Canine Safety: Why Every Dog Owner Needs a Pet First Aid Kit

Being a paw parent is truly one of the most rewarding experiences. You love your dog as it’s your child and do everything to make them feel happy, safe and comfortable. But of course, accidents happen. If your dog hurts while playing or walking, especially if you’re in nature, you need to be ready to treat the injury right away.

To make sure you’re ready for the next time, buy a well-equipped pet first aid kit so you can react immediately if something happens. A happy dog means a happy owner, right? As they say, it’s better to be prepared than sorry later.

Common Safety Concerns for Dogs

 

There are many potential dangers for your dog that could cause irritation, injury or other health concerns. This is a major reason why every dog owner should get a pet first aid kit, so you can address any situation as soon as possible and avoid long-term complications.

Some of the most common injuries that can happen to your canine friend are minor cuts, eye irritations and abrasions. Dogs being dogs, love to play and run around carelessly and accidentally bump into something that might cause an injury.

The risk of injury is significantly higher when you and your furry friend are outside in nature. Just as you would need outdoor accessories for your dog that can be of great help, so you would need to have items that can help with potential injuries.

Dogs can easily get cut by sharp stones, branches or thorns or scrape against something rough. Even if the cut or abrasion is small, it can still cause bleeding or discomfort, which are usually not a big deal if treated quickly. But if you leave those small injuries untreated, they can turn into more serious infections that sometimes may cause long-term problems.

Another common issues that often cause discomfort to dogs is debris, dust or foreign objects that can get into your dog’s eyes, causing irritation or redness. This often happens when running or playing around the yard or in nature. Although these irritations aren’t often serious, they do, however, can become more problematic if left untreated.

Thus, as a dog parent, it’s important to be mindful of the potential risks that your dog might face. That’s why having a dog first aid on hand can be crucial in such moments because it allows you to react promptly and avoid any major complications.

Why Having a Dog First Aid Kit is Important?

The answer to the question of why having a first aid kit is important is pretty simple – to treat injuries immediately and prevent further complications. Because if we don’t treat something immediately, it could get worse.

A first aid kit includes things to stop bleeding, treat infections, and open wounds and treat eye irritation, so your dog feels better faster. Just like we need band-aids or antibiotics for cuts, so do our dogs. The kit is there to make sure you keep your dog safe and happy.

Items to Include in a Pet First Aid Kit

There are plenty of first aid kits for pets available in the market and the items they contain may vary between sellers. However, there are three essentials that every kit should have: sterile eye wash, styptic powder and liquid bandage. While you can always add more products to your kit, these three are sufficient to treat most common injuries and you should have them with you no matter where you are. They help you take quick action when needed.

Here are helpful tips on how to use each one of them:

Sterile Eye Wash

 

As the name suggests, sterile eye wash is used to treat eye irritations that are often caused by debris, dust or small branches that might poke your dog’s eye. To use it, hold your dog’s head still and pour the wash directly into their eye to flush out any foreign objects or clear the eye from dust and debris and reduce irritation.

This solution is gentle, so your dog shouldn’t feel any discomfort from the wash itself. Use this even if you don’t see any foreign objects but notice redness or eye irritation. It will at least help reduce the redness and irritation.

Liquid Bandage

Liquid bandage and regular bandage do the same thing – help stop the bleeding. Just, instead of wrapping material around your dog’s injury, you spray the liquid directly onto the wound. When you do so, the liquid creates a protective film that acts as a barrier that stops the bleeding. The protective layer keeps the wound clean and sterile, prevents infection and allows for the wound to heal faster.

Styptic Powder

Just like the liquid bandage, the styptic powder is used to stop bleeding quickly. It’s perfect for treating minor cuts and scrapes. To treat the injury, just sprinkle powder directly onto the bleeding area and gently press for a few seconds. The powder helps the blood clot and it stops the bleeding.

Of course, you can always upgrade your first aid kit for pets with latex gloves, cotton-tipped applicators, adhering bandages, tweezers, scissors, Neosporin, a digital thermometer, hydrogen peroxide and any medicines your dog needs for specific health issues.