First aid kits for dogs

Add a comment to this page

Every Boy and Girl Scout knows it's best to be prepared, so any home with a dog should have a first aid kit. But just having a kit with all the stuff in it is not enough; I need some kind of book or first aid guideline kept with the kit because, like most people, I get pretty panicky in an emergency. The first aid instructions are as important as the kit itself, if not more so. To be really prepared, take the American Red Cross's pet first aid class.

Remember to replace the items in your kit that expire or dry out after a few years. Bandages are the most important items. One item often needed that is not part of commercial kits is diphenhydramine, which is an antihistamine with drying and sedative side effects (you probably know it as Benadryl®). Also, none of these commercial kits come with muzzles because of the size issue, but since dogs in pain bite, adding muzzles for your size dogs is a smart choice.

First aid kit reviews:
VSI's Sport Dog Kit
Creative Pet Products' Sporting Dog First Aid Kit
Ruffwear's Traveler First Aid Kit

--Phyllis DeGioia

See all product reviews.