Reprinted from www.cornerstoneequineacademy.com
An equine first aid kit is a necessity on any farm and is often something you should have handy before you need it. Build a kit for both the barn and the trailer, so you’ll always have what you need – when you need it.
The list below that we’ve compiled was made with horses in mind, but many of these can be used for humans and other livestock as well.
1. BANDAGES
Elastikon, vet wrap, standing wraps, shipping wraps, even a polo wrap can be used in a pinch. You’ll want to have something flexible available in case you need to wrap an open wound or poultice.
2. SCISSORS
Scissors are vitally important for cutting duct-tape, elastikon, or electrical tape. Should you find yourself needing to put a wrap on your horse in a hurry, having scissors to be able to cut the elastikon or duct-tape will make things easier.
I once found a horse who had managed to wrap her tail around the handle of a bucket hanging in her stall and walk halfway out of the stall before she got stuck. She was stuck in such a way that she couldn’t back up, and couldn’t walk forward. A pair of handy scissors helped me cut her loose before she panicked.
3. BUCKETS
Everything from dousing a hot horse with water or letting them drink a bit of water, to soaking hooves or even used as a first aid kit container, buckets are essential.
4. FLASHLIGHT
Horses always seem to injure themselves at the worst time, and night is no exception. Keep a flashlight with charged batteries available for inspecting wounds in the dark. Or even better, one of those wind-up powered ones so you don’t have to worry about running out of batteries. These PrimalCamp LED ones are solar powdered and crank powered.
5. TWEEZERS
Tweezers can be used to pick off ticks, remove shards of wood, or just get into tight places your fingers can’t fit.
6. ICE PACKS
Ice packs are essential to help to cool down a hot horse or apply immediate cold to swollen limbs.
7. LUBRICANT
Keep a jar of vaseline in your first aid kit for assisting thermometers getting to where they need to go or use it for sunscreen on horses with white noses or on burns/fresh skin to protect and encourage hair to grow back.
8. RUBBING ALCOHOL
For disinfecting scissors, tweezers, or thermometers. Do not use to disinfect wounds as it can dry out the skin you want to heal.
9. SHEET OR ROLL COTTON
On scrapes and cuts on the leg, you’ll disinfect it, cover it with non-stick gauze, and then wrap what you can with a roll of sheet cotton. This provides some cushioning, protects the area from getting dirty, and holds the gauze in place.
10. BETADINE
Betadine is a beautifully gentle disinfectant. Always disinfect more than you think you need to.
11. STERILE GAUZE
Sterile, non-stick gauze will hold any antibiotic ointment, or simply to cover an open wound and protect it from getting dirty. I prefer using the non-stick version so I don’t tear off new skin when I replace the bandage.
12. SURGICAL GLOVES
It’s always a good idea to wear surgical gloves when dealing with blood or treating a wound to prevent infection.
13. THERMOMETER
A rectal thermometer is essential for taking a horse’s temperature.
14. WIRE CUTTERS
Wire cutters can be handy if your horse gets caught up in wire fencing, or even hooks and bucket handles.
15. BOTTLED STERILE WATER
Bottled sterile water is good to have on hand for flushing debris out of eyes, or open wounds.
16. BUTE
A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, Phenylbutazone can be used like aspirin. It can be bought in an oral paste, or an injectionable solution. Use it to provide pain relief, and reduce fevers.
17. TWITCH
Usually a twitch is a long wooden pole with a loop of rope at the end. This loop is slipped over the horse’s nose as the pole is twisted until the rope tightens down around the soft upper lip. While this may seem cruel, it is certainly effective for situations in which you need to immobilize the horse for it’s own and your safety.
18. POULTICE
A poultice is a thick solution that is applied to swelling in an attempt to draw out the inflammation.
19. ACE
Acepromazine is a strong tranquilizer and should only be used at the discretion or at the direction of a vet.
20. FLUNIXIN
Another non-steriodal anti-inflammatory, flunixin is more aggressive at targeting inflamed tissue and is usually used in the treatment of colic pain, join disease and to alleviate fevers. A side effect of administering flunixin is usually diarrhea, which also helps in cases of a suspected GI blockage.
Did I miss anything? What do you have in your first aid kit?