You can get these versatile pliers at most big box hobby shops. You can find these online or in any pharmacy. They are delicate and more appropriate for fine work like cutting bandages without disturbing the wound that you are trying to heal.
Far more suited to cutting bandages and dressings are actual bandage scissors.
But if you find yourself changing a dog’s bandages regularly, you might grow to hate them as much as I did and start to wonder why on earth everyone uses them? I have even witnessed trauma shears cutting the dog’s skin along with the bandages. Most kits come with trauma shears which work for their intended purposes: cutting through clothing, seat belts, and-yes-bandages. Carry three or four in your kit and you will find all kinds of uses for them.
Paint stirrers are cheap or even free in some places, if you ask nicely. Using a paint stirrer was essential in laying a solid foundation for the bandages and dressing so that they could stay in place, yet not be so tight as to impair circulation. If you aren’t familiar with tail injuries, it is very difficult to keep any kind of dressing in place because the dog’s tail is constantly moving.
My setter had a tail injury last summer and paint stirrers saved the day as a splint to keep his tail from flexing too much. For example, you can use them as splints or you can wedge one in the back of your dog’s jaw to keep it from closing while you remove porcupine quills or other foreign objects from the roof of its mouth. Wooden paint stirrers are indispensable multi-taskers.
You can easily find them online which will give you a great opportunity to order them in your correct size for the best fit. How many times have you put on the sterile gloves from a first aid kit only to have them rip while going on? Or cursed them as they ripped in the middle of whatever task is at hand? 10 mil gloves are so tough that you can put them on, forget about them, and even reuse them if necessary. A nylon muzzle takes up much less room than a plastic Elizabethan cone and, in my opinion, is much more effective in an emergency scenario. Muzzles are also indispensable if your dog likes to rip its bandages off or lick its wounds. A muzzle is a small investment in your own safety as well as improved efficiency as you try to care for your injured dog. While it may be hard to imagine your dog ever biting, don’t underestimate the desperation of a hurt and fearful dog. Why a muzzle? A simple nylon muzzle with a Velcro connector is helpful in case you need to keep your dog from biting you while you perform field first aid. You don’t need anything heavy duty, just one that will fit your dog. If you’re unsure of which size your dog needs, you can even get an inexpensive variety pack. Simple nylon muzzles can be found online for a few bucks. T-shirts are multi-taskers and their uses-especially in an emergency-are limited only by your imagination. Besides putting it on your dog to keep a bandaged wound covered and clean, it can be cut into bandages, rigged as a makeshift muzzle, or used as a signal for help. I suggest finding one that is blaze orange or fluorescent green. You can find a child-sized t-shirt that will fit your dog at most big box craft stores for a few dollars.
Items to supplement a standard first aid kit T-Shirtįew things can be so simple, cheap, and versatile as a basic t-shirt.
SUBSCRIBE to the AUDIO VERSION for FREE : Google | Apple | Spotify They are a great foundation for your own personal kit, but since they are a one-size-fits-all product, they will need to be customized to your personal needs and experience level. Here are 12 items that I added to my out-of-the-box kit and a brief description of how they elevated my simple canine first aid kit into canine first aid gear. Ready-made canine first aid kits have come a long way in recent years. Sooner or later, your dog will get hurt and rely on you to stabilize them long enough to reach the vet clinic, which could be hours away. One of the most important roles we take on as gun dog owners is that of field veterinarian. These household items are important additions to your dog first aid kit to improve your emergency medical care in the field