Key takeaways

  • Keep your vet's number, the nearest emergency clinic and a poison control number in the kit and in your phone.
  • Gauze, bandage, tape, saline, a digital thermometer, gloves and a towel cover most minor emergencies.
  • First aid stabilizes; it doesn't replace a vet. Call ahead and get there.

Information to keep with the kit

  • Your vet's phone number and address
  • The nearest 24-hour emergency clinic
  • An animal poison control number (in the US, ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435)
  • Your pet's vaccination record, medications and microchip number
  • A recent photo of your pet

Supplies

  • Gauze pads and a roll of gauze
  • Self-adhesive bandage and adhesive tape
  • Sterile saline for rinsing wounds and eyes
  • Digital thermometer (for pets only) and lubricant
  • Blunt-ended scissors and tweezers
  • Disposable gloves
  • A clean towel or blanket, and an extra leash
  • Styptic powder for bleeding nails
  • A muzzle or soft cloth for dogs: even gentle pets may bite when in pain

Basic first aid

For bleeding, press a clean gauze pad firmly over the wound and hold it. For a suspected poisoning, call your vet or poison control before doing anything else. For heat illness, cool your pet with water and get to a vet. Keep your pet warm and still if they may be injured, and move them on a flat surface like a board or blanket.

Keep it ready

Store the kit somewhere everyone in the household knows, check it every few months and keep a smaller version in the car for walks and trips.

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Questions, answered

What is a normal temperature for a dog or cat?

Normal for both is roughly 100 to 102.5°F (about 38 to 39°C). Call your vet if it's well outside that range.

Can I use hydrogen peroxide to make my dog vomit?

Only if your vet or poison control tells you to. Inducing vomiting is dangerous with some substances.

Sources

We base our care guides on guidance from veterinary schools, veterinary associations and animal welfare organizations, written in our own words. If your pet is unwell, your vet is the right first call.