A pet first aid kit and being ready at home

An emergency usually catches you unprepared: an injury at night, a collapse in the heat, something suspicious eaten. A small first aid kit and a few phone numbers take the edge off those first minutes. But let us be clear from the start: first aid is temporary and does not replace a vet. The aim is to stabilise the situation and get the animal safely to a clinic. You can find the nearest clinics in the directory.

What goes in the kit?

• Bandage and sterile gauze. To press on bleeding and cover a wound temporarily. Support the pressure with your hand and do not wrap too tightly.
• Digital thermometer. To track fever; the reading is useful to pass on to the clinic, but leave the interpretation to the vet.
• Pet carrier. The safest way to move an injured animal. Carrying it in your arms puts both of you at risk.
• Leash and muzzle. Even the gentlest animal in pain can bite; a muzzle protects both you and the handling, but use it so it never blocks breathing or vomiting.
• Water and a bowl. For cooling down in the heat and for general need.
• Blanket or towel. To keep an animal in shock warm, to steady it during transport and to protect surfaces.
• Phone numbers for your vet and the night-duty clinic. Written somewhere easy to see, so you can call in a panic.
• A copy of microchip and vaccination records. In a loss or an emergency visit, identity and history speed things up.
• Product packaging in case of poisoning. If you know what was eaten, bring the box, label or plant; it helps the vet decide correctly.
• Gloves and a small torch. For hygiene and checking a wound in the dark.

How to use it, and before you set off

First aid has one aim: to keep things from getting worse until you reach the clinic safely. It does not diagnose and it does not replace treatment. Secure yourself and the animal first, then call the clinic. Never give human medicines (including painkillers and fever reducers) without the vet telling you to; many are toxic to cats and dogs, and the right dose can only be set by a vet. Do not try medicines or doses on your own.

If you suspect poisoning, call before trying to make the animal vomit; with some substances, vomiting makes the harm worse. Keep the packaging, label or plant that shows what was eaten. Details are in the poisoning risks article. Some situations, such as being unable to pass urine, are not solved by a kit and are emergencies in themselves; see the urinary blockage article. What is genuinely urgent is easier to tell apart with the when to see the vet article.

The single most important step is to call before you set off. Let the clinic get ready for your arrival, take guidance over the phone, and do not drive out for nothing if it is closed. At night or on a weekend, the 24/7 clinics in the vets open at night article will help. What this directory does and does not cover is set out on the about page.

This page is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, and before giving any medicine, call the vet who can see your animal.