Pet First Aid Preparation: Emergency Care for Dogs and Cats

Team Curicyn
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April is National Pet First Aid Awareness month, making it the perfect time to review your family’s plan for veterinary emergencies. That way, you’ll be prepared if your dog or cat ends up with a laceration or bleeding wound, broken limb, burn, bite, or sting.

First and foremost, make sure you have a pet first aid kit stocked and stored in an easily accessible place. (Hint: The back of a closet isn’t the best spot.)

What you put into your first aid kit is just as important as where you keep it. Start with gauze wrap, medical tape, blunt-nosed scissors, disposable gloves, tweezers, an instant cold pack, small, soft towels, bandages, a copy of your primary care veterinarian’s address and phone number, along with the nearest 24/7 animal emergency hospital’s information and poison control phone numbers. Then consider adding Curicyn’s top five pet emergency products:

  • Original Formula is an all-purpose skin and wound cleaner and wash that can be safely used on abrasions, cuts, lacerations, skin rashes, hot spots, and burns.
  • Wound Care Clay is a thicker solution that works well on difficult-to-bandage areas like paws, joints, and more.
  • Blood Stop Powder can help stanch the flow of blood from open wounds.
  • Eye Care Solution cleans the eyes without burning or stinging, and can help with irritation.
  • Even better, our Pet Care Kit is lightweight, portable, and includes all of the above products, along with first aid supplies like scissors, bandages, adhesive wrap, an ice pack, blanket, and much more.

Make sure to check your pack every few months to ensure that nothing has expired or needs to be replaced. And of course, keep your kit sealed and away from children.

If your pet accompanies you on outdoor adventures, we also recommend keeping an emergency kit in your car. Having first aid supplies handy – no matter where you are – can buy you valuable time until you can get your pet to a veterinarian for treatment. After all, first aid is not a substitution for medical treatment, so always call your veterinarian or an animal emergency hospital for professional care if your pet is injured, ill, or in distress.

Pet medical emergencies can be stressful and scary, but preparing for them, including having a well-stocked pet first aid kit handy, can help you stay calm. You’ll know that if a crisis occurs, you can care for your dog or cat until you can get them the professional veterinary attention they need.