UPDATE: This complete do-it-yourself pet first aid kit was been added to and improved! Please click here to learn more. Typist: Bethany It's been two months since I was certain 'R' Blood on the Track Boys and I would be driving across the country at the end of May. That means it's been two months since I began researching and putting together an all-inclusive Dog First Aid Kit. And I just finished putting it together yesterday. Yeah. It truly was that difficult. I really thought I could just buy a good kit or at least one that was simple to add on to. I sure was wrong! Hopefully, in sharing what I have learned, the following first aid kit tips, trials and tribulations, you and your fit dog will be able to put together a good first aid kit for your outdoor activity or travel needs. When I naively thought I could just buy a pet first aid kit, to help decide what kit to buy, I checked a few different sources on what was recommended in a dog first aid kit: The Humane Society, the AVMA, Vet Medicine at About.com and the Red Cross (where I have taken a few pet first aid classes.) The pet first aid kit from the Red Cross is horribly incomplete. Really, Red Cross, no 3% hydrogen peroxide? One gauze roll? With what would I make a muzzle? How can their awesome list of what you need for pet first aid and the kit they sell be so, so far from one another? Granted, the Red Cross kit is light and portable but the one I put together weighs less than one pound more and has way more useful pet first aid items. After this Red Cross disappointment, I didn't look further for a commercially put together dog first aid kit than Amazon. And I quickly got disappointed with what they have too. Eye wash but no ear wash. Materials to stop bleeding but not to splint. Nothing for poisoning (the most common illness in any dog, active or not!) Arg!! So as crazy as it sounds, I followed the advice of a reviewer on Amazon. I don't know him. He might be a vet or an inmate but I am very glad I found his review. You can read the review here. And here's what I bought or added to make the perfect pet first aid kit:
* Items inside the modified Outdoor First Aid Kit/small orange bag. Pleaseclick this link to see what came in the original Outdoor First Aid Kit. All of those items are a part of our kit with the exception of non-aspirin and scissors. The modified kit weighs 2.4lbs.
I chose to buy a muzzle for our first aid kit because I like the idea of preparing the dogs for the unthinkable. It is very easy to make an emergency dog muzzle. I was fortunate to find a muzzle that (sort of) fits all of them. To get them used to the muzzle, I have given them high reward treats every time I have gotten the muzzle out or put it on them. Obviously, they still don't like it but I told them all that it is my deepest wish they will never have to wear it beyond our quick training sessions. I have also done done a lot of treating and happy time play as I have put the first aid kit together these last couple of months. If I am ever upset, grabbing for one of these orange bags, I want them to be triggered into happy thoughts from the past while I help them with what ever fate has tossed our way. I am also a firm believer in natural and alternative medicines for both humans and canines. I printed out a great natural digestive first aid article that is in my new dog first aid kit but I have not included many of those items on this list and in this kit. The reason is that many of the items, such as coconut water, ginger tea and acidophilus, are items I usually have with me when I travel. And I will, of course, share with the dogs as needed. Not only was putting together a complete dog first aid kit extremely time consuming, it was also ridiculously expensive. I absolutely hope that the over $300 spent on this dog first aid kit is money spent on stuff that we absolutely never, ever use. That's a weird feeling after spending so much money. Then again, peace of mind is priceless as is the safety of our pets. Cascadian Nomads was not asked to or paid to promote any businesses or organizations mentioned and linked in this post. We paid for all mentioned and linked products ourselves and we are in no way compensated for clicking on the posts links we've provided. We're just sharing information or stuff we like! Always consult a veterinarian about the nature of your dogs specific first aid needs and physical limitations. We are not veterinarians or experts and are just sharing what we hope are helpful dog first aid kit tips. The Cascadian Nomads highly recommend taking a pet first aid and CPR class before going on any excursion where administering pet first aid may be necessary.
Super Sweet Blogging Award
Typist: Bethany Well, we Nomads have been blogging for six whole weeks and we've already been nominated for a blogging award. An award is definitely not something I ever imagined happening when I started this blog. One of the best parts is that we were nominated by a blogger I have enjoyed for quite a while, long before I even thought about blogging, Miss Harper Lee of The K9 Harper Lee. Thank you so much to Miss Harper Lee for nominating us. She is indeed super sweet. In particular, Miss Harper Lee nominated our blog because her mom appreciates ourBlack & White Sunday blog posts. As the resident Nomad photographer, and being very out of my comfort zone with our black and white Sunday blog posts, I truly appreciate this compliment.
Since all of the Cascadian Nomads have been a part of this blog and a part of our Black & White Sunday blog posts, we are all going to answer the super sweet questions. Get ready to get to know the Nomads, perhaps better than you ever wanted to... Typist: Leo Cookies or cakes? It's not safe for a psittacine to eat sugar. How about "Kale or Chard?" In that case, chard. Red chard. Chocolate or vanilla? If I could eat sweets, I might not be able to really taste much of a difference between the two since psittacines don't have taste buds. Based on color, I think vanilla is lovelier as a flower and as a food. Favorite sweet treat? Papaya!! When do you crave sweet things most? Well, I have been told I eat like a bird, so all the time! Sweet nickname? Sweety P. I have a great song about it! Remind me to sing it for you sometime.
At first we thought it would be difficult to come up with 13 blogs to nominate, especially since we so strongly agreed that many of the bloggers Miss Harper Lee nominated are super sweet. Then we found we have an awful lot of blogs that we love and especially those who have supported our leap into the blogging world. For the most part, we ended up trying to nominate blogs that had it seemed had not won the Super Sweet Blogging Award before. Congratulations to you and thank you for your inspiration and support. Cascadian Nomads was not asked to or paid to promote any businesses or organizations mentioned and linked in this post. We're just sharing information or stuff we like! 'To my mind Davidia involucrata is at once the most interesting and beautiful of all trees of the north-temperate flora… For more great spring photos and to read about the Cascadian Nomads stormy day excursion to the arboretum in search of blooming rhododendrons click here. |
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