When an emergency strikes, you don’t want to waste valuable time scrambling around hunting for pet first aid supplies. Instead, you should keep a fully stocked first aid kit on-hand and ready. The kit offers peace of mind because you’ll know that you are always prepared for any crisis.

Pet first aid kits are somewhat expensive, but you can develop your own dog first aid kit by purchasing a few key supplies and a handy carrying case. Remember to create a notecard with the phone number of your veterinarian, 24-hour emergency veterinary clinics, animal poison control, and emergency friend contact numbers to place in the pet first aid kit. When an emergency strikes, you don’t want to have to search for phone numbers.

Supplies for your Dog First Aid Kit

Below are a few must-have supplies for your pet first aid kit:

Scissors

Scissors are a life saver if you need to cut away hair to see a wound, apply bandages or cut something off your dog such as a leash, collar, tape, or rope.

Bandages

Bandages are a key essential. You’ll want assorted sizes and types of bandages to fit a variety of wounds and body areas. Pick both self-adhering bandages and ones that might need to be affixed with tape or some other material to effectively apply pressure to the wound. 

Disinfectant

Hydrogen peroxide or alcohol are affordable supplies to add to your pet first aid kit. You can use either one to not only sanitize a wound but also any instruments or hands that you might have to use during treatment. 

Sterile Eye Solution

Your pet might accidentally come into contact with chemicals or have a foreign object lodged in the eye. If there is an irritant, then you’ll want to quickly wash it away using a sterile eye solution. 

Hydrogen peroxide can also be used to induce vomiting in a pet if the animal swallows poison or some other dangerous substance. 

Plastic Syringe

If you need to administer pet meds or you have to rinse out a wound then you’ll need a plastic syringe. Purchase a sealed and sterile plastic syringe to have on-hand when an emergency strikes. 

Styptic Powder

If you accidentally nip a toenail too short and hit the quick, then it may start bleeding excessively. Use styptic powder to control bleeding on minor pet wounds. 

Some styptic powder formulas also contain benzocaine to help ease the pain of the wound.

Tweezers

Tweezers are a helpful tool if your pet should have a tick or splinter. You can use the tweezers to grab a small object in the dog’s fur and remove it far more effectively then with your fingernails. 

Antiseptic Wipes

If your dog sustains w would then you might want to use an antiseptic wipe to clean the wound before applying a bandage. 

Digital Thermometer

Does your dog feel warm, but you simply don’t know if the animal has a fever or not? Keep a thermometer in your dog first aid kit to quickly check your pet’s temperature. Always buy a thermometer that goes up to at least 105 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Tape

Medical tape is a must-have because it can hold gauze or bandages in place. Tape also lets you wrap hard to reach areas of the pet’s body with ease if you need to bandage a hind leg or tail. 

The above items are by no means all of the necessities you should have in your dog first aid kit, but they are the most commonly used items and a good starting point to building your own emergency kit.