Why dog first aid is a must 

Any dog’s world is fraught with peril, but the thickets, ponds and marshes that form the workplace of a gundog can be even more treacherous. A conscientious owner should keep potential dangers in mind, as well as the necessary solutions, wherever they take their canine companion.

Our dogs will go to extraordinary lengths to do our bidding, and the very least we can do is have their back when conditions overwhelm them, or when they do themselves a mischief in their enthusiasm to service our requests. A century ago, keepers and lairds would have scoffed under their walrus moustaches and tutted behind their pipe tobacco-stained teeth at the thought of carrying a first-aid kit specifically for a dog. But times have changed. There is now a growing variety of dog-specific first-aid kits available, along with an increasing number of resources to help owners learn how to use them in case of a canine calamity.

Emma Bamford, owner of Foxhope Gundogs and winner of the gamekeeper category at Crufts last year, says that people still do not know enough about first aid for dogs. “There is now so much more information and equipment available than ever before and I really think employers should put all keepers through canine first aid,” she says, adding that the standards of responsibility for dog ownership are much higher now across the board, particularly given modern access to advances in nutrition, kennelling and safe transportation. 

Emma says: “One of the only things that is lagging behind is attitudes to canine first aid. I’m very lucky to have had great first-aid training, and even now on shoot days I get asked, ‘Do you carry this’ or ‘Could I use that?’ My dog’s first-aid bag is used more by others than for my own dog, and the reason I am so well-prepared is down to the course I did.”

Emergencies

Emma shares that she has worked with the Dog First Aid Co Ltd, which specialises in canine first aid for working dogs. The company focuses on training owners how to deal with injuries such as wire cuts, hypoglycaemic shock, as well as more typical emergencies such as being hit by a vehicle or having a stick lodged in their throat. She adds that the company provides top-quality training because “not only is your instructor a veterinary nurse, but she also works with dogs herself”. 

There can be some confusion about what to include in a dog first-aid kit, so it’s best to buy a designated kit that you can then supplement with items like cling film, antiseptic spray, or saline for washing out eyes. Small kits are ideal for your gamebag and large ones can be left in the pickup. 

Emma concludes: “Dogs are not your tools, they are your teammates. Often, adverts for beaters specify that dogs are required, so why should your dog not be given a standard of safety and first aid comparable to that for humans?” 

ProTrainings.UK runs a range of animal first-aid courses covering a broad spectrum of situations. The company’s business development manager, Jason Cooper, agrees that awareness of dog first-aid products is growing among responsible pet owners, dog trainers and professional handlers. He adds that ProTrainings. UK has been instrumental in promoting canine first aid training courses and related products. Jason says: “Immediate first aid can stabilise injuries, prevent infections and save a dog’s life until professional veterinary care can be accessed.” The company’s courses highlight scenarios such as treating cuts, poisoning, choking or overheating during field activities. It also offers general first-aid kits packed with canine-specific equipment like cooling pads and bandanas to prevent heat injuries, safety muzzles for treating injured dogs, splints for fractures or sprains, and tick removers. 

Education

Kit Taylor, managing director of Muntjac Trading, agrees that although knowledge of dog first aid is improving, more education within the shooting community is still needed. “Most people create their own first-aid kits from human equipment, but these are often not suited to dogs and result in incorrect treatment.” Kit continues: “With any injury, the sooner treatment is applied, the better the chance of a full and fast recovery, which minimises the risk of infection.” 

Kit laments the fact that often a dog’s bravery does them no favours when hurt. “Dogs have a great ability to hide what can be serious injury,” he explains. “We had an example on our shoot this month when the handler thought it was just a pad injury when in fact it was a full leg laceration from the hock to the pad. The dog was running on adrenaline and showing no signs of how serious the injury was.” In this case, Kit says they were able to patch the poor dog up using first-aid equipment that someone had in the back of a truck. 

Muntjac Trading stocks two first-aid kits: a mini version with 24 pieces, ideal for carrying, and a premium version with 50 pieces, which can be kept in the beaters’ wagon. 

Celine Peniston-Bird, a working dog breeder and brand ambassador for R&B Sporting, suggests that the rising cost of veterinary fees has meant that people are more inclined to treat simple issues at home, especially those with multiple dogs. Like many others, Celine believes that quick treatment in the field — such as thoroughly cleaning a wound — helps prevent infection. Not only does this promote prompt healing and avoid complications, but it also reduces the stress a vet visit would cause the dog.

Celine adds that once owners have received the proper training on their correct application, carrying items such as ear wraps, special animal skin glue or single-use pre-sterilised staple guns can be a game-changer for gundog welfare in the field. To help owners get started, Celine recommends the Sporting Saint working dog first-aid kit, available at R&B Sporting.

She also raises the issue of hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar in dogs. I have a pal with a super-athletic springer spaniel, Finn, that thrashes through briar and fords chilly burns like it’s going out of fashion. After an active morning on a shoot several years ago, poor Finn started to look rather sad and shortly after went a bit limp. He was rushed to the vet and it was determined that he had very low blood sugar. 

Finn recovered, but now his master always keeps a good supply of Kronch’s Pemmikan in his cartridge pocket. This fishy, molasses-type snack is a high-energy supplementary feed that contains substantial levels of fat, protein and glucose, which provides your working dog with a large amount of easily digestible energy from a small volume of feed. All dog first-aid kits should include something similar, and having tasted a corner of the Pemmikan myself while a little hungover in the Gun bus, I can confirm that it peps you right up. 

Reasonable care

Even though dog first-aid might sound a bit touchy-feely and, dare I say, even a bit “woke”, it isn’t. We all owe it to our working dogs to stay up to date on such matters and take reasonable care to keep them safe while they are toiling on our behalf. 

Whether that means reading up on what to do if we suspect our hound has suffered an adder bite, understanding the symptoms of hypothermia or having suitable equipment handy to close a cut from a barbed-wire fence, it is our duty. If you haven’t already got a canine first-aid kit, now is the time.