How To Make a First Aid Kit For Your Pets

When your pet suffers an illness, injury, or poisoning, knowing what first aid to do (and not do) can have a big impact on their recovery, safety, and comfort. Regardless of whether you've taken (or are planning to take) a first-aid class, you still need to have the supplies and "gear" handy to be able to administer first aid to your pet. And that's where having a good pet first-aid kit comes in. Below is an easy and handy guide to putting together an awesome first aid kit for your pet. (Pro tip: keep one at home and one in the car). Although you can buy a ready-made pet first aid kit, you can customize one to the needs of your specific pet with some items you may already have in the medicine cabinet or pantry, plus a few others you can pick up online or at a local pet store. Via: Rover

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Step 1: Gather All possible Information

via Aspca
First things first: Gather copies of important phone numbers, paperwork, and pet health records and put them in a safe place. These include things such as:
- Your vet's phone number and the number for your closest 24-hour emergency vet
- Your pet's vaccination history
- A recent photo (in case your pet gets lost)
- The ASPCA Poison Control hotline (888) 426-4435 for emergency poisoning information and support
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Step 2: Gather and Organize Your Supplies

via Aspca
According to trusted dog and animal welfare organizations such as the American Kennel Club and the ASPCA, a well-stocked pet first aid kit will contain items such as:
- Gauze
- Vet wrap
- Activated charcoal (which can save your dog's life from accidental poisoning)
- Blunt-end scissors
- An instant cold pack
- Hydrogen peroxide (used to induce vomiting in dogs in an emergency)
- Tweezers, and an old credit-card for removing bee stingers
- Cotton balls and swabs
- A penlight or flashlight
- Nail clippers
- Veterinary antibiotic ointment (as antibiotic creams such as Neosporin is not recommended for dogs)
- Vetericyn (for ouch-free wound cleaning and to help with skin irritations)
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Step 3: Get It All Together and Review

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Now that you have all the items, resources, and information to make your own pet first aid kit, take some time to organize your kit and review any information presented here you need more time with.