One of the most vital, but frequently neglected, things for an outdoorsman to have in the field is a well-thought-out first aid kit. This goes doubly if you are bringing a dog in the field with you; as intelligent as (most of them) are, their curious nature and the sheer amount of distance that they cover increases the likelihood of a mishap, and we all need to be prepared. My primary objective during this years’ offseason was putting together a comprehensive bird dog first aid kit — really, augmenting what I had been carrying — in the hopes I will never have to use it.
At the time of this writing, I have no official relationship with any of the companies listed below — they are only mentioned based on their merits and my own personal experiences with their products.
Ed. Note: while we have no relationship with any of the companies in this article, we have included affiliate links to those products that were purchased on Amazon, and we will earn a small amount from qualifying orders at no additional cost to you.
Off-the-Shelf Solutions
If you don’t want to put together your own kit from components, there are a lot of great solutions available from reputable companies. They all differ slightly in size and scope,
While doing my research, I discovered that North American Rescue sells a complete canine handler IFAK that is a turn-key solution. It contains most of what I’ve settled on below, plus a few notable additions, namely chest seals and a digital vet thermometer (a common item for working dog handlers to carry, and something you should think about, too). If you are an advanced user, you can also order this with a needle decomp kit, too. This is probably the highest-quality solution that you can find off the shelf. Even then, I’d recommend augmenting the kit with some of the below items, or other personal items that you’ve considered independently.
Dark Angel Medical also offers a good spectrum of comprehensive, professional-grade IFAKs (Individual First Aid Kits) that you should consider too.
And last, but certainly not least, Final Rise also sells their own canine-specific First Aid Field Kit, which includes a few specific items not found in other ready-made solutions, including a muzzle, hemostats, and the oh-so important honey packets.
Choosing a First Aid Pouch
It might sound “in the weeds” to some, but much thought should be given to the pouch itself that you’ll be carrying. I had a few requirements:
- MOLLE-based mounting system
- Tear-away velcro for quick and easy deployment (personal preference)
- The most compact size capable of carrying everything below
- Relative affordability – I don’t need Berry Act compliance, and I don’t have a desire to pay for it at this point
To meet the above criteria, I turned to Condor, and their tear-away EMT pouches. Initially, I had ordered their full-size EMT pouch, but found that to be slightly too large for my use-case. Ultimately, I settled on their EMT Lite pouch, which fits well on my Final Rise vest and holds everything I need for this specific instance (although it certainly is a little tight in there). The full-size pouch is still a good choice if you want something larger; both are made well out of cordura and I expect them to hold up just fine.
You can find a wide variety of less-expensive pouches like the above on Amazon, but if you’re able to shell out a bit more, you can consider pouches made by NAR or Blue Force Gear. These are all stellar options of the highest quality.
The “tactical” community has essentially perfected the IFAK; don’t overlook these companies.
My Personal Bird Dog First Aid Kit
The individual supplies that I’ll bring with me this year are as follows, along with a description of why I am bringing them. It also should go without saying that almost all of this can also be used on humans, too.
I’ve broken it down into three categories: Medications, Supplies, and Non-Emergency:
Medications:
- Benadryl tablets, 25mg – while I have had my Brittany aversion trained and snake bite vaxxed, and while I have encountered only a handful of rattlesnakes on foot (and never while hunting), nobody should be without these in the event of a snake bite, sting, or other allergic reaction. If in an emergency, the consensus seems to be to administer Benadryl at the ratio of 1mg per pound of body weight; I would probably give my 36-pound dog two 25mg tablets. Of course, this is something you should consult with your vet about. I bring a handful of the Amazon Basics generic diphenhydramine tablets (what a time to be alive…) in a Ziploc bag.
- Tylenol tablets, 500mg – mostly for myself or a two-legged hunting partner.
- Honey Packets – obviously, this is not a “medication,” but it’s a must-have if your dog goes hypoglycemic. Carry some in the truck, but bring a few single-serve packets with you.
Supplies:
- CAT Tourniquet – #1 piece of emergency kit for humans and dogs. Carry multiple if you want. I have mine in a TQ pouch attached to the MOLLE webbing of my Final Rise vest. Get the name-brand North American Rescue TQs. If you are busting through thick brush, a more enclosed TQ holder like this one from NAR may be the move. Snakestaff TQs also seem to be gaining in popularity these days due to their smaller size, but I have no direct experience with them.
- QuikClot Combat Gauze – this is if something really bad happens. Combat gauze is z-folded for easy packing of wounds, and is hemostatic. The best place to buy this from is directly from NAR.
- Gauze sponges – an assortment of different sizes.
- NAR Compressed Gauze – for “treatment of bleeding and the dressing and bandaging of wounds,” per NAR. I would use this in a situation that doesn’t call for QuikClot. Add this to your NAR order.
- NAR Gecko Grip & Flat Tape – NAR’s vac-sealed packaging of 2″ T-REX Gecko Grip and 3M Durapore tape, respectively. This is a very portable way of carrying around tape for gauze, dressings, etc in a sterile manner. Find the Flat Tape here and the Gecko Grip Tape here.
- KT Tape
- SuperSkin Blister Bandages
- Survival/Space Blanket
- Farnam Tri-Care Triple Action Wound Treatment – a new addition for this year, I was recommended to keep this in the event of a wound to the feet (or elsewhere). It’s likely this will see some use on my dog’s pads, especially after a typical Nevada chukar hunt in one of our very rough limestone ranges. Find this at your local farm & feed store, or on Amazon; Amazon appears to have the best price on the smaller tubes that are expedient to carry in the field. I don’t keep this in the actual IFAK, but rather in a normal zippered pouch in my bird vest.
- Musher’s Secret – this is less of a bit of emergency kit than something I use regularly as a preventative measure. A waxy balm that is applied to the pads of the feet to in wet or snowy climates, I’ve found that it also acts as a sort of conditioner in the early season while things are a bit more tender. Anecdotally, it seems to help avoid splits in the pads. A little goes a long way, and I order it in bulk from Gun Dog Supply.
- Leatherman Raptor Trauma Shears – I religiously carried a pair of these on my vest in order to ensure proper application of a tourniquet if the situation arose, but unfortunately these fell victim to the sagebrush sea earlier this year. Again, this is more of an item for humans, rather than dogs… but carry trauma shears anyway.
- Nitrile Gloves
- Instant Cold Pouch – I keep one of these crush-activated cold packs in the kit for an emergency overheating situation where the truck is a ways off.
Traps
I know, I know. Traps. Perhaps the #1 most hated thing to come across by both bird dogs and their parents. Regardless of the role they plan in science-based wildlife management, it is of critical importance that you understand how they work, and how to get your dog out of one.
You should have a set of wire cutters that are capable of cutting steel snare wire. Choose a set made for this purpose, rather than a normal pair of electrical side cutters (also known as dykes). Tools sold for cutting bicycle cables are a little more portable and aren’t too expensive. This pair is similar to what I have, but I’m sure they all come out of the same factory.
A sturdy set of zipties is helpful in case your dog should run into a conibear/body gripping trap, which is just about the worst thing that could possibly happen. Everyone needs to know how to extract their dogs from conibears immediately (spend some time on YouTube, and once again pray that you never have to use this knowledge).
It is a good idea to buy a few snares, foothold traps of various designs, and a small conibear of your own so that you fully understand how they work if you run into one in the field. Can I say that enough?
In The Truck
Of course, I also have more gear in the truck. It’s a bit of a hodge-podge, but there’s everything in there from additional trauma dressings to salves and burn dressings to Band-Aids. Beyond the actual first aid supplies, the following should also be given thought:
- Blue Foot Pad Toughener – sold as a pad toughener by National Scent Company, I keep this as a spray antiseptic, again to address mostly foot-related issues. It can also treat cuts, for example those caused by barbed wire. I get mine from Gun Dog Supply.
- Ice Packs – you have a cooler, right? Hyperthermia sucks.
- Heating Pad – can be run off an inverter which are common in many trucks these days, or a separate lithium power pack like a Jackery. These resistance-based AC heating elements use a lot of power, so make sure that you understand how long your run time is based on the wattage of your power pack. I only get around two hours of run time from my setup and would encourage you to buy the highest-wattage model you can afford. It looks like a few DC-powered options exist and those might be a better solution, but I haven’t tried one yet.
Other Things You Should Think About
I don’t want to veer into a full “What’s in my Bird Vest?” rundown, but I carry a few pieces of gear that can be deployed in emergencies, but don’t qualify as actual first-aid items in my book. Here are a few other things to consider:
As a responsible, law-abiding citizen, you should also have something to make holes with at all times. Generally, I bring a .44 Mag in case I need to stop a coyote (or whatever else) immediately, but regardless of what you prefer, a quality chest rig like the GFI Kenai or the Diamond D Guide’s Choice is the best way to carry a firearm while wearing a bird vest.
I always have a set of soft booties, and have been happy with the cordura Sylmar booties from Gun Dog Supply.
A cheap slip lead can be used to restrain a dog’s muzzle or lead them in an emergency, as can a length of paracord and some know-how of knots. Have something analogous to this.
I live in cactus country. I regularly use the pliers on my Leatherman Signal to remove errant spines. Others swear by a simple plastic comb, and still others will carry an actual set of hemostats or needle-nose pliers on a zinger. Just have something to deal with this inevitability.
If you’re hunting, remember that you certainly have ice packs in the cooler that you can use if your dog overheats, and that you should also spray them with cool — not cold — water. The aforementioned vet thermometer can aid in diagnosing hyperthermia, with an internal temperature over 103 F considered dangerous. If we’re out on a day hunt in the early season, I’ll just soak my dog with water from the Aquatainer each time we circle back to the truck; he’s accustomed to the heat of the Southwest, and this tack works well for us.
Final Thoughts: Assembling Your Own Bird Dog First Aid Kit
Well, this article turned out to be longer than expected, but hopefully there are enough nuggets here to help you think through (or re-think) your trauma kit.
While there are more than a few great off-the-shelf IFAKs available, you can save a few shekels by putting one together yourself. Another advantage of this approach is that you’re forced to consider, and be familiar with, every single piece of gear in your kit and how and when to use it.
The corollary to this is that knowledge and training is perhaps more important than the actual gear that you carry.
Understand how to stop the bleed.
Understand how traps work and how to extricate your dog from one.
Understand how to address the specific issues that you may run into in your neck of the world (rattlesnakes, anyone?)
I’m sure some would argue all of this is overkill, and it’s true — I hope to never have to use any of this stuff in the field. I’m happy with my setup and the peace of mind that being prepared gives.
Are you?
