By Gail Marsh
Kibble? Check! Leash? Check! Dog bed? Check! All set? Nope! Don’t forget this essential item when RVing with dogs: dog first aid kit.
Friends of ours love to take their dog when they RV. They never had any problems—until last week, that is. The family was hiking, and Brutus (the dog) came, too. Along the way, Brutus stepped on something that put a deep cut in his right, front metacarpal pad. It didn’t seem too serious at first, but then the dog began to limp. Eventually, Brutus had to be carried back to the RV and taken to a local vet.
First aid kit
Brutus’ owners admitted, “It never entered our thought process to carry a first aid kit for Brutus. We never needed one before. Now we plan to always take a dog first aid kit along each time we RV with our dog.”
Whether you purchase a ready-made kit or make your own first aid kit, it’s important to know how to properly use each item inside your kit. For example, a thermometer will tell you if your dog is running a fever. Know how to properly take your canine’s temperature to avoid causing harm to your pet. You can find online resources or ask your local vet for this information.
Purchase a ready-made kit
There are several options of ready-made first-aid kits for pets online. I checked Amazon and found kits ranging in price from less than $20 to those costing more than $100. You may want to ask your veterinarian what kit s/he suggests.
Once you’ve purchased your dog first aid kit, you’ll want to store it with your other camping items. That way, you’ll remember to pack it along for each and every RV trip you take.
Make your own
As an alternative, you can gather first aid items and put together your own dog first aid kit. Here are some items that you’ll want to include in your homemade kit:
- Thermometer
- Penlight
- Stethoscope
- Q-tips
- Tweezers
- Femostats (for bleeding)
- Syringes (include various sizes; be sure to have a syringe for administering oral medications)
- Gauze/gauze pads
- Adhesive tape
- Scissors
- Styptic pencil
- Iodine tincture
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Antibiotic ointment
- Vet wrap
- Super glue
You may also want to add Benadryl (for allergic reactions), an oral electrolyte solution like Pedialyte (for diarrhea and/or dehydration), and activated charcoal (in case of poisoning).
Also good to know is this list of over-the-counter medications that are safe for dogs.
Do you travel with a beloved pet? Have you ever had a pet emergency while RVing? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
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Since my dog always comes first, I have his first aid kit, although I don’t carry a stethoscope or thermometer. One thing I want is a sling in case I had to carry him, but I’m not sure which is best. I don’t want to cut off circulation to anything, obviously. He is shorter coupled than average, so I’d want the leg holes in the right place. I took a pet first aid class a few years ago, and I’d like another because it’s been a while. I have a small book also, which needs to be read occasionally. I’ve always carried Benadryl; you need to know dosage. Since YouTube has a video for everything, I will look there. I also carry an emergency message thing that works by satellite.
I now travel with 4 little guys and gals. We carry most of the items you listed but need to add a few. Thanks for the list
I always have Famotidine(Pepcid) for upset stomach for my dogs since I have had dogs with stomach issues in the past.
Need to carry a few of the items when you walk your dog far from the camp; other items can be stored in the camper.
I learned the hard way to carry a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. It is to induce vomiting when your dog eats something questionable. In my case it was a packet of multivitamins. I called poison control. They wanted to know all the ingredients. I had repackaged them so didn’t know for sure. So they said it was best to get them out of her stomach. Had to knock on camper doors in the middle of the night to find some. Thanks to all the campers I disturbed; none complained and all wanted to help. Good news, it worked.
Now I carry it with me along with a syringe to squirt it in. It really is hard to hold their mouth open and pour it in.
A stethoscope? To me this is going overboard. Unless you are trained to use it and know what the normal sounds of a dog are it is usless!
I always recommend a good pet insurance policy. Those emergency bills can really add up fast.
We have had Pets Best since 2011. Very smart if you can afford it.
Probably should add to bring your pet’s medical records. Handy should you visit a vet on the road
Proof of Rabies vaccination!
Oh, I know your dog doesn’t bite but.
My dog always comes first, so hopefully, I keep him out of trouble. He stays with me. The best way to avoid rattlesnakes is to never go where they dwell. I do sometimes go over the mountains so try to walk the dog when it’s cold and go thumping along with walking stick, and watch very carefully, keeping dog on short leash. Never use a retractable leash. I also have phone and address of any veterinary in the area because in an emergency, one doesn’t want to waste time, and you may not have internet. Some people keep posters with them with the dog’s picture in case he gets lost. If kept on leash, he should not get lost. I’ve considered a sling for carrying the dog.
Another reason for a walking stick is to back off other dogs before they can start something. I’ve hesitated about a sling to carry because if it is a bad fit, could it cut off circulation? I can’t even find a good rain coat to fit properly. I carry toenail clippers in the first aid kit. When I run to the restroom, I lock him in the trailer. Dog thievery is a thing these days.
This is vital to have when you own a pet.
We were on our maiden voyage with our new motorhome a few weeks ago staying at all Harvest Host locations.
On our first morning, we were walking with our dog to the store on premises to purchase some things before we left. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a pit bull mix dog, owned by the Harvest Host owners, attacked us. It was definitely trying to kill our dog. The attacking dog pulled my wife to the ground and I was finally able to remove it from our dog.
Needless to say, our dog had a lot of injuries.
Something I’ve never experienced in my life and never would have expected.
I always have medical supplies with me.
We had a situation in Florida where one of our Dalmatians became sick. He was acting lethargic after our first night in a resort, we walked him on trails that morning and saw a small snake , but we never saw it bite him. Next morning he was foaming at the mouth. We left the RV resort and drove 4 hours to Pensacola to a 24 hour ER.
He had a 106 temp and said we are keeping him over night. At 3 in the morning they called and said his temp is down after fluids and were calling in a neurologist. I said we are on our way can we keep him stable until we get back to Texas. We picked him up and my husband drove 12 hours back home non stop. The next morning he was fine.
Thank you, Gail! We do travel with a dog, beginning with #2 and now with #3. No, never had an injury to either. We do travel with much of those things you listed. We have sufficient quantity to treat dog #3 should an injury occur. Have a great weekend and safe travels!