A First Aid Kit for Your Pet: Are You Prepared?

• Saline
  To flush out a wound that has dirt or debris in it.
• Triple antibiotic ointment
  To treat minor scrapes and cuts and help prevent infection. Bacitracin and Neosporin are common antibiotic ointments available over the counter. Important: Don’t allow your pet to lick the ointment off the injury!
• Gauze and vet wrap
  If your pet gets a cut that’s bleeding, it’s important to control it until you see your veterinarian. Place gauze over the wound, then apply a wrap to hold it in place. Vet wrap is a type of soft, stretchy wrap that sticks to itself but not to your pet’s fur. When wrapping, place a finger underneath the wrap to ensure you’re not wrapping too tightly.
• Fresh hydrogen peroxide
  This liquid is to be used to induce vomiting if your pet ingests something toxic (not for cleaning a wound). However, ALWAYS consult with your veterinarian or a poison control center before giving your pet peroxide. In some cases, vomiting should NOT be induced (such as when a pet has ingested kerosene or certain other chemicals).
• Styptic powder
  This product helps blood to clot at the site of a small wound, such as torn toenails.
• Disposable latex gloves
  Important to wear in order to reduce the risk of infection when treating a pet’s wound, and to keep blood off your hands.
• Tick removal tool
  Vermont’s forests and fields are full of ticks eager to feed on our furry friends and transmit such potentially life-threatening diseases as Lyme, ehrlichia, and anaplasma. Tools such as tick spoons or keys help you easily remove a tick that’s attached to your pet. The tick should then be killed so that it can’t re-attach to a pet or human.
• Muzzle
  When pets are in pain, they may snap at or bite anyone who comes near. A muzzle will help prevent you or any other helper from being bitten.
• Water-based lubricant
  This is helpful to apply around a wound to keep fur out of it and prevent more contamination.
• Phone numbers
  Place the phone numbers of your pet’s primary care veterinarian, the emergency veterinarian, and ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) hotline, (888) 426-4435, inside your first aid kit. Being able to provide minor first aid is great, but your veterinarian should always be called for advice or further treatment. The APCC is an excellent resource to help you know what to do if your pet ingests a toxic substance.