Polock
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2022
Couple unorganized thoughts on the subject since I've been working pretty hard on assembling a human/k9 dual IFAK for me and my dog when we go hiking. Id rather not carry 2 different piece of kit, there's a lot of overlap for the both of us but also some specific things too.
If you can, take a Stop the Bleed or better yet, a TCCC course. Very useful information that will cover a lot of bases and is pretty easy even if its all new info to you.
If you're going to carry a single piece of medical kit on you, carry a tourniquet. I have them everywhere in my car as well.
Hemostatic impregnated gauze is super cool but has an annoyingly short shelf life, 1 year. We all know that the shelf life of all this stuff is actually a lot longer than whatever is written but you're gambling after a certain point. Dogs have incredibly good coagulation factors so they don't really need help with that actually. This goes for tourniquets too - anatomically they cant use the regular CAT style ones because their limbs are tapered. You need those garbage stretchy rubber ones. But, again, dogs don't need this kind of hemorrhage control so its a waste of space.
Pneumothorax decompression is actually extremely easy to perform on dogs but a bit sketchy on humans. Both can use like a 14 gauge needle which you can get on Amazon. The tip about connecting an empty syringe is a really good one because you cant always hear the air escaping but if you put the plunger in, you can see it moving. It will also let you know if you were on target with your needle. You should be very aware of whatever good Samaritan laws you have in your state if you're going to attempt it on a human. These needles are also useful for alleviating the most immediately deadly symptoms of bloat (GDV) in dogs.
Intubation is also one of those tricky on humans easy on dogs thing - in an anatomical and legal sense anyway. Still a critically useful skill when you're dealing with major trauma to the face. The alternative solution is a cricothyroidotomy and even some doctors I've talked to go NOPE at that idea.
Do not give your dog NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin) for pain management, it will fuck up their kidneys. Also don't give your dog acetaminophen it will fuck up their liver and also basically give them carbon monoxide poisoning (same effect - interfering with hemoglobin - different specific mechanism). Talk to your vet to see if he will prescribe you some painkillers if you feel like you need them. Again, this is something that dogs usually deal with pretty well (up until they don't of course). Unfortunately all the good stuff that both humans and dogs can use are controlled substances.
Dogs can, however, take antihistamines for their various beneficial properties as well as albuterol if they are having breathing issues.
Dogs have much stronger bones than humans but they are also much more susceptible to blunt force trauma ESPECIALLY to the thorax. Falls are quite dangerous to dogs.
Dogs are also much more vulnerable to hyperthermia. This should be an obvious one but it can sneak up on you.
If you're going to have a K9 first aid kit, make sure it has a muzzle.