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Accidents happen. Consider a doggy first aid kit to be prepared in the event of an emergency. When your pet is injured, you won’t have time to rummage around in a frantic search for something to help him. First aid has to be right away. For this reason, it’s a very good idea to set aside a box containing your dog’s own medicines and the equipment you will need in case of emergency.

His medicine chest should include the following:

• Milk of magnesia to serve as a laxative.
• Adhesive tape and bandages for dressing wounds.
• Activated charcoal as a poison antidote.
• Antiseptics, such as Merthiolate, metaphen or peroxide for cleansing wounds, and Neosporin ointment to prevent infection.
• A rectal thermometer and Vaseline or K-Y lubricant.
• Hydrogen peroxide, mustard powder or salt for emetics.
• Burn medicines contained in aerosol sprays, as prescribed by your veterinarian. Aromatic spirits of ammonia for shock treatment.
• Blunt-ended scissors for cutting hair away from wounds.
• Benadryl to control swelling and inflammation.

Safety First

Most accidents, after all, are the result of neglect. By far the greatest cause of serious injury and death in dogs, for example, is the automobile. It takes only one moment of neglect, one moment off the leash or out of the fenced yard, to cause this tragedy.

An ounce of prevention will work its proverbial magic if you will only observe a few simple safety rules for your pup. Here, then, are some guidelines for accident prevention.

Keep Your Dog Confined When He’s Outdoors

If your yard is fenced, make sure there are no holes he can wriggle through, that the gate latches firmly and that family and visitors are warned to close it securely. If the yard is not fenced, then you should construct some kind of run or play area for a puppy. It need not be large; even a playpen, placed in a shady spot in the garden, will work as a temporary measure. Put in a weighted pan of water and a few toys to amuse puppy when he’s alone.

For a permanent run, enclose an area with sturdy metal fencing at least 6-feet high (dogs are amazingly adept at climbing). A run 6-feet wide and 20- to 30-feet long is large enough for almost all breeds. Cover the surface with a porous material, such as sand or gravel; plain earth holds the dampness and is unsanitary.

Choose a location that provides both sun and shade, keep the run clean and always provide water.

Make sure there are no garden poisons or pesticides within puppy’s reach. Clear the yard of broken glass, stones, small pebbles, or any other objects that he might swallow.

Never Unleash Puppy When You Are Walking Him on a Public Street

In one unleashed instant he might dash into the path of an oncoming car. If he rides in the car with you, always attach his leash to his collar before you open the door; he might bolt head-on into the tragic.

Keep Puppy Confined to His Crate or Playpen When He’s Alone in the House

If he’s getting too old for this kind of treatment, put him in a room that has been carefully puppy-proofed: light cords disconnected, all swallowable objects removed, nothing to chew on but his own safe toys. And keep an eye on him when he has the run of the house.

Make sure all household poisons such as cleaning agents and human medicines are out of reach. He’s not actually looking for trouble, but he does have a way of finding it.

Thanks for reading and becoming better prepared for a puppy emergency! Contact Dogman Mark Castillero for any questions you may have at protraindog@gmail.com