Our Sled Dog First Aid Kit, But Mostly Likely It'll Be The Humans Using It!

Part of preparing to run the dogs at the forest is going through their first aid kit - the one that comes with us in the van as opposed to what we have at home.  Everything gets taken out, the box gets scrubbed, expiration dates are checked on meds, supplies are replenished, and an inventory is taken of what needs to be replaced.

One of our most important first aid items is eye wash.  In Southern New England, we usually run on dirt trails using carts. So everyone in back of the lead dogs has the possibility of dirt getting kicked into their faces by the flying paws of the dogs in front of  them, especially if it's raining and muddy. The further back on the team a dog is, the more kickback he or she can get.  This can also happen to the driver, especially if they aren't wearing eye protection. Slanted, deep set husky eyes are designed by nature to protect them and they have a third eyelid too, but if a dog gets dirt or anything else in their eye, we want to be able to flush it out asap.

Another important thing to have in a sled dog first aid kit is a thermometer because sled dogs can overheat, especially if temperatures are above freezing and even if they are below freezing.   Normal body temperature for a dog is around 101.5.  I won't go into details here but suffice to say it's extremely important to prevent overheating from happening in the first place because it can be fatal - the same as when a dog is left in a car during the summer.  

Nicked or split toenails and abraded and cut pads are the most common injuries in sled dogs and are caused by rocks, branches and foreign objects (bottle caps, glass, trash) on the trails, and ice during winter.  So we have peroxide, antibiotic cream, liquid bandaid and dog booties.  The booties aren't in the first aid kit - those are carried in a bag on the cart or sled.  When I take the dog's harnesses off after a run, I check their feet quickly for anything obvious, then I check them carefully again at home at bedtime,  including their toenails and  in between their toes, because sometimes swelling on their pads and toes doesn't show up until later. The dogs love this and greatly appreciate it. I even check the retired dogs' paws so they don't feel left out.

Occasionally a dog will get a bee or hornet sting - not often, but often enough to warrant having benedryl on hand.  I get the kind that's dye free.  Benedryl can be useful for reducing all types of inflammation and is usually calming,  although occasionally it can make certain dogs hyper.  I also have baby aspirin and Bach Rescue Remedy for pain and trauma or stress.

But truthfully, throughout 32 years of running dogs,  I've used the first aid kit much more for humans than for the dogs.  Breaking up fights between overexcited dogs or ones who don't get along can result in accidental bites.  Falling off one's cart or sled and being dragged on one's knees is alway possible because Sled Dog Rule #2  is "Never Let Go".  Working with the equipment, excited dogs, in frigid temperatures and on icy slippery snow all provide endless opportunities for human pain and suffering.  The worst accident I ever saw was when a driver's team ran under one of the big metal gates that are used to close off certain trails.  The cart they were pulling  was too tall to fit under the gate and hit the horzontal metal post at the top of the gate as did the driver's mouth.  Many things in my first aid kit got used that day.

Here's a list of what's in the first aid kit in no particular order:  Face cloth (to provide a clean surface to put other things on), peroxide, thermometer, eye wash, eye wash cup, small blunt tipped scissors, regular big scissors, various tweezers for extracting various things, nail file, Bach Flower Rescue Remedy (for shock and trauma), asprin, Tylenol (This is the only thing listed here that is NOT for dogs because it is poisonous to them! Never give Tylenol to dogs!!!!),  Vaseline, Benedryl,  Pepto tablets, 2 topical antiobiotic ointments for skin, antibiotic eye ointment, bandaids, Q-tips, Gold Bond foot powder, liquid band-aid, regular bandaids, first aid tape, flashlight (for looking in ears, mouths and nostrils), antibiotic hand wipes, flare stick, book of matches (tear off a match, use the torn end to remove things from your eyes like dog fur), self sticking wrap around bandage, Ipecac syrup (for inducing vomiting if a dog eats something that might not fit out the other end), adhesive tape, cotton pads, cotton balls, dental floss, two syringes (for administering liquids or flushing), muzzle, instant heat packs, rubber tubing tourniquet, latex free gloves, and a tiny package of kleenex.

I try to arrange everything in the first aid kit by purpose and to be as visible as possible. When mittenless fingers are freezing they get clumsy and slow, so I also remove any seals ahead of time in order to open bottles and tubes quickly.

 Aside from the first aid kit, we bring paper towels and spray (for cleaning up occasional accidents in the van), clean towels, plastic supermarket bags, bottled water and Gatoraid for electrolyte replacement (for us and in an emergency, for a dog but not to be given regularly). 

Of course, it's impossible to be prepared for everything and the best medicine is prevention! But having this first aid kit, which we've added to and improved over the years, has been a big help many times to us and to others.  The forest is only about 15 minutes from our house but if we were to go away for a weekend with the dogs, more would be added such as antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication, ice packs, and a drip kit to hydrate a dog in an emergency.

I've had use for every single thing in the first aid kit at one time or another.  Some have only been used once and may never be used again, but if needed, they are there. If anyone has anything else they use in their canine first aid kits when they travel with their dogs, I'd love to hear about it!

And in case anyone is wondering, Sled Dog Rule #1 is *The Dogs Come First!*.