Hello to all of you amazing, dedicated pet owners out there! April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month!
We’ve got a few discounts to help you prepare for safety during the upcoming summer months!
We all love to take our pets with us everywhere! Hiking, camping, beach going… but how many of us actually have a first aid kit, or are prepared to care for an injury that can occur during these activities? Finding out too late that they are unprepared for an emergency is a very traumatic experience for a caring pet parent. Nobody wants to feel like there was more that they could have done to help prevent or care for an injury in their beloved pet.
By carrying the necessary supplies to care for minor to moderate wounds, and knowing what to do in those sudden emergencies, you can feel confident tacking a situation when at arises.
This Pet First Aid Kit is compact and extremely valuable for those times when you may have a delay in getting your pet to a veterinarian. If you’re hiking, camping, or in an otherwise remote area, it may be necessary for you to help get your pet to a stable condition before making the trip back to town. You may need to stop or at least slow the bleeding from a wound, or clean an area to prevent infection. This kit also comes with a first aid manual.
This comes in a pocket size or a full size. Check them both out here.
Another thing to consider is how you will transport your pet back to your vehicle to make that trip to the vet clinic if they are so severely injured that they cannot walk, or cannot walk quickly enough. Consider the Walkin’ Pet Stretcher. 
This stretcher is not only rated for 250 lbs, but it’s flexible enough to fold up into a small, incredibly light package to be completely portable. You could easily slip this into your backpack alongside your water bottle and first aid kit.
Check out this stretcher here.
Learning About Emergency Response
Keeping all of these supplies on hand is a fantastic idea because you absolutely never know when you’re going to need them. Another invaluable resource is knowing what to do in the case of emergencies such as choking, and even being able to recognize the emergency quickly enough to take action. Walks ‘N’ Wags offers a pet first aid course in many locations across Canada, and for those who are not living in these areas, they offer a long distance learning package. Taking a short first aid course to learn how to help your pet in an emergency is a small price for something that can ultimately save their life.
You can learn more about Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid Course here.
Of course you can always check out other Pet First Aid Courses that may be offered in your area as well!
This course is very comprehensive and includes instructions for:
- How to safely approach an injured animal.
- How to complete a Head to toe assessment.
- How to restrain an injured animal.
- How to transport an injured animal.
- Recognition of signs of common illness and injury.
- How to handle various bleeding wounds.
- Bone injuries.
- Ear injuries.
- Eye injuries.
- Choking skills.
- Artificial Respiration.
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
- Poisoning.
- Frostbite and hypothermia.
- Heat stroke.
- Burns.
- Administration of medications.
- Strong emphasis on prevention of illness and injury.
- And More…
Poison Prevention
First Aid Training is a fantastic tool to have under your belt, and one of those tools that you actually want to need to use as rarely as possible! One of the easiest ways to prevent health issues with your pet is to be aware of ingestible items that can pose a threat. Courtesy of Nationwide Insurance, below are two infographics with some amazing information about common food items and plants that can cause health issues in your pets.
Last but not least, any questions that you may have regarding emergency first aid or the general health of your pet can easily be answered by your veterinarian. Make a list of scenarios that you feel you could be more informed about, and make an appointment to go over them with your veterinarian. You won’t regret it!
The more educated and prepared you are in the event of an urgent situation, the easier it will be for you to relax, slow down and enjoy each moment with your fuzzy loved ones.
