A couple of years ago, we went through a few weeks of constant injury with the dogs. Bubba had a cyst that burst and got infected, Sioux cut the side of a rear leg on an axe, Coco sliced the big pad of a front paw terribly on some ice and Tambi broke a metacarpal jumping out of my arms. It was during this two month span that experience taught us a lot about dog first aid. I spent $75 of Christmas money on the initial supplies that our cabinets were sorely lacking. That coupled with an eight hour pet first aid seminar gave me the knowledge I needed in stocking a top notch first aid kit geared towards dogs and usable for people as well. Even well traveled outdoor trails can turn unpredictable in moments.
• Water proof container
• Gauze sponges
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• Rubbing alcohol
• Ear syringe
• Saline solution with no additives
• Ace self-adhering athletic bandage -- three-inch width
• Vaseline type jelly
• Eye wash
• Sterile, non-adherent pads
• Pepto Bismol tablets
• Benadryl capsules - 25mg, for allergies
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Gauze bandage
• Aspirin
• Dermicil hypoallergenic cloth tape one inch by 10 yards
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Kaopectate tablets maximum strength
• Bandage scissors
• Custom splints
• Tweezers
• Muzzle
• Hemostats
• Sutures
• Latex gloves
• Liquid bandage
• Iodine swabs
• Iodine wipes
• Activated charcoal
• Maxi pads (they're very absorbent and can be used to help slow bleeding before applying gauze)
• Skin stapler
• Canine nail trimmer
• Human nail trimmer
• Dog boots
• Bag Balm
• Extra leash
• Baster/syringe with no needle
• Scrap pieces of denim
• Nylon rope
• Lighter
• Duct tape
• Coagulant
• Nylon fabric or sacrificial coat that can be tied and used as a stretcher if needed.
There are probably a few items that I'm missing here, and I will add/edit this as time goes on. For now that gives you a very clear idea of the contents that make up a serious first aid kit. For the most part I've left the usage of the items blank. It's something you should Google, talk to your vet about and in general learn about. Having these things with you means nothing if you haven't associated their uses with the proper situations. That call is made on the spot, familiarize yourself with first aid in a broader sense.
Feel free to ask me questions or join in with your own tips/revisions/experience. Keep in mind this kit is meant to combine human and canine needs to conserve pack weight where possible.
This site has many links and a lot of good information that seems to match up with the seminar I took.
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_FirstAid.php
