Doggie Doctor: Absolute must haves in a dog’s medical cabinet

It is always very worrying for owners when their dogs are sick or have injured themselves in some way which often does not merit a trip to the vet.

It could be they have cut a paw pad or have some other minor injury on their bodies which are not severe enough to need veterinary attention and why it’s essential for owners to have certain things in their “doggy” medical kit which allows them to treat the problem sooner rather than later. Even the smallest cut or abrasion can turn nasty if not seen to straight away. Sterile gloves It is always a good idea to have some sterile gloves in the medicine kit which means there is less chance of any bacteria being transferred into an open injury, not matter how small it happens to be. An open cut or wound on a dog’s paw or leg can quickly get infected by the smallest amount of bacteria which could result in the problem getting that much worse and mean that an expensive visit to the veterinary surgery cannot be avoided. Anti-bacterial solution Washing any cut, abrasion or wound is essential, but using the right type of anti-bacterial solution is also extremely important. Soap and water is not enough to make sure the injury is clean. There are some excellent products on the market which can be purchased without a veterinary prescription from reputable pet stores and on the internet. Vetericyn spray gel is one of the products that is well worth having in a dog’s medical kit because it allows owners to use it without straying a dog out and it immediately relieves any pain they may be feeling. Wound powder Wound powder is an essential in a dog’s medical kit because it is easy and safe to use on minor cuts, injuries and abrasions ensuring that everything is kept clean and dry once the wound has been cleaned correctly. Iodine Iodine is another essential because it can be used to sterilise anything that can be reused at a later date. It is also extremely good to apply iodine to a minor wound straight away to prevent bacteria from getting into a cut or abrasion. Vetrap Vetrap is a product that most horse owners keep as an essential in a grooming/medical kit because not only is it easy to use on an injury or swelling, but it is self-adhesive which means that a bandage can be applied quickly and effectively. The same is true for dogs more especially if they have cut a paw, leg or have received some sort of minor tail injury that needs to be cleaned, treated and then bandaged. Ear drops Dogs pick up all sorts of parasites and bugs when they are out and about or when they come into contact with other dogs or animals. This includes ear mites and as such it’s always a good idea to keep some up to date ear drops in a medicine kit so that a dog’s ears can be treated if and when necessary as early as possible to prevent the problem from becoming one that needs veterinary attention. Coagulant & Cotton wool Most owners know how scary it is when they trim a dog’s claws and get it wrong which results in a lot of bleeding which is why it’s a very good idea to keep coagulant powder in the medicine kit. There are many good products that can be sourced online or at reputable pet stores and this includes one called Trimmex which is an easy to use, safe coagulant powder that stops the bleeding almost immediately. Clean dressings Clean dressings are also important items to have in a dog’s medicine kit and these can be sourced at a local chemist or online. They do not have to be specific veterinary dressings as human ones are just as good providing the packaging is intact and the dressings are sterile. Anti-scratch collar For dogs that suffer from allergies, investing in an anti-scratch collar is a well-worth purchase because unlike an Elizabethan Collar, it does not stress a dog out when they have to wear it to prevent them from licking and chewing at themselves which makes the problem not only worse, but more stressful for dog and owner.

(Article source: Pets 4 Homes)