It’s impossible to keep your dog out of trouble. He’s adventurous, curious, and energetic. In other words, he’s a recipe for trouble, but that’s why you love him. Rather than attempting the impossible, keep yourself prepared for emergencies with a properly stocked first aid kit and knowledge about what to do in the most common urgent situations.

What should I keep in a good first aid kit?
Before stocking a first aid kit for your pup, get a business card from your vet. On the back, write the number of the closest 24-hour veterinary hospital. Keep the card in your wallet or bag at all times, and it’s best if you can also keep one in each car. Also program the vet’s number into your cell phone. While this may seem excessive, it ensures that you’ll be prepared at any place, any time if your dog is injured outside your home. As for the first aid kit, keep at least one of each of the following on hand, preferably in a large freezer bag:

Sterile gauze pads Tweezers
Adhesive tape Scissors
Antiseptic wipes Thermometer
Hydrogen peroxide Cotton balls
Antihistamine Hydrocortisone cream

Why a freezer bag? It’s an easy size, you don’t have to spend the extra cash on a fancy carrying case, and it’s see-through. Quick treatment is important in an emergency, and being able to see into the first aid kit without opening it can make a huge difference.

Dehydration
During a long day of Frisbee or fetch, your dog can get distracted and forget to hydrate himself. To check whether or not your dog is dehydrated, grasp a handful of skin and let go. If the skin doesn’t immediately fall back, he’s dehydrated. If it took more than a couple of seconds to return to its usual position, get to the vet immediately. If it took 1-2 seconds – or your dog is older – have him drink water ASAP and get out of the sun. Try the test again later, and see the vet if the timing hasn’t improved.

Choking
Because dogs love to feel things in their mouths, choking can be a common – and fatal – hazard. Beyond foreign objects, allergic reactions can make your dog’s throat swell to a point that he can’t breathe.

If he’s unconscious, lay your dog on his side and place one hand on his back and the other on his stomach just behind his rib cage. Using the stomach hand, push in and toward the throat twice, but without too much force. If you can see a foreign object, sweep your fingers through his mouth to remove it. If he’s still choking, place your mouth over his nose and exhale until his chest rises. Repeat once, and then thrust two more times. Continue until he coughs out the obstruction.

If he’s conscious, back him into your legs or have someone restrain him. Check his mouth for an obstruction and try to extract it with a spoon. If this fails and you can reach the obstruction, cautiously use tweezers.

Severe bleeding
Find any clean cloth (but preferably the gauze from your first aid kit) and apply pressure for five minutes. If the blood soaks through, add additional cloth. After five minutes, use a bandage or tape to fasten the material to the wound. Don’t remove the original cloth or use hydrogen peroxide, as either action can slow clotting.

Dislocated joints
If you notice your dog’s leg is suddenly jutting toward or away from his body at an odd angle, he has probably dislocated the joint. Take your dog to the vet, where the joint may be able to be relocated manually. In worse injuries, surgery may be necessary. Regardless of treatment, your dog should stick to easier activities for a fair amount of time to help his body recover.

Fractured limbs
After reading the skeletal section (you did read it, didn’t you?), you know that fractures can involve bones protruding from the skin. If this is the case, cover the bone with a sterile bandage or cloth. Do not try to clean or straighten the wound. If you have a small dog, use pencils or pens as a splint. For larger dogs, use rolled magazines or newspapers. Place them on either side of the bone, then roll cloth or adhesive tape progressively up the splint material. While traveling to the vet, touch your pooch’s toes every few minutes to be sure circulation is normal. If they get too cold, rewrap the splint material more loosely.

Poisoning
The easiest way to treat poisoning is just make sure it never happens. Keep chemicals out of reach, in a garage cabinet, and locked away just as you would for a child. If your dog does ingest a poisonous substance, it may cause vomiting or seizures. In severe cases, internal bleeding and death can occur. The safest method of home treatment for poisoning is a call to your vet. Because some poisons can be more damaging on their way back up than on the way down, vomiting should not be induced. Your veterinarian can help treat your dog safely and effectively.

Spider and snake bites
Dogs love to play… and hunt. In one of their usual play sessions, your dog may run across a spider or snake who thinks your pup is way heavier on the hunting than the playing. When it comes to spiders like brown recluses and poisonous snakes, get to the vet immediately. The quicker he or she can administer the antivenin, the better. Don’t wash the wounds or you run the risk of pushing the venom further into the dog’s body, and don’t try to suck the poison from the wound. This just complicates the bite and can end up poisoning you.

Shock
Shock can result from many other injuries and emergencies and can develop when blood circulation stops and starves the tissue of oxygen. If left without oxygen, shock can be fatal. Press on your dog’s gums. If they are pale, white, or blue, your dog has gone into shock. If he’s still conscious, he may have very shallow, fast breathing or feel cool to the touch. Check for any bleeding or foreign objects in his throat. If you find either, follow the instructions above. Wrap your pup in a blanket, raise his rear legs above his head to help encourage blood flow to the brain, and get to the vet immediately.