Dog First Aid, all you need is a bandage and tweezers. Right…

It’s funny how a first aid kit for a dog grows and grows.  It seems the more you run into, the more you need.  I remember my first kit dedicated to dogs.  It consisted of …    …a snake bite suction kit and a basic human kit.  It could all fit into a small one drawer plastic fishing box.

Now days I have a very large tackle box and a gun dog bag made by Boyt (all of my canvas travel bags are made by Boyt).  I’m think I need a bigger box! LOL

No matter where you live there are first aid kit essentials however, based on where you live, you may want to carry additional items.  For example, here in Texas I carry an injectable steroid prescribed by my Vet for emergency care of rattlesnake / copperhead snake bite.  I am comfortable giving shots being a retired Navy Corpsman but anyone can give a basic shot.  It is not rocket science and in an emergency can most definitely save a dogs life.

Places where I hunt are often at least an hour from a Vet.  In Montana, we are often 1 to 3 hours from a Vet, especially one that is available after normal work hours.  There are plenty of things you can do to help save a dogs life in that amount of time so when you sit down to discuss a kit with your licensed Veterinarian, have him/her set aside a normal appointment time for you two to discuss what you may need.  In fact, I advise asking your vet to sit down and think about what you would need over a period until your next appointment.

Advise your Vet that you have a hunting dog and travel.  Advise your Vet that you need stuff that could save a dogs life that could otherwise die within 2 to 4 hours.  You’d be surprised what you can add to your kit.  Get 24 hour emergency Vet numbers as well for the regions where you hunt.  Ask your vet to check his nationwide requirements for each area you may visit.  This guide, and I don’t know what it is called, tells your Vet what shots are needed for that area and what epidemics may be going around in the canine community.

I remember 4 years ago I had a dog bitten by a prarie rattler in Montana.  They are small yet nasty, aggressive little buggers.  Immediately the dogs neck swole to the point that I thought he would choke to death.  I drove until I found a cell tower and called my Vet in a state of panic.  She reminded me that she had given me prescribed injectable steroid for my kit.  She calmly talked me through it and with a few hours it had gone down by 1/2!  I honestly think that dog would have choked to death because it WAS after hours and I don’t think I could have gotten to a Vet in time.

I’m not a Vet and don’t pretend to be.  I will tell you to find a Vet that is also a hunter, especially one that has hunting dogs of any kind.  That sort of Vet may be a bit more thorough in helping you put together a wilderness canine emergency first aid kit.  Anyone can buy an over-the-counter kit from the drug store, and yes, the basics are necessary however, I’m talking about a more advanced kit, one that can save your most valuable companion’s life!

Happy & Safe Hunting!

Dave.