Pet First Aid - Items to have on hand

We know you are a responsible pet parent because otherwise you wouldn't be hooked into our blog.  We are grateful for the growing legion of pet parents who subscribe to Fenway Bark's blog and interact with us through our blog, Facebook, Twitter, and, of course, in person!!

As thoughtful pet parents, I am sure you would be interested to know what types of materials you should have on hand for pet first aid.

This is a contemporary topic for the Fenway Bark Board of Directors having nursed a hot spot this weekend, a tear duct cyst this morning, and a sprained ankle over the past week.  It has been a banner week for the Board of Directors!  Luckily, we had all the right tools on hand and years of experience and training to know what to do to bring them back to their healthy, happy "homeostasis".

So with the thought that you, like us, like to be prepared (once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout), here is a useful list of items that you should have on hand for Pet First Aid. 

Know someone who is just adopted a dog? Why not surprise them with a gift pack of first aid items?  We will have ready gift packs in our retail shop or simply pull together the items from your local supply store and put them in some creative packaging!

Courtesy of PetFinder.com, please find below a list of useful first aid items.

• Sterile gauze pads (3" x 3" and 2" X 2") and gauze bandage rolls (1" and 2")
• First-aid adhesive tape, 1" roll
• Cotton swabs (Q-tips®)
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Plastic freezer/sandwich bags
• Small bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide
• Styptic pencil or cornstarch (stems blood flow from minor cuts)
• Antibacterial ointment
• Antiseptic cleansing wipes
• Kaopectate® or Pepto-Bismol®
• A current pet first-aid book
• Eyewash
• Eyedropper
• Mineral oil (a lubricant and laxative when given by mouth)
• Digital or rectal thermometer in a plastic case
• Leather work gloves (to protect you from being bitten)
• Latex gloves
• Leash
• Thin rope
• Splint materials (tongue depressor, 12-inch wooden ruler or thick magazine)

Place the contents in a storage box where you can easily access it if there is a first aid situation.

On a final note, Fenway Bark will require all its employees to be certified not only in Canine CPR but other first aid and basic care needs.  Additionally, we will be offering pet first aid courses in our meeting room throughout the year.

Please take a moment to vote on the poll to the right of this column on other courses that you may find of interest.