Dog first aid, on the go

It’s whilst we are out adventuring together that dogs have more opportunities to get into bother so, as responsible dog owners, we should always be prepared…

Two things will make any misadventure easier to cope with: a basic first aid kit and your phone.

Your kit might include the following items:

A bandage

A clean cloth/tea towel

A roll of micropore tape

A small bottle of saline solution/eye rinse

A pair of tweezers

Your phone should have:

Your own vet’s number

A local vet’s number, if you are away from home

The Agria App

And if your kit is small enough, it can be carried in your pocket, or a rucksack, along with your poo bags and treats, with very little extra trouble.

First aid goals

To preserve life; prevent deterioration; and promote recovery. In the event of serious injury, keep calm, prioritising and treating life-threatening conditions first, and call the vet immediately.

Breathing – familiarise yourself, now, with how to perform CPR on a dog that isn’t breathing.

Bleeding & burns – press a pad of clean cloth (like a tea towel) over an open wound, hold for 3 minutes, and then check the bleeding, repeat. Bandaging the pad over the wound will help maintain pressure until you get to the vet. For burns, run cool (not cold) water over the wound for 10-20 minutes; for chemical burns, ensure the water does not run over the dog’s eyes, nose or mouth.

Broken bones – try to keep your dog calm, still and warm whilst getting them to the vet as quickly as possible.

Less serious injuries

Minor cuts can be sluiced with saline solution, before bandaging a pad of clean fabric over them to prevent dirt getting in.

If you believe your dog has dust in their eye the saline rinse can be used to flush anything out. Any other eye injury is a veterinary emergency, do NOT try to treat it yourself!!

Micropore tape is excellent for binding up tail wounds, protecting it from further injury and your car from a big red paintbrush.

Carefully remove a foreign body, like a thorn or nail, from your dog’s paw with tweezers. Tweezers can also be used to remove ticks by gripping the tick close to the skin, and then steadily pulling away from the skin until the tick’s mouth parts come out.

The very best first aid you can give your dog is trusted pet insurance, like Royal Kennel Club Pet Insurance, underwritten by Agria Pet Insurance experts. Including up to £25,000 of cover, every year, and 24/7 access to veterinary expertise via the Agria App, it’s a reassuring presence, wherever you are.