Travel Dog First Aid PDF
Tags: Pet Travel, Cats, First Aid, Travelling With Pets, Dogs

This dog first aid PDF guide will help you in many situations where first aid may help your pets, someone else’s pet, or any animal in the wild.

A downloadable version is available at the end of this article.

Pet First Aid

Some people may read this and say, ‘oh give over, pet first aid, really?’. Hopefully, you never see an owner carrying their dog severely injured back down a mountain, or a cat that has a relentless bleed occurring from broken glass, or a wild animal covered in oil or some other substance. Yes, YOU are the unexpected hero when you suddenly have the phone numbers, locations, pet plaster spray, saline pods to clean or scissors and tweezers for glass injuries. It might not have happened to you and hopefully never will, but nothing is worse than no access to a vet and no tools or way of correcting a situation.

It has personally happened to me on the most normal day on a normal walk. Covered in blood after a long walk back carrying my dog home. Luckily in my case it was an injured Dewclaw and a trip to the vet sorted it, but it taught me that carrying a 13kg dog for a mile was a little harder than I expected!

BEFORE YOU GO ON A PET ADVENTURE

Write down, vet details, local vet to the area you are in, including an email and phone number for them.

Travel Dog First Aid PDF Guide

Step 1

Is it an emergency based on the list below? If yes go to step 2.

Is your pet unconscious?

Has your pet collapsed?

Does your pet have any difficulty breathing?

Do you suspect they have broken a bone?

Are they having a seizure?

Is there any severe bleeding or gaping wounds?

Have you noticed any swelling around the face or head?

Are they showing any symptoms of heatstroke?

Have they had persistent vomiting, or diarrhoea and appear quieter than normal?

Have they eaten something toxic like chocolate or medicines?

If you feel this is not an emergency, then you may be able to use some pet first aid supplies to help your pet and then make your way back home or to safety without too much worry.

Step 2

In an emergency you need to do the following:

Secure your pet if possible so they do not run away and hide

You should remain calm despite the worrying situation

If you have any first aid items to stop bleeding, create warmth, or to improve comfort then do use them

Check your phone has battery and signal or use somebody nearby

If you have no technology or help nearby then go to step 4

Now contact an emergency vet near you using the details in step 3

Step 3

Contact an emergency service (Do not call 999 or 911)

FirstVet.com is a digital vet clinic available 24 hours a day in many countries including the US, UK, and European countries. You can have a vet on camera asap.

Alternatively

To find a vet near you follow this simple process:

Open Google on your phone and click on ‘Maps’ or search for Google Maps on your phone

In the map search box type ‘vets near me’

Click on the directions button for any that are near you as seen in the screenshots below

Step 4

If you have no use of technology, you will need to make your way to a vet

Alternatively, you need to make your way to somewhere with other people to use their phones

During this unpleasant journey, you should try to keep your pet warm and as comfortable as possible

Step 5

I hope by following the steps outlined you have managed to either fix the situation with some basic first aid supplies, contact a vet by mobile or video call or managed to safely make your way to a local vet to ensure you are all safe and well on your travels.

Resources

FirstVet has some free consultations with certain pet insurance providers.

First aid products available with Travfurler and with Aqueos

Travel Dog First Aid PDF available on this blog at Travfurler.com