A Canine Home Health Care Kit

Although pet owners should always contact a veterinarian in the event of a medical emergency, many doctors are instructing their clients to provide basic medical care at home before coming in for an appointment.

In today’s financial climate, most pet owners are eager to provide this care for their pets, and many prefer to use more natural alternatives to traditional medications commonly used for home first aid. The natural/holistic treatments often work just as well, are more economical, and are safer for your pet.

Minor injuries, bites, rashes, and tummy upsets can happen to any pet at any time, and keeping a complete first aid kit in an easy-to-access location will ensure that your canine companion receives the best possible care quickly. Before giving your dog any homemade or over-the-counter medications, check with your veterinarian about potential side effects and appropriate dosage. 

 

Creating the Kit

Listed below are the basic ingredients for a Canine Home Health Care Kit. In the second section, both traditional and alternative (blue text) medicines are listed for common dog health problems.

The Basics

1. Muzzle
2. Stethoscope
3. Tweezers
4. Rolled gauze
5. Scissors
6. Medical tape
7. Gauze pads
8. Cotton swabs
9. Ace bandages
10. Hydrogen peroxide 3%
11. Betadine/iodine
12. Wound wash saline
13. Instant cold packs

For Specific Ailments

1. Minor wounds and scratches
2. Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin) *Calendula Cream/Vitamin E /Traumeel Cream
3. Allergies/rashes/bug bites
4. Benadryl (oral and spray or cream) *Apis or sulphur homeopathic tabs or spray (Hyland’s brand)
5. Bleeding
6. Quick Stop (styptic powder) *Yunnan PaiYao Herb powder/capsules
7. Dehydration
8. Pedialyte *Electrolyte beverages/EmergenC
9. Diarrhea
10. Kaopectate *Probiotics (yogurt) Slippery Elm Powder
11. Ear inflammation (always rule out foxtails first)
12. Oticlens ear wash *Herbal ear wash (see below for recipe)
13. Eye irritation/redness
14. Sterile Saline Eye Wash *Homeopathic Eye Drops “Allergy Eyes” (Similason brand)

Fear and anxiety

1. Sedatives (Valium) *Bach Rescue Remedy/Calms Forte tablets (Hyland’s brand)
2. Vomiting/upset stomach
3. Mylanta Gas *Slippery Elm
4. Pepcid antacid *Aloe Distillate /Nux Vomica Homeopathic

Pains and sprains

• Aspirin (buffered form, like Ascriptin) *Arnica/Traumeel Tablets/Ointment
• Toxic ingestion (poisoning)
• Hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting *Activated Charcoal

 

Most of these supplies can be purchased at local pharmacies, health food stores, or natural pet stores. I encourage my clients to organize them in a small tackle box or stuff sack. REI has some nice first aid containers, as well as many of the recommended medical supplies. Many of my clients also keep a smaller version of this kit in their car for travel emergencies. 

It’s also very important to have the following phone numbers readily available and perhaps even stored in your cell phone:

• Familiy veterinarian; 
• Nearby 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic; and
• ASPCA Pet Poison Control Hotline number and website – 888-426-4435; www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control  (excellent source for info on poisons and how to respond). 

Important Note: For pets who are chronically ill and require medication for survival, keep two weeks’ worth of prescription medication on hand in the home kit. 

 

Life-saving Skills

In addition to maintaining a complete Canine Home Health Care Kit in a handy place, you should consider taking a pet first aid class to learn basic skills like CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and how to manage a bleeding wound. Many rescue leagues and other humane organizations offer such courses, as do many Bay Area pet stores. 

The following basic skills can help you save your pet’s life:

1. How to stop bleeding by applying pressure to the wound;
2. How to flush and disinfect a wound;
3. CPR for pets; 
4. The Heimlich maneuver for pets and understand how to handle a choking emergency;
5. Examining an animal’s vital signs and what values are normal;
6. Using a muzzle (dogs in extreme pain or panic often bite their owners unwittingly); and
7. Inducing vomiting or using activated charcoal to absorb a toxin in the event of poisoning.

Your veterinarian can help you decide what is a serious emergency that requires an office visit or what you can use from your Canine Home Health Care Kit to help your furry family member feel better right away.

 

Dr. Jenny’s Herbal Ear Wash for dogs

• 1 cup George’s Distilled Aloe Vera
• 1 tsp calendula liquid tincture (alcohol free)
• 1 tsp hypericum (also known as St John’s Wort) liquid tincture (alcohol free)
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 20 drops Bach Rescue Remedy

Combine ingredients in a squeeze bottle or dropper bottle and shake to combine well. Once a week or as directed by your veterinarian, insert 20-30 drops into the deepest part of the ear canal and massage into ears, then let your dog shake her head to remove dirt and excess liquid. Wipe dry with a clean tissue. This formula is excellent for yeast overgrowth and wax buildup. Discontinue if irritation develops or if ears seem painful even after washing.

 

Dr. Jenny Taylor founded Creature Comfort Holistic Veterinary Center in Oakland, one of the few hospitals in the Bay Area to specialize in complementary veterinary medicine, offering holistic modalities like acupuncture and homeopathy in addition to traditional allopathic care for pets. She performs acupuncture on the animals at the Oakland Zoo and lectures regularly, introducing people to the benefits of holistic medicine for animals. She can be reached at 510- 530-1373 or www.creaturecomfort.com.

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