Create a First Aid Kit for your Pets Before an Emergency Strikes 

No one ever knows when an emergency will happen. The best thing is to always be prepared. Therefore, putting together a water-proof first-aid kit for your pets prior to an emergency is one of the best things that you can do as a pet owner. Many situations require fast action and prevention of further injury, infection or death. So assemble a first aid kit now, so that you'll be ready when your pet needs immediate help. Below is a listing of some items that you should include in your kit: 

  
* An index card with emergency numbers such as: 
* Animal Poison Control contact information 
* Your pets regular veterinarian and local Veterinary Emergency Animal Hospital information 
* Your own phone number 
* Photos of your pets (to help identify them) 
* Pet's health records 
* Pet CPR instructions 
* Your pets microchip number 
* Flashlight & rubber gloves 
* Scissors & tweezers (flat slant tip) 
* Sterile needle (to remove splinters and tick heads) 
* Turkey baster (for flushing wounds or force feeding) 
* Eyedropper 
* Tongue depressor to examine mouth 
* Disposable safety razor (to shave fur around a wound) 
* Towels (at least 2) 
* Blanket (to keep an injured pet from going into shock) 
* 3x3 sterile gauze pads & rolled gauze (for bandaging, stabilizing joints, making a muzzle) 
* Anti-bacterial wipes or pads & Q-tips 
* Ice pack 
* Cotton balls and vet wrap bandages 
* Hydrogen peroxide 3% USP (to use on infected wounds) 
* Activated charcoal tablets (can absorb many toxics) 
* Antibiotic ointment (such a Neosporin) 
* Sterile saline eye solution (to flush out eyes and wounds) 
* Milk of magnesia (for stomach upset and some types of poison ingestion) 
* Pepto Bismol (for stomach upset and some types of poison ingestion; do not give to cats) 
* Plain Benadryl (for bug bites and stings and other allergic reactions) 
* Can of soft pet food (can reduce the effect of poisoning) 
* Mild grease-cutting dishwashing liquid such as Dawn (to clean contaminated skin or sticky substances) 
* Plastic baggies 
* Muzzle and a nylon leash 
* Bottled water & water bowl or container 
* Adhesive first aid tape (in narrow and wide widths) 
  
There are many more items that you can include. Please consult your vet for some additional ideas. 
  
Immediate and proper first-aid is only the first step in the treatment of your pet. Please contact your veterinarian immediately and follow their instructions to ensure that your pet is well-cared for when a trauma has taken place. (Please consult your vet immediately before administering first aid.)