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Pet First Aid Preparation

February 15, 2025

Every year, many pets are brought to pet urgent care clinics. Our animal companions frequently appear to be invincible, but the truth is that they are really vulnerable and can be injured fast. Britannia Animal Hospital provides urgent care services. At the end of the day, our goal is to keep our patients happy and healthy for as long as possible. In a perfect world, this service would be unnecessary. However, the truth is that pets require emergency care on a regular basis. Being prepared and knowing what to do can make a huge difference here. In this post, a   vet shares some tips for pet first aid preparation.

What Should I Include in My Pet First Aid Kit?

If your pet is critically injured, you should seek immediate medical attention. However, you may need to conduct some first aid on your pet before they can be securely moved. That is why we always recommend keeping a pet first aid kit handy. This is a good thing to have in your car. You can buy ones built just for Fido and Fluffy, or you can make your own. You may start with a kit designed especially for humans and then add pet-specific stuff to it. Include items such as adhesive tape, antiseptic spray or lotion, cotton swabs, ice packs, cotton balls, sterile saline solution, tweezers, gauze pads, and blunt-end scissors. We recommend including hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, a plastic eyedropper, a syringe, and splints. Other items to consider include a foil emergency blanket, a torch, a tick puller, ear cleaning solution, treats, towels, a leash and collar, styptic powder, and Pedialyte or something similar.

Aside from that, you should tailor the kit to your pet’s specific needs. For a dog, we recommend a muzzle. This is for your own and anyone else’s safety when treating Fido. Even the sweetest dogs can bite when they are hurt! For reptiles, a condom (without spermicide) can be used to wrap an injured tail.

Ask your veterinarian for particular guidance.

Have Pet First Aid Information Ready.

A high-quality first-aid kit is useless if you don’t know what to do. That is why we recommend installing certain pet first aid applications. The Red Cross has a wonderful one.

You do not need to rely only on an app. Actually, it’s probably best not to: It won’t work if your phone is out of battery or too far away. Buy or print pet first aid leaflets, and keep them in the kit.

Brochures aren’t the only paperwork you should include. We recommend having copies of your pet’s medical records, as well as important contact information for your veterinarian, the nearest emergency clinic, and a Pet Poison Helpline. Save these to your phone’s contacts as well. (Our number is 702-567-5222)

Keep The Kit Current

While some medical items, such as bandages, can last for years, others expire rather rapidly. Review the kit every six months or so. Replace any goods that are broken or have expired.

Store It In A Travel Carrier

During an emergency, every second matters. That kit will do you no good if you have to look for it in the garage or attic. Keep it in your pet’s travel carrier. We’d also recommend keeping a travel/emergency pack in the same spot. This should include food, treats, a leash and collar, towels, bedding, dishes, bottled water, wipes, and some comfort items in the event of an evacuation.

Having everything together will not only save you time in an emergency, but it will also be useful for vacation and camping. Just grab and go!

Take a Pet First Aid Class

We are always strong proponents for personal development. No matter where you are in life, there is always something new to learn and methods to develop yourself. Why not take a pet first-aid course? Remember that this may be useful not just for your pet, but also at any time or place. 

Remember That Smart Home Device

If you own an Alexa, Siri, or another comparable gadget, keep this in mind in an emergency. While we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any first aid advice provided, it may assist you in contacting your veterinarian or locating an urgent care vet. You may ask it to look for something like ‘urgent care vet near me’ or contact the clinic or hotline.

Know What The Warning Signs Are

Pets cannot drive themselves to the doctor or call an ambulance, and they are unable to express their emotions. However, there are clear red signs that signal a significant problem. While some are unique to each pet, others apply to nearly any animal.

They include the following:

  • Restlessness
  • Staggering/Stumbling 
  • Lethargy
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Shortness Of Breath/Difficulty Breathing
  • Urinating Or Defecating Inappropriately
  • Swollen Abdomen
  • Bloody Diarrhea
  • Known Consumption Of Poisonous/Toxic Plants Or Foods
  • Choking And Seizures.
  • Bleeding 
  • Eye Injury
  • Lameness
  • Unconsciousness
  • Broken Bones
  • Fractures
  • Pain Symptoms (Trembling, Crying, Etc.)
  • Inability To Deliver Puppies Or Kittens
  • Sudden Blindness
  • Loss Of Consciousness
  • Discolored Gums

Behavioral changes are also a warning flag. This could include a quiet pet becoming talkative, or a vocal pet becoming quiet. If in doubt, contact our Las Vegas, NV animal clinic and explain what is going on.

Take Precautions to Avoid Mishaps

In pet care, an ounce of prevention is worth several pounds of cure. There is no way to totally protect your pet from every possible scenario, but there are steps you can do to lessen the likelihood of an accident occurring. The best thing you can do is take simple safety procedures to avoid injuries in the first place.

There is a lot of ground to cover there. Petproofing is a big one. Many pets are taken to the ER after swallowing harmful products or drugs. It’s also critical to keep pets safely contained in comfortable and appropriate areas. If you have a cat, we strongly recommend keeping Fluffy indoors. Do some research and ask your  Las Vegas, NV veterinarian for more particular information.

Book An Appointment At Our  Las Vegas, NV Veterinary Care Clinic

Do you want to bring your pet inside? Are you looking for a quality vet in your area? Contact us,  your  Las Vegas, NV  animal clinic, today!

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