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Thursday, January 26, 2012

19

IHeart: DIY Doggie At Home Medical Kit

Today I am excited to welcome Serena Faber Nelson, author of the incredibly adorable blog, "Pretty Fluffy".


Because such a large percentage of the population has a furry pet friend, it's important to keep them in mind when organizing as well.  And because Serena writes a blog dedicated to pooches, I thought she would be the perfect guest to stop by and share with us an organizing pet project she recently completed, along with some other fantastic pet organizing tips.

"One of my favorite things about the New Year is the opportunity to lay foundations for the year ahead.  Feeling secure knowing you've got the big stuff sorted.  Knowing that you have a safety net to catch you when things fall apart.  Because as much as we want life to be perfect - it ain't.  So this month I want to encourage all pet owners out there to go about creating your own DIY Doggie At Home Medical Kit.


What you'll need:
  • Storage container with a snap lock lid
  • Cotton pads for clean up and topical applications
  • Gauze for swabbing, padding or wound cover
  • Bandages for compression and dressings
  • Cotton buds for topical applications and clean up
  • Scissors
  • Tweezers
  • Flea and tick treatments
  • Worming treatments
  • Antiseptic for small grazes and wounds
  • Sanitizer for your own hands after dealing with wounds


This is merely a starting list for you.  Think about what your dog needs medically day to day and in an emergency.  Check with your vet as to what they would recommend to include, and consider your local area and your dog's lifestyle for any extras - such as doggie sunscreen or tick removal devices.

Package all of the items into the container, and wrap in a bow {for prettiness!}.  Don't forget to label the kit with your vet's emergency contact number.  Should you have an emergency on your hands, this saves time by allowing you to call the vet for help while attending to your dog.



And as much as you may want to, DO NOT use it to dress up as a mummy for Halloween.  Emergencies only people.  {You can, however, pretend to be a doctor from Grey's Anatomy when tending to the thorn in your dog's paw.  You can even use the word 'Stat'}.

 
Here are some more handy hints to get your dog's health and safety sorted for 2012:

Ever gone to find out your dog's registration details and after hours of searching have found them in your toaster's warranty guide?  {Which has, of course, expired.}  It's time to get rid of that clutter.  Streamline your dog's paperwork into one folder - this one from Kikki K does all the hard work for youBelieve me, often when you're looking for this info, you want it pronto!  You want this file to include the following:
  • Your vet's contact details {including emergency after hours numbers}
  • Registration and microchip papers
  • Vaccination details
  • Health records
  • Training certificates
  • Dietary information

This one goes for you too!  Throughout the year it's easy to build up old tablets, powders, lotions and potions for the family, and your pooch is no exception.  Trouble is these medications go out of date, and using them when they have expired can be ineffective and plain right down dangerous for your dog.  So go through your home medical collection and dispose carefully of anything damaged, or out of date.  Not too sure about something?  Contact your vet or error on the side of caution and get rid of it.  Once the clean out is complete, now is the ideal time to stock up on at home treatments such as worming tablets or flea treatments, to ensure you have your dog's healthiest foot forward.


So your dog hates the vet.  Or maybe they love the vet.  Or maybe they liked the vet but then thought the vet wasn't that into them and then the whole thing got complicated.  Whatever it is, just get your dog to the vet annually to make sure their vaccinations are up to date.  And don't leave it too long - be cool, call the vet, check when your dog is due and get them booked in.


Set digital reminders on your phone or computer that will bring up alarm notifications for annual vaccinations, worming, flea treatments and other medications.  This will ensure you don't forget!


No, I'm not talking about Facebook {that that there is anything wrong with that}.  I'm talking about a one page "Cheat Sheet" for visitors who may come to look after your dog when you are away.  You never know when you may be called away suddenly or unable to return home.  Having a short guide to what your dog eats, where they sleep, how often they exercise and any important medical info, means that practically anyone can step in and care for your pooch when you can't.  This one page document is one less thing for you to worry about, allowing you to focus on more important things. 


Kikki K - Beautiful, practical paperwork solutions for important documents.
Apple 'My Dog' App - Keep all your dog's info in  one handy app.
Dog Help Network - A new online guide providing help & information on a variety of dog health issues.

Thank you so much for having me today Jen!"


Thank YOU to Serena for the great reminder of the importance of being organized pet owners!  So many great tips and tricks and ideas!  For more puppy eye candy, fun products and endless ideas on how to be a fab pet owner, you can check out the Pretty Fluffy blog here.  I can't wait to make up a doggy medical kit for my favorite pups!

How else do you keep your pets organized?

19 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness this is a fantastic idea. I have two puppies and I definitely think I should make on of these for each of them!
    xx


    The Urban Umbrella
    xoxo


    http://urbanumbrella.blogspot.com/

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  2. I need to do this.... last year my dog broke her toe... then the 1st vet who saw her put a cast on, went back and it was a different vet who took the cast off then decided she needed to wear it longer, put another cast on... a week later, pup didn't want to move and her foot was smelly and leaking fluid. turns out the second vet put the cast on too tight and it cut her foot open in 3 spots. :( :( so she almost had to have her foot amputated but the vet that saw her that day was wonderful and took good care of her and thank goodness her foot is fine now, she has a crooked toe and 3 bald spots (because the fur never came back) but those were right up there in the top 3 worst times of my life.

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  3. As the daughter of a veterinarian, a must have in this kit are latex gloves. If you are allergic to latex, then a latex alternative.

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  4. i love this post! i'm always looking for ways to organize my dog's things--and do it in an appealling way! i always find that dog things are never very attractive.

    great post! going to check out those links and blog now!

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  5. Ohmygosh YES!!!!! I haven't done this at. all. -- def time for a ferret and kitty medical kit and a travel kit too! Thanks ladies!!!!

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  6. Yes, a good idea which I will do for our kitty. You should also make sure to take good pictures of your pet, just in case she decides to run away and you need photos to ask people help you find her.
    Jule

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    Replies
    1. Who DOESN'T have a good picture of their pet?! I have far too many :P

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  7. Thanks so much for having me today Jen! xo

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  8. Oh Jen, thank you so much for featuring this blog, not only do I have a new blog to check out but this post is definitely high on my list of things to do. We welcomed a new puppy to our family at Christmas and I was just thinking the other day whilst my eyes were wandering around the amount of medicines etc that I've acquired for him "I need to get Ollie's stuff organised", looks like I know what I'm doing today, seeing as its raining buckets here in Sydney, Australia... nice day to get organised. Yep I'm in Sydney, its lovely to see someone from this side of the world featured in your blog, I visit you blog daily (I newly discovered it a few weeks ago and I'm still reading all your posts). Great work!

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  9. I just posted about updating the family First Aid Kit, I didn't think to make one up for our dog Mowgli. Guess I have a new project this weekend! :)
    When we first got our dog Mowgli (2 years ago), we made a 'Mowgli Binder' that holds vet record, AKC record, breeder information, doggy daycare information and payments, and his doggy insurance. I guess I should post about that too one day.
    Thank you for todays post!

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  10. Maybe another good addition would be some vomit inducer? We had to force my dog to vomit after he ate macadamia nuts :S

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  11. This is cute! I wanted to add one thing though, someone suggested latex gloves. Latex is horrible and nasty and loads of people devlop allergies to it. ALWAYS go with a nonlatex alternative. Most hospitals are phasing out everything latex

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  12. I love this post! So much great information on getting things organized for my dog. I'm adding it to the LINK LOVE on my Monday January 30 post for sure! Thanks

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  13. Good suggestions that I can use for my 'grand-dogs'!

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  14. These are all such great tips! Our puppy first aid kit is in a bag. Because he goes many places with us and I like to grab it on our way out the door. We added a saline eye wash, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and a tiny bottle of liquid soap after a close call with a skunk.

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  15. I'm your newest follower and I tagged you in a post tomorrow so others can see how great your blog is!!! I'm also following you on pinterest!

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  16. I made a whiteboard using a picture frame that I write my dog's info on. I typed up a list of things that I need to remember to do on a regular basis (full-coat brushing, teeth brushing, ear cleaning, flea treatment, heartworm tablets) and spots for his appointments (vet, groomers). I then just write on the glass when I next need to do something or when his next appointment is.

    It's personalized too, as I made a banner of my dog's pictures at the top of the sheet, so it's really cute.

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  17. some other things you should ALWAYS have in your pet first aid kit are: hydrogen peroxide (can be used to clean wounds and an oz for large breeds can induce vomiting), rectal thermometer, gloves, aspirin (crush it up with some water and spread on bee, wasps, etc stings), Benadryl pills (for stings), tick remover, matches (stick up the bum to help them poop if they aren't going), paw repair cream, triple antibiotic cream, saline solution to wash eyes, muzzle or leash tied around muzzle of the dog (used when they are in a lot of pain and wont let you look), e-collar, ice pack/ heating pad, and I always have a bottle of metacam in the house for pain.

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    1. Oh, goodness, please don't stick anything in your dog's rectum to "help them poop". Oftentimes when owners think their dogs are constipated, they're actually having diarrhea and you're seeing straining, not constipation. Aspirin is not effective for them, either, as the dose needed for proper analgesia is so high that you worry about GI ulcers. Hydrogen Peroxide should only be used as a first step, it should not be used repeatedly on wounds because it lyses red blood cells and can cause tissue damage. I agree with the rest, however.

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