• Blanket
• Thermometer
• Sterile 4X4 gauze pads
• Sterile Dressing (Small, Med, Large)
• Roll Gauze
• 1 and 2 inch white tape
• Splints
• Poison Control Telephone Number

• Scissors, Tweezers, Pen Light
• Nonstick (Telfa®) Pads
• Cloth Strips and Tourniquet
• Betadine or Triple Antibiotic Ointment
• Instant Cold Packs
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Veterinarian's Emergency Phone Number
• Glucose Concentrate (Karo Syrup®)

The following are questions that you should ask and things to check before calling the veterinarian:

First Aid and Transport Care for Emergency Situations:

Remember that a frightened or painful animal could bite or scratch. Be prepared with a cloth or belt to muzzle a dog (be sure that he can breath easily) or with a large, thick blanket or towel to restrain a small animal. Have a family member or neighbor assist in transport.

Trauma: Make sure pet is breathing. Reduce any bleeding with direct pressure. Arterial bleeding (spurting blood) may require a tourniquet. (Tourniquets can be dangerous if left on too long; transport immediately.) Secure pet in a blanket or towel if possible to reduce movement. Transport to hospital immediately.

Choking: Be very careful when attempting to clear airway; pet will often bite if panicked. The Heimlich Maneuver may work if an item is lodged in windpipe. (Note: coughing and gagging are often confused with choking--a pet which is truly choking will move little or no air at all, and his gum color will be gray or bluish. A pet who experiences periodic episodes of "choking" may be gagging.) Transport to hospital immediately.

Poisoning: Call Poison Control (1-800-342-9293). DO NOT induce vomiting unless instructed to do so. If advised to induce vomiting, give Hydrogen Peroxide until desired result achieved. (Start with a few teaspoons for small animals, or a few tablespoons for large dogs.) Some poisons are fatal over time; immediate treatment is crucial even if pet does not appear sick. Bring the poison label with you if possible and transport to hospital.(Click here for a list of common toxins, and here for a more complete index of toxic plants.

Respiratory Distress: If pet is gasping or breathing heavily, remove collars/leads and use minimal restraint during transport. Stay calm--pets can sense and react to our stress. Transport to hospital immediately.

Seizure: Make sure that pet cannot hurt himself. DO NOT attempt to place anything in his mouth. If poisons such as snail bait have been used recently, bring box with you to the veterinarian. Bundle pet in a blanket--get help to transport pet in case seizures occur. Transport to hospital immediately.

Straining to Urinate: Inability to urinate is life-threatening. There is no home aid. Transport to hospital immediately.

Diabetic Insulin Crisis: Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can be characterized by weakness, disorientation, seizures. Place Karo Syrup® on gums and transport to hospital immediately.

Nonproductive Vomiting or Retching(Especially in large breed dogs): This is the most common sign of a life-threatening condition called "gastric dilitation and volvulus", or "torsion." There is no home aid. Transport to hospital immediately.

Bleeding (Hemorrhaging): For bleeding wounds, apply direct pressure with a thick cloth. If blood soaks through, apply additional cloths (do not remove original dressing). If blood is spurting from wound (arterial bleeding), apply tourniquet above wound. (Tourniquets are only practical on limbs, and can be dangerous if left on long, so transport immediately.) If pet is bleeding from rectum, mouth or other orifice, no home aid is recommended. In all cases, transport to hospital immediately.

Dystocia (Trouble having puppies or kittens): Pregnant pets in labor for more than 2 hours, or actively straining to produce a puppy or kitten for more that 20 minutes with no results, may be experiencing dystocia. Call your veterinarian and prepare to transport. Bring mother and all babies with you to the veterinarian. If possible, keep the family together in a box. If mother is too large or restless to transport with young, use a heat source (such as hot water-filled milk jugs or a ziplock filled with dry rice and heated in microwave) to keep puppies or kittens warm.

Heatstroke: Heatstroke is characterized by acute collapse, often following heavy activity in hot weather or confinement in a hot space such as a car. Pet will pant heavily, and mucous membranes may be brick red. Give a cold water bath or drench with a hose and transport to hospital immediately.