What to Include in a Pet First Aid Kit

Emergencies can happen anytime, and anywhere. From hanging out at home or in your neighborhood to road tripping or camping with your pet, it’s important to be prepared for the worst (while expecting the best, of course).

The last thing you want is to waste time rummaging through your storage closet or suitcase trying to find the right items and/or numbers to call while your pet is in urgent need of medical assistance.

Give yourself some peace of mind by assembling a ready-to-use pet first aid kit with all of the basic information and supplies needed to handle a pet injury or emergency. In fact, we recommend putting together at least two pet first aid kits: one for home, and one in the car.

When putting together a first aid kit for your furry friend, we recommend including the following:

Important Phone Numbers

When your pet is sick or injured, the best course of action is to take him to an emergency vet. That said, there are times when this simply isn’t an option, such as when you’re vacationing in an unfamiliar area or don’t have quick access to a veterinary clinic.

In these cases, it’s a good idea to call an emergency hotline before taking action–you don’t want to do any guessing when it comes to medical care.

You’ll want readily available contact information for:

Your regular vet
A local emergency vet with 24/7 availability
ASPCA’s Poison Control Center (1-800-426-4435) and/or National Animal Poison Control (1-888-426-4435)
Emergency Disaster Information Line (1-800-227-4645)

It can also be helpful to have a list of websites for calculating potential toxicity. For example, if your dog ate some of your chocolate, you can enter his weight and amount ingested to VetCalculators.com for an idea of how quickly and seriously you need to respond.

Medical Records

Have copies of your pet’s up-to-date medical records in his first aid kit (or kits), too. That way, if you need to call an emergency hotline or visit an unfamiliar vet, you’ll be able to answer any questions about previous health issues, allergies, medications, vaccinations, and more.

First Aid Manual

While it’s best practice to leave your pet’s medical issues to the professionals, there are times when you may need to perform CPR or basic wound care in an emergency. Maybe you simply don’t have access to a vet at all; maybe you’re on the phone with a virtual vet who is advising you to take immediate action.

Ideally, you’ll be able to take some time to study basic pet first aid before you need to use it. Either way, it’s a good idea to purchase a practical pet first aid manual to guide you through the steps with as much ease as possible.

Supplies

You can either purchase ready-to-use pet first aid kits or compile your own. Either way, we recommend a kit that includes (but is not limited to) the following:

A digital thermometer
Gauze
Non-stick bandages and tape
Scissors
Splints (A sturdy stick can also do the trick in a pinch)
Cotton balls or swabs
A syringe or eye dropper
Saline eyewash
Antibiotic spray, gel, or oil (ask your vet for pet-friendly recommendations)
3% hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting
Activated charcoal for absorbing toxins
Tweezers for removing ticks or foreign objects
Disposable gloves

We also recommend including a muzzle for your pet. Distressed animals can act out, and you don’t want to end up tending to your own scratch or bite wound while also trying to help your dog or cat.

Some other items that are helpful to have on hand, especially while traveling, include:

Any current medications, vitamins, and supplements
Leash
Blanket or large towel
Flashlight
Magnifying glass
Collapsible food and water bowls
A travel crate

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