National Pet First Aid Awareness Month

April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month! Our animal companions are active, curious, playful, and very, very fragile. It only takes seconds for accidents and injuries to happen. In emergency situations, being able to perform first-aid could literally save your pet’s life. A local vet offers some information on pet emergency first aid in this article from Arapahoe Animal Hospital, your Boulder, CO vet, serving Louisville and surrounding areas.

First-Aid Kits 

We always recommend erring on the side of caution. Have a pet first-aid kit prepped and ready to go. Store this near your furred, scaled, or feathered friend’s travel carrier, so you have everything in one spot. Some of the things you may want to include are styptic powder, hydrogen peroxide, gauze, a magnifying glass, non-stick bandages, towels, cotton balls, Q-tips, antibiotic ointment or spray, tweezers, popsicle sticks, towels, and blankets. You’ll also want to keep copies of your pet’s medical records in the kit. 

Customization 

Pet first-aid kits should always be customized according to the type of pet that you have. If you have a reptile, you may want to include non-spermicidal condoms: they can be used for wrapping injured lizards’ tails or snakes. For a dog, a muzzle would be a good option. No matter how sweet FIdo is, he may very well bite if he’s hurt! A bunny first-aid kit may need a powdered food formula, while one for birds should have bird-safe oral electrolytes. That customization is one benefit of getting a pre-made kit that was made specifically for your animal companion.

Information

The best first-aid kit in the world won’t be helpful at all if it isn’t used properly. Having some basic information on hand can make a huge difference. Pick up a pet first-aid brochure, or print a downloadable one. There are also some great pet first-aid apps for smartphones. (The American Red Cross has a good one.) Of course, your best source of information will be your vet or an emergency clinic. Our number for the main hospital is 303-442-7033, and our downtown location is 303-442-7036. You may also want to keep the number for a pet poison control hotline handy. The ASPCA’s is (888) 426-4435.

Please reach out to us here at Arapahoe Animal Hospital, your Boulder, CO vet, serving Louisville and surrounding areas, for all your pet’s veterinary care needs. We’re here to help!