September is Emergency Preparedness Month. The Borzoi Club of America's Ready Borzoi page can help you prepare a disaster kit but you should also be prepared for every day emergencies.
In the event of an evacuation, I have a bag with recommended supplies. I also have a tote bag in my broom closet with dog care essentials. I take this along in the event of an evacuation but it comes in handy for hikes, car trips with dogs and routine dog injuries. My tote contains:
- Grooming supplies: nail clippers, comb, thinning shears
- Medicines: sterile saline, Animax ointment, peroxide and 10cc syringe, Benadryl
- Bandage materials: hemostats (or needle nose pliers), wire cutter, tube sock, vet wrap
- Emergency gear: muzzle, thermometer, sterile suture pack
- Paperwork: vet phone number, rabies receipts, microchip numbers
It's convenient to keep all these items together so that I don't have to hunt for items at the last minute or during a minor incident. You never know when you might quickly trim the dog's nails if you just had the clippers handy. Tube socks are great temporary bandages. Suture material is only needed in a true emergency and in an emergency, looking for items you need is most unproductive.
In a way, it's a habit more than a project, just like keeping the car keys in the same place every day. It's no big deal to find the keys but if you need them in a hurry it makes a big difference if they are likely to be in the same place all the time. To be proactive, I also keep a bag of treats in the top of the tote so that when I open the broom closet I can toss one to the dog. This way the tote and the broom closet will never become harbingers of doom.
For a course in Pet First Aid check out Red Cross National Capitol Headquarters schedule for October 8. Enjoy the dog friendly September weather but don't forget to be prepared for anything.
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