Given my propensity to overthink and obsess about potential worst case scenarios, you might assume I have a serious dog first aid kit filled with all sorts of supplies, ready to be deployed at any given moment, right?

Wrong. 

Until recently, it never actually occurred to me that I would even need a dog first aid kit. I’d just figured that if Sweet Baby L had some kind of injury that required any first aid administering, I’d take her to the emergency vet (see: the time I overreacted to a hotspot). Isn’t that what pet insurance is made for? Besides, there’s about a zero percent chance I’d be confident that I’d be able to treat any kind of injury sufficiently. 

But the other day, Sweet Baby L ambled through what appeared to be the remnants of a broken beer bottle and I thought maybe it would be a good idea to have at least some basic supplies around. You know, just in case I need to pull together some kind of pain relief while we were on our way to the emergency vet. (Luckily, she has paw pads of steel).   

Pre-Made Dog First Aid Kits

There are lots of pre-made dog first aid kits like this one available on the Internet (prices seem to range from about $18-$60) but they seem stuffed with lots of things that I can’t ever see myself using. Medical scissors? Carabiners? Irrigation Syringes?  Not for me, thanks. But still, I knew I should probably try to pull something together.

Making Your Own Dog First Aid Kit

It seemed like I already had at least the initial makings of a decent first aid kit at home already, so it didn’t seem to make much sense to buy an entirely new one. I took a look at what some other experts recommended including. The American Kennel Club suggests things like:

• Gauze 
• Self-adhesive bandages
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Milk of Magnesia (in case of poisoning) 
• Thermometer 
• Tweezers
• Muzzle (in case your dog is frantic) 

I took some inspiration from both of the above resources and came up with a basic version of a DIY dog first aid kit. Here’s what I put in it:

• Saline Solution
• Gauze 
• Chlorhexidine wipes (for hot spots)
• Paw Balm
• Elizabethan Collar (to prevent her from licking any wounds)
• Styptic Pads (to help heal small cuts) 
• Love and affection (Sweet Baby L will need me if she’s not feeling her best)