# K9 First Aid



## Rob Maltese (Jan 8, 2014)

As Spring kicks into full effect many folks will be strolling out more and more in the outdoors with the pets and even working dogs. Recently I've been thinking about putting together K9 First Aid kits, nothing huge or crazy in depth but something to treat the light & moderate immediate health issues that could come up while say on a trail hiking or out for a walk. 

Few weeks ago there was a police service dog just north of me which was running off duty playing w/ his handler, the dog didn't see a downed tree with some sharp branches sticking out. The dog took a sharp limb to the chest killing the dog instantly, although this tragedy most likely could not have mitigated by a small form First Aid Kit something similar on a less critical scale could have occurred and the handler could have provided immediate care to then get the dog off to a emergency vet. 


That being said, has anyone ever designed anything like this or put something similar together? What would you like to see? At what price would you pay (USD)?


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## Catherine Gervin (Mar 12, 2012)

i believe you can get full kits from ActiveDogs and Ray Allen...i have no idea how comprehensive they are, i am not a medic, but my husband has his first aid kit from the Army and he wants to add some dog-specific stuff because he always has it in the car, for destination emergencies, etc.
what sort of emergency pharmaceuticals would be wise to add?--sorry, not meaning to tread on the OP's question...i'm wondering what he's wondering...


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Here is the Ray Allen kit. Specific K9 things I don't really see outside of a rectal thermometer and those instant cold packs for heat stroke. Outside of that not much different that a human first aid kit. I'd put some Benadryl in, a 'Tick Key' or other tick removal instrument and an emergency muzzle in my K9 Kit. If I was in place where we could come across poisonous snakes etc, maybe anti-venom? 

http://www.rayallen.com/product/first-aid-kit/First-Aid-Care-And-ID


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## Rob Maltese (Jan 8, 2014)

Catherine Gervin said:


> i believe you can get full kits from ActiveDogs and Ray Allen...i have no idea how comprehensive they are, i am not a medic, but my husband has his first aid kit from the Army and he wants to add some dog-specific stuff because he always has it in the car, for destination emergencies, etc.
> what sort of emergency pharmaceuticals would be wise to add?--sorry, not meaning to tread on the OP's question...i'm wondering what he's wondering...


You're correct, you can get full kits from companies that deal with working dogs however they're quite extensive and in depth. I'm looking for something like below...

Rolled Gauze
4" Emergency Trauma Dressing
Abdominal Trama Dressing
Nitrile Trauma Gloves
Muzzle
Veterinary Tissue Adhesive (Liquid Bandage)
4" Vetwrap
Trauma Shears
Tweezers (and or tick tweezers)


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

understand the concern Rob, but i will write what i wrote the last time this thread came up

you can find kits everywhere for a variety of prices, but i don't care much at all about the price

1. more important to spend the time and effort to learn canine first aid than spend the time to design a kit
2. and even more important to have previous knowledge of how to use everything you eventually stock in it; which for me means some hands on practice
- like how to apply an emergency muzzle quickly, etc etc

i have my own for what i do and where i do it (rural and urban)
- but for sure my best first aid item is a number of a good vet i can call 24/7 if i run into a problem. that one took awhile to get set up. most vets i've used will only take calls when they are "in", and even fewer will help over the phone when they don't have the dog in front of them


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Rob Maltese said:


> You're correct, you can get full kits from companies that deal with working dogs however they're quite extensive and in depth. I'm looking for something like below...
> 
> Rolled Gauze
> 4" Emergency Trauma Dressing
> ...


I found the pre-made kits had a lot of stuff I didn't want or need. So I took the first aid course offered by the red cross and built my emergency kit from there. It was cool because only my friend and I attended, and since we both were specifically interested in first aid for dogs as opposed to other animals, the instructor tailored the class to meet our needs.

I also have the Red Cross pet first aid app on my iphone.:

http://www.redcross.org/mobile-apps/pet-first-aid-app

http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/program-highlights/cpr-first-aid/wilderness-sports-pets


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

There's a guy who is part of the USAR team in my area, he gives the course for free. Most of the other times I see the course given for $50-75 per person. The course this guy teaches covers things like inserting trach tubes, doing crichs on dogs, needle compressions, etc. It's more then just a first aid course and splinting ow-ees.


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## Catherine Gervin (Mar 12, 2012)

Sarah Platts said:


> There's a guy who is part of the USAR team in my area, he gives the course for free. Most of the other times I see the course given for $50-75 per person. The course this guy teaches covers things like inserting trach tubes, doing crichs on dogs, needle compressions, etc. It's more then just a first aid course and splinting ow-ees.


it must take a lot of sand to insert a trach tube in one's own dog!
for my part, i have found that duct-taping a blanket onto the limb of a dog who has sliced that precious artery running up the inside of the front legs, yes, that will buy you 40 minutes to get to the Emergency Vet. that was years ago, and it was after-hours so they were the only game in town and STILL they would not help me when i carried my 80lb Labrador in with his leg bandaged in duct tape, his gums blue/grey, until i came up with a credit card number and a retainer of 300$.
you cannot just rely on Veterinarians...some of them don't even like animals.
in a month and a half i am starting school to become a Vet Tech. it's nothing glorious, it's an online course that provides a 6 month internship in a clinic, but, by God, if ever i am in a position to help someone's dog--or my own--i will finally know what to do. oh, and i won't ask them to pay me before i check whether their animal is dying or not.
that was me being latently angry because of 3 glasses of wine, and i apologize for it having not much to do with anything...beer is so much better than wine but the diet makes demands. yep. anyhow, yes, when i finally do have a potent, legitimate answer for what sort of stuff is really grand to have in a doggie first aid kit, i shall report back.


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

Catherine Gervin said:


> it must take a lot of sand to insert a trach tube in one's own dog!


Yes and no. Mostly it takes the tube and the knowledge of how to do it. Crich's are probably the hardest because you are cutting through the skin and into the trachea to put the tube there if necessary. And if you don't have a tube, jury-rigging the next best thing you have to hand. 
I've been blessed with farm animal and ALS street medic experience. Unfortunately, the litigious society we have today dried up some vets instructing folks how to do REAL emergency care because they are afraid of someone coming back on them if Fido doesn't make it. Good luck with the beer.... Never had much of a taste for it.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Sarah Platts said:


> There's a guy who is part of the USAR team in my area, he gives the course for free. Most of the other times I see the course given for $50-75 per person. The course this guy teaches covers things like inserting trach tubes, doing crichs on dogs, needle compressions, etc. It's more then just a first aid course and splinting ow-ees.


 I wish there was someone near here who taught such a course. With the hiking I do, and living where I do, I feel as if I fall between the cracks, need more than the Red Cross course but most likely not as much as this guy teaches. Still though, I would much rather be over prepared than under. I would happily pay to attend this guys course.


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

susan tuck said:


> , I would much rather be over prepared than under. I would happily pay to attend this guys course.


I'll let you know when he does another. Who knows, you might find an urgent need to take a vacation to the east coast?


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Sarah Platts said:


> I'll let you know when he does another. Who knows, you might find an urgent need to take a vacation to the east coast?


 hahhaha.....................no.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Geoff Empey said:


> Here is the Ray Allen kit. Specific K9 things I don't really see outside of a rectal thermometer and those instant cold packs for heat stroke. Outside of that not much different that a human first aid kit. I'd put some Benadryl in, a 'Tick Key' or other tick removal instrument and an emergency muzzle in my K9 Kit. If I was in place where we could come across poisonous snakes etc, maybe anti-venom?
> 
> http://www.rayallen.com/product/first-aid-kit/First-Aid-Care-And-ID


That looks pretty good.


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

Sarah- post it here when he does another course. Maybe others of us would like a vacation to the east coast. Or maybe he would want to travel?


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

mel boschwitz said:


> Sarah- post it here when he does another course. Maybe others of us would like a vacation to the east coast. Or maybe he would want to travel?


Not a problem. I'll get his contact info. Might be willing to travel to your area if you pick up the travel expenses.


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