for bathing wounds.
- Disposable gloves to keep your hands clean
- Led torch. This will come in handy should you need to find a lost pet in dark or rainy weather. You can also look closer at their eyes or wounds.
- Old towel. This is good to use for cooldowns or to wrap a nervous pet.
- If you’ve got room, an old blanket is nice to have. This can be used to secure your pet, soothe your pet, or protect the area from getting dirty.
Once you’ve gathered your supplies, make sure to add your preferred veterinary contacts. It’s also good to add the number of your closest 24-hour vet for any after-hours emergencies. We haven’t put any pain medications in our first aid kit. This is because many over-the-counter people meds or home remedies are not safe for your animals. For example, even two ibuprofen can cause serious harm. It’s best to secure your pet as quickly as possible and get them to the vet straight away.
Right tech to keep your pet safe?
One of the ways that you can keep your pet safe is by knowing where they are. The AirBolt GPS is the world’s smallest GPS that can be easily attached to a collar. The battery lasts up to an incredible 12 months, so you can always know where your furry family is. You can set up a Geofence so you can be alerted should your beloved fur family escape the house or yard. It’s also waterproof with a durable
anodised aluminum body, so it can handle a spooked pet running in the rain. The faster you can find your pets, the easier it is to prevent accidents from happening.
Remember, you can’t plan for accidents, but you can plan your response. Nothing is better than expert veterinary care, so get your injured furry family to the vet as quickly as you can.
If your pet is scared and lost, find them fast with our AirBolt GPS as it is lightweight, waterproof and with a long battery life. Pair it with a pet first aid kid you can help prevent serious emergencies.
