Pet First Aid Kit (Warren??)

[mahalocd36]

Hi,

We splash Friday (yay!) and will be having Nemo aboard this summer. (Yes, he has his own RuffWear lifejacket and tether with his very own padeye in the cockpit
Was wondering if there's anything special we need in the first aid kit for dogs (note: he's a chewer!) above & beyond the normal for humans.

We do have buffered aspirin (how much for a 27 lb dog?)

Was going to send this privately to Warren but I figured many could benefit from the answer.

Thanks!
Melissa

[Warren Kaplan]

Melissa,
You really don't need much for the dog on board. As far as aspirin goes, a 27 lb dog would get about 1/2 a regular aspirin twice daily. You want to be careful using it though. Dogs can get gastrointestinal ulcerations and bleeding with long term use. I tell people to use it for no more than 3 days without stopping for a day or two. Frankly, if the dog needs it for more than a couple of days you should find out why. There are better drugs for long term anti inflammatory use than aspirin.
Since you can't slap a Band-Aid on a dog if it gets a cut foot, I'd bring along some rolled guaze and some tape on a roll in case you need to temporarily bandage a cut.
The only other drugs you might want can usually be found in the human medical kit. Maybe some neosporin antibiotic ointment. Immodium 2mg...should the dog (or its master) get diarrhea. A dog of 27 pounds would get 1 tablet twice daily. Perhaps some Pepcid, if the dog is throwing up some. One tablet a day should suffice...again on a temporary basis. Benedryl 25mg...if the dog gets a bee sting or some allergic reaction. 1 capsule twice daily should do it..but it will make the dog groggy. If any of these things persist, you'll have to go ashore and have it checked out.
Make sure you give the dog fresh water often. Especially if its hot. Some people have trained their pets to "relieve themselves" in specified areas aboard the boat. Other dogs just won't handle that. Which means you will have to go ashore (via dinghy if needs be) 2 to 3 times a day.
Most pets do pretty well once they get used to it. Oh yes...dogs can get sunburned an overheated so make sure there is a place in the shade somewhere for Fido to go to. The main thing to remember, if the dog isn't right for a couple of days, have him checked out.

Hope this helps

[mahalocd36]

Hi Warren, thanks a lot!
We're going to start with daysails before we venture off for
very long.

Melissa,
As far as aspirin goes, a 27 lb dog would get about 1/2 a regular aspirin twice daily. You want to be careful using it though. Dogs can get gastrointestinal ulcerations and bleeding with long term use. I tell people to use it for no more than 3 days without stopping for a day or two. Frankly, if the dog needs it for more than a couple of days you should find out why. There are better drugs for long term anti inflammatory use than aspirin.

Yes, thank you - it would only be for an emergency. We would take him to the nearest vet.

Some people have trained their pets to "relieve themselves" in specified areas aboard the boat. Other dogs just won't handle that. Which means you will have to go ashore (via dinghy if needs be) 2 to 3 times a day.

We are hoping he does this. He's not the best house-trained dog
in the world so we're hoping to use that to our advantage
For his comfort - I wouldn't want him to have to hold it too long.

[Neil Gordon]

Put the vet's 24 hour emergency number on speed dial on your cell phone.

[Marianna Max]

Sunblock on noses and upright ear tips for sure! Even dark colored doggies can get sunburt in the relected intense light onboard.

Do dogs get seasick or is that a two legged problem only?

[Zeida Cecilia-Mendez]

Maybe we can start a thread and exchange tips and experiences and we can all benefit. My Patty comes sailing with me at all times. When under sail, he is attached by a line to a small ring on my traveler and wears his PFD always. He has not gotten used to doing his business on board and we have tried many different tricks. Doggie diaper carefully preserved with his "pee" scent on it for days... no luck. Fake grass small carpet again with his scent placed on the cockpit floor... n o luck. Trying to get him to go while swimming, holding him on a float to see if he would do it... nothing. However, when desperate enough, he has indeed run to the bow of the boat and peed there, and another time, he did his #2 in the cockpit. Mostly I need to get him on the dinghy and take him ashore at least twice a day when cruising, and of course, at night when we anchor or put in at a different marina.

[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 13e6a8.jpg[/img]
Time to go!
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 13e69d.jpg[/img]
He enjoys the boat as much as I do.
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 13e200.jpg[/img]
Patty with his sailing sunglasses. We are all kind of crazy, aren't we?
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sra ... 13ebb2.jpg[/img]
Staying warm on a brisk sail.

[winthrop fisher]

Hi...
all the dogs i have had, you use the same things as for people.
if your child got hurt or your dog you would treat them if same way, right.
i have all was done that, any Vet will tell you that...
winthrop

Hi,

We splash Friday (yay!) and will be having Nemo aboard this summer. (Yes, he has his own RuffWear lifejacket and tether with his very own padeye in the cockpit
Was wondering if there's anything special we need in the first aid kit for dogs (note: he's a chewer!) above & beyond the normal for humans.

We do have buffered aspirin (how much for a 27 lb dog?)

Was going to send this privately to Warren but I figured many could benefit from the answer.

Thanks!
Melissa

[mahalocd36]

There's a lot of stuff you shouldn't give dogs just because you give them to people. Tylenol for instance.
Plus I was interested in dosages, etc. That's why I was hoping Warren would answer...(which he did )...he's a Vet.

Melissa

[Warren Kaplan]

You are correct that Tylenol (acetaminophen) in sufficient quantities can be toxic to pets. It can create an abnormal hemoglobin which can make pets turn blue and it can affect the liver.

But let me acquaint you with a few other things that may be a possible hazard for the cruising pet that the cap'n probably doesn't know about:

Let us assume you finished a perfect cruising day and you've dropped the hook in a spectacularly beautiful anchorage. The gear is put to bed for the night and the cap'n and crew and the pet retire to the cockpit to watch the sunset over cocktails and a fine seagoing repast. Everyone is famished so the hors d'oeuvres come out first. Icey cold grapes is just what the doctor ordered. Fine for you and the crew, alas, not so good for Fido. Many, but not all dogs can get kidney failure from just a few grapes. Nobody knows the toxic principle in grapes, but it can wreck a lot of dog kidneys. And you can't get away with feeding the snack food of raisins, since raisins are just dehydrated grapes.
After a great dinner, a nice chunk of chocolate is irresistable. Fine for you but again Fido should forgo it. Now I've seen little dogs eat a whole box of chocolate and do just fine while 100 pounders have eaten just a little and get in trouble. Chocolate can affect the heart and nervous system so don't leave it around. Just one other thing that comes off the top of my head right now...if you have a lot of sugar-free gum and candy aboard it may contain the sweetener Xylitol. If a dog eats a lot of that it will drop his blood sugar thru the floor and the dog may seizure. So keep this stuff in a drawer or something. Take heart! All is not lost for old Rover. I see nothing wrong with Rover having an ice cold brew once the hook is set!!

[Marianna Max]

Wow, and I thought I knew something about pet toxic foods - Thank you Warren, 2/3 I'd never heard of. Xyitol really surprises me, does anyone know the mechanism? Is it that it triggers insulin in dogs even though it isn't metabolized properly? Do they release insulin from cephalic phase more than people?

And you can't get away with feeding the snack food of raisins, since raisins are just dehydrated grapes.

Is this pecular to dogs? I know that many ferret snacks contain raisins. I guess no letting the doggie clean up after the ferrets no matter how much she enjoys it.

[barfwinkle]

I guess no letting the doggie clean up after the ferrets no matter how much she enjoys it.

Pleeeeeeeeeease folks Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

[Marianna Max]

Not that kind of clean up, sheesh. The ferrets are picky eaters and never finish their treats but they spred them around.

[winthrop fisher]

Hi....

being dog breeder for great danes sense 1981 (hausenboggen kennels), show dogs that is.
the main two things like warren was saying about chocolate and tylenol and don't for get onions you should never give to dogs.
my male (haus) dane all most died from eating onions.
onions and chocolate are the two worst things you can give to dogs.
but most of the time my main coon cat comes with me and at 18.5 pounds, she is a hand full trying to catch the fish.

winthrop

You are correct that Tylenol (acetaminophen) in sufficient quantities can be toxic to pets. It can create an abnormal hemoglobin which can make pets turn blue and it can affect the liver.

But let me acquaint you with a few other things that may be a possible hazard for the cruising pet that the cap'n probably doesn't know about:

Let us assume you finished a perfect cruising day and you've dropped the hook in a spectacularly beautiful anchorage. The gear is put to bed for the night and the cap'n and crew and the pet retire to the cockpit to watch the sunset over cocktails and a fine seagoing repast. Everyone is famished so the hors d'oeuvres come out first. Icey cold grapes is just what the doctor ordered. Fine for you and the crew, alas, not so good for Fido. Many, but not all dogs can get kidney failure from just a few grapes. Nobody knows the toxic principle in grapes, but it can wreck a lot of dog kidneys. And you can't get away with feeding the snack food of raisins, since raisins are just dehydrated grapes.
After a great dinner, a nice chunk of chocolate is irresistable. Fine for you but again Fido should forgo it. Now I've seen little dogs eat a whole box of chocolate and do just fine while 100 pounders have eaten just a little and get in trouble. Chocolate can affect the heart and nervous system so don't leave it around. Just one other thing that comes off the top of my head right now...if you have a lot of sugar-free gum and candy aboard it may contain the sweetener Xylitol. If a dog eats a lot of that it will drop his blood sugar thru the floor and the dog may seizure. So keep this stuff in a drawer or something. Take heart! All is not lost for old Rover. I see nothing wrong with Rover having an ice cold brew once the hook is set!!

[dasein668]

Not specifically medicine related, but these are a great addition for dogs on board: http://www.easysource.com/muttluks/. This is good for both dog and boat as they prevent Fido from digging his claws in and provides him more secure footing than toenails on fiberglass! Fido might do better digging into teak, but... hehe.

We use them with our Border Collie and they have made a world of difference in his comfort level on board, once he got used to having boots on his feet.

<image deleted by dasein668>

[Warren Kaplan]

Winthrop,
Curious how I totally forget to mention onions...since I love 'um myself. Onions are very toxic. Any amout over 0.5% of the dog's weight can wreak havoc with the dog's hemoglobin and cause severe anemia (and worse) anywhere from within a few hours to over a week. The dog can seem fine for a few days and then start to go down hill rapidly.
0.5% of body weight is a very small amount. For a 50 pound dog that's only a 1/4 pound of onion or 4 ounces. That's the size of a medium onion. For you sailors with little 15 pound dogs, you know what that means. So, if you are cookin' burgers on the grill in a nice anchorage while having a few gin and tonics (ummm...yummy) make sure those onions are in a closed container that the dog can't tip over and that any onions that fall out of your mouth onto the deck while stuffing your face are picked up and tossed overboard right away! Then you can go right back to abusing yourself with your 3rd burger! But they taste sooo good!