First aid kit

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J

JTR300

Well-Known Member
This, like many other topics on here has probably been covered many times.
I'm wondering if many guys on here when working dogs, not just deer dogs, take any sort of dog medical kits with them and what they find useful. I saw the Column in the BASC magazine and thought some of the things maybe a little keen to be taking into the field with and could wait a few hrs till home. I myself work a lab and have never taken anything other than water and some treat bits to perk him up when tired.

All the best.

​James
 
IMO it depends how far you are away from a vet. When I had my gun dog I never took any first aid equipment for the boy. Yes he cut himself on the face with dog rose a it was a bit scary due the amount of blood. It did stop with finger pressure quite quickly and continued beating. Same dog different day ripped his gut open by two inch just above his cock on barb wire. This never bled but in 30 minutes I was at the vets n he was stitched up.

Do I think a bandage and tape would have helped? No
if it's a real big bleed your going to have to apply pressure and a pad especially if its arterial. I carry my own personal kit for me which I could use on the dog. Just a couple of large pads, tape and a military tourniquet but you got to know what your doing with that or you will lose a limb.

Now with my service dogs cut paw and legs is common and had some bad ones pressure pad vets in ten minutes with blue lights n sirens. Had two colleges had the dogs die at incidents. Car impact and criminal have dog kicking and collapsed from it dog was not breathing heart stopped the lot. Handler gave mouth to mouth (CPR) dog came back from the dead.

Hope this helps.
 
All good points.
​My dog has had and will have several cuts and knocks as every working dog does and he's always healed fine. The other week I woke to find his eye full of puss and barely open, the soonest the vet could see him was the following day, I left him outdoors all day to get the wind on it and he recovered fine, the vet found nothing.
I'm ex military myself, from a medical background and actually have a pretty good stock of such items as bandages and tourniquets, I would be very careful in the use of a tourniquet on a dog as they are for severe haemorrhaging and as you say can lead to limb loss, which is normally when a tourniquet is applied. I have human sized tourniquets, maybe there are dog ones.
 
On the face of it first aid principals apply to any species. I do this for a living and I have never needed to use a tourniquet in a dog, I've never even considered their use. You don't need them.

Three really useful items are curved scissors, a WOW (white open weave) bandage, and a cohesive bandage (one that sticks to itself). The WOW bandages are pennies and make a great improvised muzzle. Even the nicest of dogs can bite if in pain and distressed.

The cohesive bandages are great for dressing retention and as they have stretch they can be used to apply significant pressure to a wound if required.

Small wounds really benfit from having the hair clipped from the edges to allow thorough cleaning and inspection. A tick remover and claw cutter both useful but should be fine left in the car. You can probably leave the scissors there too (or a decent set of cordless clippers if feeling flush).

Different people have different views on things like skin staplers. Personally if a wound needs closing then I believe it should be assessed by a professional. The AWA 2006 puts the requirement on the owner to seek veterinary attention when required.

Avoid harsh disinfectants for cleaning wounds (there is no place for peroxide, Dettol or TCP on open wounds).
 
"Avoid harsh disinfectants for cleaning wounds (there is no place for peroxide, Dettol or TCP on open wounds)."

Apache,

What would you recommend to carry for general wound cleaning? Ideally something that can be used in most situations/wound types ?
 
Tourniquet is for me not the dog. Agree about the muzzle forgot that, have used my slip lead before as well. Also agree with stapler but felt I would get flak as some folk don't like the yelping that comes with it although IMO it's a quicker option than sewing.
 
Last edited:
YoungGun said:
What would you recommend to carry for general wound cleaning? Ideally something that can be used in most situations/wound types ?
Click to expand...

In human medicine they use pretty much exclusively sterile saline. A dilute solution of chlorhexidine (Hibiscrub etc) or iodine surgical scrub ok for gross cleaning. Ideally finish with sterile saline. If the wound is filthy then any potable water is fine - have used a hosepipe to good effect. Bottles of water with sports caps are ideal.

Harsh chemicals damage deeper tissues and retard healing.

(I have occasionally used skin staplers in conscious animals but for the sake of doing a good job any significant wound should be treated under sedation or anaesthesia)
 
Thanks Apache, your answer was very informative.

One final question, would you recommended having anything in the car for pain relief or is it best to wait until you get to the vets ?
 
Speak to your vet. I'm quite happy letting trusted clients have a few doggy painkillers if they know what they are doing with them, and as long as I am sure that it will not delay more serious things being presented to me. If that makes sense?
 
I do carry a good first aid kit which mostly stays in the car. One thing of great value (I believe) are antihistamine tablets. Once my dog was bitten by an adder and at the vets in 30 mins. He recommended antihistamine ASAP after the bite (should it happen again)
Wingy
 
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