While pet supply stores and veterinarian offices will sell canine first aid kits, it is very easy to make your own. Your Yorkie’s first aid kit should include basic medications, bandages, and tools so that you can keep your Yorkie as comfortable as possible in case of an injury or medical emergency while you transport them to their veterinarian.
Essential Components
Dogs and humans can share many common components found in first-aid kits, such as tweezers, scissors, eye droppers, sterile eye wash, antihistamines, antibiotic cream, disinfectant, gauze pads, Ace bandages, adhesive tape, aspirins, Q-tips, and cotton balls.
It is also a good idea to keep a small, closely focused flashlight or penlight in your canine first aid kit in case you need to examine eyes or ears, or to look for a bee stinger or splinter.
Storage
Obviously, you will want to keep your first aid kit where you can easily and quickly locate it, such as next to where you might store emergency supplies for your human family members, or next to the fire extinguisher.
Wherever you decide to keep your canine first aid kit, make sure that it is easily visible and does not become buried beneath other items stored in the same location. Also, make sure that you keep it well stocked. For instance, if you use supplies from it, immediately replace them so they will always be available the next time you may need them in case of an emergency.
Also, consider keeping a second first aid kit in your vehicle for those times when you travel with your Yorkie to visit off-leash parks, beaches, hiking trails, or other areas where your dog could easily injure themselves. When you keep a fully stocked canine first aid kit in your vehicle it can also serve both humans and dogs whenever an emergency arises.
Other handy items to keep in your vehicle would be a warm blanket and extra towels for drying or applying direct pressure to stop bleeding in case of wounds or for providing support when transporting an injured dog.
Medications
Before you might ever need them, it’s important to know the correct dosages for any medications, such as a non-toxic antihistamine. For instance, Benadryl can be a very effective medication to have on hand should your dog suffer from allergies, anxiety, bee stings, insect bites, travel and car sickness, ear infections, hives, or hot spots. It can be used as a mild tranquilizer and sedative, and after shots. It can relieve itching, cold symptoms, runny nose, and eyes, sneezing, coughing, and other similar inconveniences dogs and humans can suffer from.
Because of the Yorkie’s small size, you want to be very certain that you do not accidentally overdose on them. The main signs of overdose are swollen limbs and difficulty breathing and a major overdose can even lead to death. In case of an overdose, the owner needs to induce vomiting in their pet (give one teaspoon (five milliliters, or cc’s) of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide for every 10 pounds of body weight) and contact their veterinarian immediately.
WARNING: Never use products that contain Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Motrin, or artificial sweeteners because they are poisonous to dogs.
- Alcohol Swabs
- Aspirin (1/4cc per pound)
- Antibiotic Ointment (Neosporin)
- Antihistamine tablets (Benadryl 1/2cc per pound)
- Bottled Sterile Water
- Disinfectant (liquid Betadine or swab-tipped vials)
- Hydrogen Peroxide 3%
- Ear Cleaner
- Epsom Salts (prevent infections)
- Liquid Soap (Dawn for rinsing off chemicals)
- Nutracal or Nutri-drops (for low blood sugar)
- Petroleum Jelly
- Qwik Stop or Styptic Pencil (to stop bleeding nails)
- Hydrogen Peroxide 3%
- Silver Nitrate Sticks (to stop bleeding)
- Sterile Eye Wash (Artificial Tears)
- Bandages & Equipment
- Ace bandage or Elastic Wrap
- Adhesive tape (white in a roll)
- Blanket, Facecloth, Towel
- Bulb Syringe
- Cold Pack (for swelling)
- Cotton balls and/or Q-tips
- Gauze pads and/or rolls
- Hot Pack (for warming cold puppy)
- Eyedropper
- Forceps
- Magnifying Glass
- Penlight
- Rectal Thermometer (normal temperature is 100-102)
- Scissors (blunt-tipped)
- Syringes (1-cc, 3-cc, 6-cc
- Tongue Depressors (for clearing the airway or as a temporary leg splint)
- Tweezers
