25/06/2026
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If you're a dog parent, you probably have all the essentials:
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Water bowl and a brand new bottle of Evian, for urgent rehydration (your dog's rider suggests they won't accept anything less than bottled perfection)
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Emergency p**p bags (for when you forget to wear one of the 10 coats that already have 3 or 4 p**p bags in each pocket)
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Head torch (because you know Fido will want to go in the dark, just to give you that alternative and extra challenging "where's Wally?" experience)
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Umbrella (it will no doubt be raining while you play your new game)
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Spare treat bag (did you get told off in class for putting your dog treats in a p**p bag?? Yes, I'm looking at you!!)
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Slip lead, since you know it's inevitable that the one time you spot a stray dog in desperate need of rescuing from hazardous traffic, you won't have a spare lead anywhere near you
..but what about a canine first aid kit?
Asking for a friend.
And by "friend", I mean, "a klutz who ripped off a dew claw during agility training 8 days ago"
Not that you'd know it at the time. He looked at me with that usual "Can we go again?" expression?
And I said, "NO WE CAN'T GO AGAIN, THERE'S BLOOD EVERYWHERE, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!"
As any responsible dog parent would, I emptied half a bottle of clot-it onto his bleeding claw, bandaged it tightly enough to stop any germs sneaking in, and promptly whisked him off home for some quality down time*
Luckily I carry a first aid kit in the van. In fact, I carry two. One for humans, one for dogs. To be honest, almost all of the equipment is the same. Granted, you won't thank me for dousing your torn fingernails in clot-it and spraying your ouchies with leucillin, and I really hope I never have to use my tick-remover on you... but other than that, a lot of the contents are kinda like-for-like.
If you haven't got a first-aid kit in your vehicle, then as a bare minimum I recommend a few sterile dressings, some bottles of saline solution, and a handful of conforming bandages.
I spent 13 years as a human first-aider, being called out on a weekly basis to everything from minor cuts and burns to self-harming incidents and recurring epileptic fits. But this is the first time in 5 years that I've had to apply canine first aid (sorry Archie, I'm not counting your wasp sting here!). Having the equipment and the training really, really helps in those emergency situations. Knowing what to do, and what not to do, can make the difference between first aid delivered on-site, and a trip to the emergency vet.
For pet professionals and concerned pooch-parents, I highly recommend Rachel Bean https://www.facebook.com/RachelBeanVetNurse for her knowledge and expertise. Her blend of theory and practical will give you the confidence you need to approach a canine first aid situation with clarity, and the knowledge that everything you're doing is as up to date with canine medical guidelines as possible.
Djinn is doing fine. His dew claw came off cleanly and is healing well. Fortunately (?) the injury coincided with the start of the heatwave, so he's done nothing more strenuous than play splashy-paws in the pool and cause the neighbours to believe somebody's dog was gleefully drowning in 6 inches of water. But he'll still be taking it easy for the next week or so, to avoid further injury to his growing nail.
Crisis averted.
(*there is no such thing as 'down time' with a collie. Don't let that RSPCA-case face fool you)
