So this is a question I have had for a while, and I was hoping to get some input. What do you guys do for pet first aid, in the woods or in a situation you cannot get to a vet right away?

I have seen several "pet first aid kits" and was wondering if it was worth the money, or if it was more of a gimmick. My dog comes with me to work a lot, and generally speaking we are far from the nearest vet and usually a good walk from the vehicle. I know a lot of the GSD thread guys like to take their dogs on long walks in the middle of no where as-well. I usually carry in a backpack a good IFAK that can help with most injurys, but most is obviously suited for human use.

Is it worth it to invest in something dog specific or just go with what I have? I have no clue how to treat really any dog injury's, unless they are the obvious cuts. I noticed the kit I will post a link to, does have a manual for dog first aid which might be worth it just for that. Besides throwing your dog over your shoulder and high tailing it to the nearest vet (Which I would do either way but some treatment at the scene would be nice)

Do you guys have a muzzle and a dog IFAK or just wing it? And any individual tips and tricks would be awesome. Especially any vets we may have that would be willing to give input, would be greatly appreciated.

I am also considering vaccinating for rattlesnake bites, because my state is overloaded with timber rattlers, and especially copperheads. Worth it or no?

Dog IFAK

There is a vaccinating for rattlesnake bites? Never heard of that one. Yet here in Texas we have the Diamond Backs which grow fucking big and can dump a shitload of venom in you that I think any vaccination couldn't help with. Personally I would think any med kit that will work for you would work for the dog except for the broken legs or hips for either.

ETA: After doing some quick quires it is something for dogs and horses. Yet nothing for Humans. And looks like it is just for the Diamond Backs right now so any other rattler it is iffy on. I will say this is the first I have ever heard of any of this and I live in Diamond Back territory.

Other than an O2 mask, human first aid supplies will do fine on your canine. Since your are unlikely to have O2 with you then you should be all set if you've got a human first aid kit with you. If the TQs don't fit, a shoelace and an improvised windlass will work just fine for extremity trauma.

I hunt upland game a lot in rattlesnake territory.  In my hunting pack I carry (mostly for the dog but applicable to humans):  vet wrap, gauze, tweezers, saline eye wash bottle, benedryl (for snake bite), styptic pencil, peanut butter packet (to administer said benedryl), honey packet, disposable surgical stapler, razor, medical tape, couple of hemostats, mini-roll of duct tape, light nylon muzzle, and some other random stuff.  Takes up less room/weight than you would think.

Idea being to deal with the most urgent kind of wounds that either are life threatening and need help RIGHT NOW, or fixable things I can handle right there and finish hunting.

I also did snake aversion training with the dog.

Edit:  my hunting guns all have sling swivels but a sling on a upland bird gun is annoying.  However, I stuck in a cheap nylon sling in the pack too so if I need to carry out the dog (55lbs)  I can body sling the shotgun.

I saw a long time ago an emergency dog harness to strap the dog to your chest.  Didn't buy one and can't seem to find it now.  Always thought about throwing one of those in.

Ya, I had never either. I saw a picture of a small dog that had been bit by a copperhead and they little guys leg was in bad shape. It got me curious and I was able to find a vaccine using google, but I called my vet and they do not have it. The vet kinda sucks anyways, so I'll probably end up switching to the one I saw on his adoption papers that did his rabies vaccinations.

Apparently you get the first injection and then take them back for a booster a month later, and it last's for six months which is I guess "rattlesnake season".

My dog absolutely loves creeks, and will stick his nose in every small hole on the bank, and It kinda got me a little worried about him being bitten, and not being anywhere near a vet.

Rattle snake vaccine

I actually hunt with one of the vets who was part of the clinical trial of the rattlesnake vaccine.  He swears by it.  Does my dog at cost.

That said, it is developed using different rattle snakes than we have up in MT.  It is still of benefit, but less so than in other areas.  Vaccine is a misnomer.  It reduces the effect of the venom, it does not provide an immunity.

The Red Cross used to give pet first aid classes. I just checked their website and didn't see it but you could call your local chapter and ask.

Excellent! Thanks so much for the info man, I will definitively be pursuing this then. After seeing that Timber rattler, I was pretty concerned. I left him run free off leash since were in back woods, and even though he usually stays on my heel its something I worry about. I just don't know how he would react to seeing one.

I do upland birds and we will get up to 7-8 miles from the truck. I just carry basic first aid stuff (gauze, tape, benedryl, quick clot wrap and socks for taping over dog feet).  

I didn't used to carry anything until my dog cut her foot up pretty good and I had to carry her over a mile down a rocky hill back to the truck.

Ill actually be adding some stuff to what I carry now, biased of of these recommendations.

Most trauma-based first aid items that you would use on a human would work on a dog. Of course bandaging wounds may be a little different unless you have a Mexican Hairless.


I recommend the carry of a bullion cube, any flavor. It can be very useful for getting a dehydrated dog to drink water if they won't do it normally. It provides electrolytes, and a taste and smell that is difficult for even sick dogs to resist.

Hydrogen peroxide is use an emetic in the event the dog ate something that could be dangerous. I have had to use it a few times on my Rottweiler pup when he swallowed pacifiers.

My dog and I hike and camp a lot and he packs in his own first aid kit.  Some basic supplies--rolled gauze, gauze pads, tape, an antihistamine, ibuprofen, antibacterial cream, tweezers, tick key, scissors (for trimming hair around a wound), and Wonder Dust (quick clot formula designed for horses).  For long trips in hot weather, he also brings a foot pad cream to treat pad cracking and a barrier cream for his pads if we'll be traversing rocky areas.

Probably not rec'd, but I helped a buddy stictch up his dog once.  I just held her down, it was the second time he had to stitch up that dog  

So if you are really in BFE or stranded you might want a curved needle and thread too.  

Disposable surgical stapler...

I'm going to look into this. While hiking one of my dogs managed to fall down into a ravine and caught her chest on a spike of a stump, peeling her chest skin open like a banana. My coonhound was attacked and had hsis ear ripped, both times I needed to stop a lot of bleeding and had nothing useful, except for my clothes which had no luck securing them on the wounds.

I was going to add: a good amount of gauze and strong tape and hydrogen peroxide.