CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Health => Topic started by: elaine.e on January 31, 2009, 02:53:46 PM
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This is something that's been on my mind for a while. I blithely walk William all over the New Forest, take him to agility training and shows and I never have anything with me in case of minor injuries or emergency first aid. Neither do I have much at home and my first aid skills are minimal.
My kit, such as it is, consists of Piriton, Pro-Kolin, Hibiscrub, Thornits Powder, Silica and a tick remover. Not great is it? I have a couple of bandages in the bathroom cabinet but wouldn't be too sure about how to bandage.
Does anyone else keep anything in their car or at home, and if so, what?
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I'm a bad mummy, you have more in your cupbard that me, :005: I do have vinegar and bicarbonate soda for stings
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Depends if it's for the house/car or in a bum bag for field trips
Foil Blanket for shock (and a Blanket for stretcher use etc kept in the car)
Scissors
Tweezers or forceps
Tick Hooks
Syringes and Irrigation pods or spray for cleaning out wounds
Vet wrap
Various sized dressings
Micropore tape
Cotton wool
Surgical swabs
Rescue Remedy, Emergency Essence or Carbo Veg, and Arnica (shock/bruising)
Hibiscrub
Antiseptic Spray
Piriton (for adder bites)
Wound powder
Colloidal silver,
Styptic crayon/pencil/powder for broken bleeding nails
Thornit and Ear cleanser (cleanaural)
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Blimey! That's a very comprehensive list - thank you fifer.
It's made me realise that I have a few more things in the house already. I have arnica ointment, tweezers, antiseptic spray, syringes and a styptic pen, plus scissors of course.
I'm not sure what vet wrap and micropore tape are. Is wound powder the same stuff that you get for horses, but presumably in a smaller size carton?
I really must carry piriton with me in the warmer months. I don't see as many adders in this part of the New Forest as I used to in another area where we lived before, but I saw one a couple of years ago where I regularly walk William. The one thing I do know is what to do if a dog is bitten by an adder as it happened to a friend's Cocker puppy years ago. Luckily he survived.
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I'm not sure what vet wrap and micropore tape are. Is wound powder the same stuff that you get for horses, but presumably in a smaller size carton?
Vetwrap are cohesive bandages ie stick to themselves not the patient, micropore tape is that "paper" type sticky tape doctors use instead of elastoplast and yes wound powder is the very same stuff but usually in a small puffer type plastic bottle so it doesn't get wasted. ;)
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Good idea Elaine.
I've pinned the thread, I'm sure it will prove useful for us all.
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Have recently refreshed our car kit - we keep it in a plastic box inside the big box which has the water container, bowl and towels. It has got cohesive tape but you can use duct tape or electrical tape whatever is cheap and you have to hand to tape dressings up, dressings, scissors, plastic bags and elastic bands, tweezers, an old tea towel or something similar that can act as a pressure pad, latex gloves, antiseptic solution and wire cutters/pliers (there is still a lot of barbed wire out there and it can be hidden in long grass!!) You only need the basics so that you can remove foreign bodies, staunch bleeding etc before getting your dog to a vet - it doesn't need to be pretty or large - some advise that you have a muzzle in it too because even the calmest dog can snap if in pain and you will need to have all your fingers available to assist your friend in his hour of need!!
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Hi
Have a look at the site below, I bought one of their Dog/Cat First Aid kits at an agility show - is brilliant and was very good value and in a handy box with handle.
www.animalaiders.co.uk
Jane
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Vet wrap is brilliant stuff, but still difficult to wrap a struggling cocker's paw on your own without letting it touch anything after you've soaked it in diluted Hibiscrub. Need to find a more satisfactory way of stopping it getting wet - the old drip bags our vet uses aren't long enough and fall off. I've also starting using antiseptic gel on the wound (which is hopefully healing)
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Oh I can sympathise with this - we've just recovered from a pad being sliced through and Toby was a real wriggler when it came to vet wrap. He came home from the vet with a boot which went almost up to his elbow to wear when he was out. It wasn't totally waterproof so in the muck and wet he had a poo bag tied round it - I kept telling him 'everyone'll be wearing them next season!' but he wasn't convinced! We have also been putting manuka honey on the wound and it healed amazingly fast - I don't know whether it would have healed that quick without it but would use it again for sure...
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Some of these might be mentioned above.
Intrasite gel
This can be used as fake skin which is sprayed onto the wound which can be a small cut or abrasion to seal it so that the cuts don't become infected.
Antihistamine cream
This stops allergic reactions after bee and wasp stings, this also stops anaphylactic shock
Saline solution
This can be used to flush out wounds and wash items out of bigger cuts
KY jelly
This can be used on scolds and burns to keep the skin moist.
Vet phone number
If you have the vets phone number then they will be able to give you advice over the phone and you can tell them that you are going to be coming to the surgery so they can prepare for your arrival.
Allevyn foam dressing
This soft foam dressing should be put on the wound followed by a bandage.
Disposable gloves
These are used to avoid cross contamination.
Plastic bag
This can be put round the wound if it is a leg wound and there is a chance of it getting wet. You can put all of the rubbish into the bag once you have finished
Rounded scissors
As they are rounded it makes it harder to cut the animal when cutting bandages.
I also find tea tree cream works really well on inflammed or irritated skin
When bandaging I have always been told to use a sterile gauze/Allevyn foam dressing or Cotton wool, then use a conforming bandage followed by the vet wrap.
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There are some excellent courses available. The Wood Green Animal Shelter runs a day course and the Animal Care College does a home study course. I've done both and they are very good - I'd recommend them to anyone - very very useful. I've used my knowledge on several occasions and managed to avoid a couple of trips to the vet.
I have also found that the canine physiology/anatomy course by ACC to v.good - very useful nowadays when I discuss the numerous :) ailments of my elderly lab.
Vet wrap is by far the handiest item in the kit - it is just about the only thing I can use to bind cut tails and paws (such a pain!!). We buy the horse version as we find the larger wrap much easier to use (ebay sells multiples).
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Sparsholt College, hampshire do a first aid course for dogs and cats. I have heard that it is really good.
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Recently attended a canine specific first aid course, it was an invaluable, we spent 6 hours with theory covering most eventuallities and practice at bandaging paws, ears and legs.
A good idea I thought was to carry a slip lead in your car, it is alot easier to restrain a dog that has been injured in a TA than getting too close and personal with an injured and frightened dog that you have no way of nowing how they will react ;)
Yep animal aiders do a first aid course and there is another company if you google up canine first aid whom use a vet to instruct, you do have to drive quite a long way to attend a course and I waited 12 months for a course to come within one hours drive away, was prepared to do that but in the end I was lucky our display team decided to hire the local vet practice nurse whom happened to be a qualified instructor/tutor at the animal management college ;), think there was about 20 of us and it worked out at twice as much tutorage time for half the price, :D so might be worth asking your own vet practice if they do something similar ;)
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This is a really informative thread. Doggiecrazy I like that you listed items and followed with what to use them for ;)
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After rereading my post I forgot to write that when bandaging a foot you should put bits of cotton wool between their toes. This stops the toes from rubbing. Dogs only sweat from their merocrine glands in their feet so the cotton wool absorbs the sweat to prevent sores.
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This is all so complex that I have decided it would be easier to kidnap a vet and take them instead!
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The one thing I do know is what to do if a dog is bitten by an adder as it happened to a friend's Cocker puppy years ago. Luckily he survived.
elaine, can you tell us what to do if a dog is bitten by an adder? (great post by the way)
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Neon, you took the words right off my keyboard! Elaine.e please do tell as we live in an area where adders are seen and Clover is going out and about as from Thursday!!! :blink:!
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There's a few threads on COL about adders, but this one is especially useful as it contains a post by Hurtwood Dogs, whose Weimeraner was bitten by an adder, as well as general good advice -
http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=83991.msg1246743#msg1246743
If your dog is bitten you should go to a vet immediately. Keep your vet's phone number (and an out of hours one if they provide that service) on your mobile so you can phone ahead. If you can carry your dog back to the car that may help limit the spread of the venom. Don't do a John Wayne and try and suck the venom out as that may do further harm.
This link has good info. from a vet http://www.vetbase.co.uk/information/common-european-adder-bites-dogs.php
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Thanks Elaine.
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Learning some first aid skills is also something all owners should have. Basic first aid skills are life savers.
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If you do not mind hanging on a bit Andrea is attending a NOBS run first aid course for dogs in the early part of february. Will get her to post on here what she has been told. If anybody wants to attend I believe there are still places in the Swindon area.
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Haven't been on here for ages, just read this back and thought I would add ideally carry the pet so that the bite wound in closer to the floor then the heart. First aid courses are a really good idea to go on.
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Please no ky jelly or vaseline on burns or scalds!
Burns should be run under cold water for 10 mins
or thereabouts and wrapped loosely in clingfilm before
going off to the vets.
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I am going away in a few weeks and was wondering what essentials I should take. I'll print the lists off and make a kit for him :)
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Would be good to make a complete list of things needed and basic first aid advice I posted a long list further up but it prob needs revisiting now as things always change, used to recommend using savlon on dogs cuts but now its not recommended because the ingredients changed slightly and more information about it is now known.
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I think these lists are grsat and I will certainly print them off for fututre junior dog. I an amazed that everyone has all this stuff with them, it is realy impressive. I had nothing lke this for Lucy - well, I had rescue remedy and various things around, perhaps I was just very lucky that we never needed much. I have to say that if we lived near the New Forest I would have everything! Where we live, in the Hambleden Valley, with so many deer, I am very aware of ticks and get quite nervous walking through the fields and try and make sure I have the right kind of clothes on to stop them coming near me!