Hunting Dog First Aid - The Importance Of Having Medical Supplies
While many hunters realize that first aid is important to carry in the field, many neglect the fact that their four-legged hunting companion also may need some medical attention.
Dogs are tough and often with their adrenaline pumping can get into bad situations.
When running at full speed through trees they can get cut and bruised easily, and a hunter has to be prepared for the different types of injuries their hunting dog can sustain.
A dog's first aid kit will be a bit different from the human variety; dogs won't often need emergency aspirin or adhesive bandages.
While dogs are tough animals and a lot of the injuries they sustain will be minor enough to not need veterinary attention until the end of the day, there are some essentials a hunter should never be without.
The first thing a hunter needs to have in his canine first aid kit is gauze.
Most of the injuries sustained by a dog in the field will be flesh wounds from the dog getting physical with another animal, or running at high speeds through trees and brambles.
A hunter needs to not only carry gauze, but know how to use it.
Tighter isn't always better, especially in the case of wounds near the feet.
It's extremely easy for the circulation to be cut off in this area and the dog's foot can swell, so while it should be secure, don't wrap too tightly.
Before wrapping the wound be sure to rinse it out with clean water; this wrapping will often be okay to last through the end of the day's hunting trip.
Another essential item to the canine first aid kit is a splint.
Because of the adrenaline rush a dog feels when in the middle of a hunt, they often can get into careless situations, such as twisting or breaking a leg in deep holes or by falling from high places.
This happens much more often than a hunter might expect and he needs to be prepared in case it does.
The dog's leg will need to be splinted and wrapped with gauze.
This injury is serious enough that the hunting trip should be cut short and the dog should be taken to a veterinarian.
There are other smaller items that a hunter should have for his hunting dog, and many animal supply stores carry canine first aid kits with just these types of items, such as tweezers and antiseptic.
Be sure that you carry all of your canine medical supplies on every hunting trip in case a medical emergency should arise.
Dogs are tough and often with their adrenaline pumping can get into bad situations.
When running at full speed through trees they can get cut and bruised easily, and a hunter has to be prepared for the different types of injuries their hunting dog can sustain.
A dog's first aid kit will be a bit different from the human variety; dogs won't often need emergency aspirin or adhesive bandages.
While dogs are tough animals and a lot of the injuries they sustain will be minor enough to not need veterinary attention until the end of the day, there are some essentials a hunter should never be without.
The first thing a hunter needs to have in his canine first aid kit is gauze.
Most of the injuries sustained by a dog in the field will be flesh wounds from the dog getting physical with another animal, or running at high speeds through trees and brambles.
A hunter needs to not only carry gauze, but know how to use it.
Tighter isn't always better, especially in the case of wounds near the feet.
It's extremely easy for the circulation to be cut off in this area and the dog's foot can swell, so while it should be secure, don't wrap too tightly.
Before wrapping the wound be sure to rinse it out with clean water; this wrapping will often be okay to last through the end of the day's hunting trip.
Another essential item to the canine first aid kit is a splint.
Because of the adrenaline rush a dog feels when in the middle of a hunt, they often can get into careless situations, such as twisting or breaking a leg in deep holes or by falling from high places.
This happens much more often than a hunter might expect and he needs to be prepared in case it does.
The dog's leg will need to be splinted and wrapped with gauze.
This injury is serious enough that the hunting trip should be cut short and the dog should be taken to a veterinarian.
There are other smaller items that a hunter should have for his hunting dog, and many animal supply stores carry canine first aid kits with just these types of items, such as tweezers and antiseptic.
Be sure that you carry all of your canine medical supplies on every hunting trip in case a medical emergency should arise.
