In the Know: Dog First Aid 101

The majority of first aid for dogs that needs to be performed is non-emergency dog first aid. Every dog can be mischievous and gets into a variety of scrapes every day. Your dog may have had his nose where it should not have been and have a graze on his leg. If it is not bleeding heavily then non-emergency dog first aid can be performed. However, if it is bleeding quite heavily then emergency first aid for dogs has to be performed.

Emergency first aid for dogs must be administered whenever your dog needs to take an emergency trip to the vets. It may be that he had a severe burn, has heatstroke, has gone into shock, is bleeding heavily or has somehow injured his eye.

Although all may be serious, the latter is especially important because once gone, your dog's sight cannot be replaced.

First aid for dogs could feasibly save your dog's life but all too often emergency situations are treated as non-emergency situations initially because a dog owner has not assessed the situation correctly. Just taking a minute to step back and ask yourself if you could successfully perform first aid for dogs may sometimes be enough to save your pet's life.

Delivering first aid for dogs is an art that has to be practiced on a regular basis to ensure that you can do the best for your dog as and when it is necessary. There are a variety of ailments and causes that require first aid for dogs, but some of them need specific equipment for effective treatment.

A first aid kit for dogs kit is just as necessary as a human one and should contain certain equipment that could be used in a variety of circumstances. A police first aid for dogs kit will contain at least twenty-five items, but a basic first aid for dogs kit may only contain a few and yet still be put to good use when the need arises. These items may be:

Gauze sponges: These first aid for dogs items can be used to clean up blood from a cut, a weeping infected area, weeping eyes and any number of other ailments. Gauze sponges are multi-purpose and can be used for almost anything!

Antibiotic ointment: Antibiotic ointment is a staple of any first aid for dogs kit because it is perhaps the most widely used. Antibiotic ointment can be used on a variety of cuts and scrapes to prevent bacteria getting into an open wound and causing infection at a later date.

Bandages: Stretchy bandages can be used to cover a wound or support a strained limb and thus can be extremely useful in a dog first aid kit. If the more supportive bandages are included, they can be put to better use to stanch bleeding than regular bandages.

Sterile eye wash: Dogs are forever getting something in their eyes that they should not, but it is essential to wash your dogs' eyes if he does have something in them to prevent infection and potential damage. It is for this reason that eyewash is a staple part of any first aid for dogs kit.

Your dog's health records: An essential part of any first aid for dogs kit is vaccination records and copies of any health papers you have. This way, you know exactly where they are if you do need to rush your dog to the vet at any given time.