How To Handle A Dog Emergency

I found a few videos on dog emergency care that I recommend watching.

In addition, I've developed a car crash emergency kit for my Shelties that I am offering for sale as well as a first aid kit geared for canines.

Usually when I see prepackaged kits, more times than not, it doesn't have what I think would be helpful.

Makes you wonder if these people even own dogs.

Anyway, at the moment I have what is called my car crash kit, to be used for first responders trying to get my Shelties out of a mangled vehicle....

But let's get to the videos first...

Just When You Think You're Safe

Choking Dog Emergency

I've only had one pup choke on me big time and it's a pretty scary thing to have to deal with.

Canine CPR

Another dog emergency is if you have to perform CPR.

I have never had to do this, thank God, but better to have the information and not need it than the other way around.

I hope it is helpful information in case the worst happens to your pup.

Honestly, thinking in terms of disaster is difficult for me. I'd much prefer to stick my head in the sand. After all, I and my guys have been lucky so far.

The other difficulty for me is how much time it takes to get ready for each possible catastrophe. Planning for all the things that could go wrong in a dog emergency is mind boggling.

However, this time around, once I started thinking about things that could go wrong, I was pretty much like a dog with a bone. I couldn't leave it alone.

So, the canine side of me won over the "stick my head in the sand" side of me.

The Dog Emergency Playing Inside My Head

So, I'm picturing myself in an accident, unconscious or just unable to help my pups (which are crated for safety). The car is mangled and the crate door has cracked open a bit. The Sheltie is struggling to get out and the first responder is trying to hang on to the pup, wondering how to control this animal.

What would the first responder need? Hmm, First a leash, close by, not thrown God knows where after the accident. Something he could grab with his one free hand.

What else? Well, once the leash is on, if the Sheltie is in pain, a muzzle would be good. My guys are sweethearts but if they are terrified and in pain, who knows how they might react.

And longer term, while I'm lying in some hospital, how about some information on the dog and a few emergency contacts like the vet and maybe the contact for the local breed rescue to help out while I recuperate. Copies of vaccination records too.

What else is needed in a dog emergency?

Well, heaven help the pup if he got loose and is running around. How could they track him down? I can see myself crying when they ask me if I have anything that may have his scent on it... only his scent on it..... Not one of the other dogs. Waaaaa!!

And if the authorities did find him and the person who had him insisted I wasn't the owner?? How about a photo of him and me on that information sheet to put an end to that little game real quick!?

So I played with a few different prototypes and ended up with what you see below. Simple but effective. You can do it too.

The Car Crash Kit

I made one for each Sheltie I own, so every time I went on a trip, it would be a simple matter to just grab the pre-packaged container with that dog's name on it and go. Right sized muzzle inside, right information sheet. Right scented bandana. Right vaccination records.

No fuss, no muss.

Down right easy! Grab and go!

Emergency Car Crash Kit Contains:

One bag with Velcro attachments.
one 4 foot slip leash
one cloth muzzle (need to measure the muzzle for the right size)
one small cloth in a zip lock bag (let the pup wear it for a day or so, then place in the labeled plastic bag that tells whoever, the cloth has the dog's scent on it)
one dog information form with self laminating sheets. (After you fill it out get a selfie of you and your pup and put it on the back of the card before you laminate. That way you have proof he is yours.
remember to place a copy of rabies or other vaccination records in the container as well.

Stick all that in a bag, it's labeled so everyone knows what it is and attach it to the crate so it's close to the dog even if the car goes topsy-turvy.

Let the end of the leash stick out of the end (has an opening) so it can be pulled out one-handed if need be.

This should be the essentials for the immediate removal of the pup from the vehicle to a vet until you can return to him.