Help Your Pet by Knowing First Aid For Cats

Many of the items found in your family’s first aid kit can be used to provide first aid for cats. You should add a rectal or ear thermometer. A cat’s temperature should be between 100 degrees and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sterile gauze pads, four inches by four inches as well as white surgical tape for bandages should be available as well as self-stick bandages, the type that stick to themselves without tape. Hydrogen peroxide is an important part of first aid for cats to help clean wounds. Alcohol can also be used, but you know how it burns so you may not want to use it on a cat.

Cotton balls or cotton swabs can be used to help clean any injuries as needed and do not forget a pillowcase to help hold your cat while administering treatment. Strips of cotton fabric can be used as a muzzle to help hold your cat’s mouth shut. The feline will not understand first aid for cats and may attempt to bite you.

If you take your cat outside, it can be the target for insect bites and hydrocortisone cream can help ease its discomfort. Tongue depressors and tape work well as first aid for cats, for splints if you believe a bone is broken. This makeshift splint can be used until you can get the animal to the veterinarian.

An emergency ice pack should be kept in your freezer and if needed can be wrapped in a towel before putting it on your cat. Other items you may need to supply first aid for cats are antiseptic lotion to clean wounds and towels to help dry or hold the frightened and injured animal.

Try To Know What You Are Doing

First aid for cats is a little different from for people so having access to a first aid for cats manual on hand may also be a good idea. Along with a heating pad to help warm and comfort the cat, a plastic eyedropper for administering medications and latex gloves should also be available.

No matter how thick your towels and pillowcase, you probably should not attempt first aid for cats if they are living in the wild. A small scratch or bite from a feral feline can land you in the hospital with a bacterial blood infection. If not immediately treated it can cause serious health problems and even death.

The Things You can Expect to Learn in a First Aid Course

A general first aid course may teach you the basics about treating scrapes and bruises, what to do when someone drinks or eats something that’s toxic, and how to overcome small threats to someone’s health by performing first aid and similar tactics.

On top of general first aid courses, there are courses that specialize in different kinds of first aid. These courses can range from small and non crucial elements, to huge life threatening difficulties. Depending on the reason you are looking to take a first aid course, there are many different ones to choose from.

Different Kinds of First Aid Courses

The most uncommon of the kinds of courses available for first aid course seekers is the automated external defibrillator course. This course is usually available to adults and children alike, and teaches students how to save the life of someone who has the unfortunate mishap of a cardiac arrest.

A babysitters training course is another type of first aid course that can be found in many communities. Not only does it offer a peace of mind to the parents who leave their children in the care of a babysitter, but it helps a babysitter to realize when there is a problem, and how to take care of it without panicking.

Sport safety training is a first aid course that specializes in the care of young athletes who face daily possibilities for being hurt or needing some type of first aid. This course is good for young athletes to take themselves, but it’s also a wise decision for the parents and siblings of these athletes to participate in the course.

Another course available today is actually focused on the safety and health of pets! Believe it or not, even the Red Cross offers a course in pet first aid. These courses are great for pet owners of any kind, but specifically helpful for owners of cats and dogs.

Where to Find a Course

Start with looking into first aid courses at your local community centers. Also check out your city and county Chamber of Commerce for information on public courses in your area. Churches, schools and other local functions tend to participate in first aid communication as well. Of course, the Red Cross is a huge advocate for first aid courses and you will find lots of information with them.

Courses are not offered just in neighborhoods anymore, you can find many online courses which while offering a great first step in learning about preventative and helpful safety, are not going to offer a course as in depth as you would find in person. If you don’t have the time or resources to utilize an in person course in your community, or you’d like additional training on top of a course in your community, you will find something for everyone on the Internet.

Understanding How To Administer First Aid For Burn Treatment

Burns are not an unusual injury in households, particularly in bathroom and kitchen accidents. The key to effective first aid burn treatment is the ability to assess how severe the burn is, and then taking appropriate action. There are three degrees of burns, and first aid treatment varies depending on which degree you are dealing with. If the burn is extremely severe or covers a large area, immediate medical assistance may be required. For minor burns and many burns that are no larger than an inch or two in diameter, first aid burn treatment at home may be all that is required. The differences between the various degrees of burns are the size of the area that has been affected and the extent of the damage to body tissues.

First Aid Treatment For First Degree Burns

First degree burns only affect the top layer of skin, and are the easiest to treat at home. The first step in the first aid treatment of a first degree burn is to cool the burned area by holding it under cold water or applying a cold compress until the pain subsides. Use cold water only – never use ice. Cooling the area right away will help reduce swelling. The next step is to cover the burned area by loosely placing a gauze wrap over it. This will protect the affected area and alleviate the pain of the burn. Finally, you can administer a pain reliever like acetaminophen if necessary. It is not necessary to rub anything on the burn itself.

First Aid Treatment Of More Serious Burns

Large second degree burns and all third degree burns will probably require immediate medical attention. If the burn is severe, the first step is to call for emergency help. You can then assess the victim to determine if there is any first aid burn treatment that you can use while waiting for help. Never put cold water on a major burn, since this could put your victim into shock. Do not remove any burnt clothing from the burn victim. Cover the area with a clean gauze bandage or moist towels, and check the person for signs of circulation. If there is no sign of breathing, begin CPR immediately.

With some quick thinking and fast first aid burn treatment, you can help a victim of a burn until emergency services arrive. Keep bandages in your house for an emergency involving burns and a first aid manual that can guide you through first aid burn treatment.

Emergency First Aid Training; Everyone Should Participate

The reason many people decide to take classes on emergency first aid is because they feel a responsibility to keep the people they love around them safe. For this reason alone, thousands of people take part in emergency first aid classes per month in any given community. But the question that is posed by many health care professionals is why everyone in a community does not take part in this training?

Reasons for Emergency First Aid Training

Not only does this type of training keep your family and friends safe and with a peace of mind, but it helps in everyday life wherever you may go. Someone at the grocery store may need the assistance from a person who is trained in emergency first aid, and unless they’ve taken a first aid class there is no real way to ensure any good outcome from attempts to help.

Any public place that houses many people at one time is a place that has candidates for needing emergency first aid. A movie theater, a bowling alley, a park, the workplace, the list goes on! This is why emergency first aid training is of such importance that almost all communities have special courses offered by many different facilities.

How to Find Training

The first place to look for emergency first aid training is your closest Red Cross. They offer many different types of courses that all specialize in something different. You can also find general courses that will teach you the basics of just about everything and anything you’d like to know.

Another place to find a good course on emergency first aid is at your local community center. These centers tend to offer free classes on first aid because it’s something that benefits their community. They may offer different kinds of classes where you can participate in one or all at your discretion.

Searching the Internet will offer other ideas, suggestions and even online classes that can be helpful for those of us that don’t always have the time to spend hours in an actual training class. Now, an online class won’t offer as much hands on or detailed training that an in person class would offer, but some training is surely better than none.

Emergency first aid is not something to be taken lightly, and being committed to contributing to society in this way is just another way for you to feel good about yourself and to help keep people safe and alive.

What You Need To Know About Administering Basic First Aid

First aid is the process of offering initial help to a person who is injured or sick and in need of immediate medical assistance. The key to successful basic first aid is subscribing to the old Boy Scout adage, “Always be prepared”. The first step of becoming prepared for an emergency is to learn how to give basic first aid if the need ever arises.

Fortunately, there are an abundant number of opportunities to learn basic first aid in most communities. Basic first aid courses will include how to stop a wound from bleeding, immobilizing a limb that might be broken, and giving CPR to a person who is unconscious. Choking, poisoning and when to call for help are also included in these courses. Once you have made your way through a basic first aid class, a manual should be kept in your first aid kit to refer to when necessary.

When In Doubt, Call For Help

While basic first aid training will help you to assess situations and determine what type of help is necessary, if you are ever in doubt about the severity of a person’s condition, call 9-1-1. It is far better to err on the side of caution in these instances than to attempt to administer basic first aid to a person with a life-threatening emergency. Once you have called for help, you can discern what you can do to make the victim more comfortable by applying your basic first aid techniques. It is always a good idea to keep a basic first aid kit in your home, and in your car, so that you are always prepared to help someone who is in trouble.

Your basic first aid kit should include medications such as pain relievers, antihistamines and stomach medications. Bandages of assorted sizes are an essential, along with other wound treatment like antibiotic ointment and hot/cold compresses. Outdoor kits should include supplies to treat insect stings, sunburn, poison ivy and heat exhaustion. Items to treat accidental poisoning, such as Syrup of Ipecac can also be included. Basic tools to have on hand are tweezers, scissors and a thermometer. With a good basic first aid kit, you will be equipped to handle emergencies from a minor cut or abrasion to a broken limb or possible concussion. For more serious matters, you should keep phone numbers for your doctor, pharmacy and poison control center in your basic first aid kit as well.

How To Stock Your Travelling First Aid Kit

Vacations are a great opportunity to relax and let the stresses of life simply melt away. Unfortunately, unexpected illnesses and injuries can put a big damper on travel plans. So how do you enjoy your trip without worrying about the “what if’s”? By preparing yourself for as many possible situations as you can. A travelling first aid kit is your first line of defense against many of the urgent situations that can crop up and spoil your fun. A travelling first aid kit can be the home for many items, depending on what your current health needs are and how badly you want to avoid searching for a pharmacy in a strange location in the middle of the night. Even if the destination is familiar to you, having a few necessities on hand can make your visit motor along more smoothly – and happily.

Preparation Is The Key

Preparing your travelling first aid kit occurs long before you set foot on the plane or drive the first mile in your itinerary. Your first course of action should be to check to see that all of your family’s prescription medications are up to date and refills are stocked. It is a good idea to carry a few extra doses of prescription medication in case your trip is delayed or other unexpected events crop up. Prescriptions include eye glasses and contact as well, so make sure that your travelling first aid kit includes spare pairs of both. It is a good idea to carry these medications with you instead of packing them in suitcases, but check with your airline for current restrictions. While over-the-counter medications are easy to find just about anywhere, by adding a few to your travelling first aid kit you will avoid unnecessary trips to a pharmacy and the high prices that tourist locations are notorious for.

Over-the-counter medications to include in your travelling first aid kit are: pain relievers, antihistamines, motion sickness medications, antacids and antidiarrheal medications. Stomach remedies may be particularly important, since vacations usually consist of eating many rich and foreign foods! It is also wise to toss a few band-aids and some antibiotic ointment into your travelling first aid kit. Basic supplies for a vacation that can be placed in your travelling first aid kit include sunscreen, antibacterial gel, and lip ointment. With a good supply in your travelling first aid kit, you can rest assured that you will be spending that much-anticipated vacation ready for just about anything!

The Motorcycle First Aid Kit Every Biker Should Have Before Starting To Ride

Riding a motorcycle is one of the most wonderful feelings you can experience of freedom and in direct contact with nature. Motorcycle riding can be as dangerous as it is pleasant therefore, carrying a first aid kit at all times is imperative.

Being Prepared For Adventure

Being prepared for any situation can in fact save your life should you have a motorcycle accident. A motorcycle adventure can turn out to be good or bad and not necessarily out of your fault. Therefore, a motorcycle first aid kit should always be part of your motorcycle gear no matter what.

Your motorcycle first aid kit should contain the following in order for it to be able to be of any assistance should the need arise: a good pair of scissors as you may need to cut through thick clothes, gloves in order not to contaminate the wound, bandages of cloth and band aids of different sizes, rubbing alcohol pads, disinfectant cream and spray, pain killers and distilled water or wipes.

You can find ready made motorcycle first aid kits however, in due course you will just need just to replenish the one existent in order to ensure you have all the required items at all times. I recommend you take the time and ensure that you are fully stocked with the motorcycle first aid kit items before you start on the road, as you never know when you have an emergency creeping up on you.

Helpful Tips

Always dress adequately when riding a motorcycle; there are special bike suits, which protect your entire body in case of any accidents. The part that that motorcyclists hurt most and at times proves fatal is the head for which you simply must provide protection any time you get on a motorcycle with a proper helmet.

Driving a motorcycle on a car populated road is hard, therefore, drive carefully; motorcycles usually get hit by cars because they cannot be seen in the mirrors so, ensure that the car driver is aware of you being on the road as well. Proper signaling when changing lanes, giving priority when required and abiding by all other road rules is essential even if you are driving a bike.

The motorcycles first aid kit is an essential part of your bike equipment without which you should never get on the road. Another very important thing you must not forget to mention in your motorcycle first aid kit is any specific medication you may need or any special medical condition you are in and others should be aware of to be able to save your life.

Travel Safe With First Aid Kit For Cars

Planning a road trip can be fun, providing you cover all essential needs for your travel. When getting the car ready for the trip, don’t forget the first aid kit for cars that can make the drive safer and more convenient.

Depending on where the trip will take you, can determine what you carry in your first aid kit for cars, but the basics should all be the same. For starters, you want a first aid kit for cars that isn’t always in the way. It should be able to be stashed in an inconspicuous location like under the seat, for example, or in the trunk or the bed of a pickup truck. However, it also needs to be readily available.

Driving through parks or wooded trails, you may want to make sure bee sting kits are available as well as bug bites. Since you never know what unexpected side trip you may decide to take, you should prepare for all possibilities. Most first aid kits for cars come with small and large bandages, aspirin, gauze pads and wound closures, make sure you check it out thoroughly to insure you have everything you think you might need.

Plan For All Potential Injuries

Not every first aid kit for cars needs to have an entire emergency medical technician supply cabinet inside, but if your family is very active and participates in many activities, it may not hurt to have a better equipped first aid kit for cars on hand. For around $50.00, they are available to deal with many potential emergencies.

Eye patches, irrigation syringes, gauze bandages, sutures and Iodine wipes are just a few of the items in the larger first aid kit for cars that can be easily carried in the trunk of your car. Normally in nylon, water-resistant carrying cases, they can easily be opened and the right items found quickly. You can have the needed supplies to handle any emergency until the professional arrive on the scene.

However, it does not matter how well stocked your first aid kit for cars may be, if you have no idea how to use the materials inside, it won’t do you a bit of good. Part of your needs in a first aid kit for cars is some basic understanding of first aid. The American Red Cross offers brief first aid classes that help you be really ready for emergencies.

Minor Medical First Aid Kit For Babies

We all know the story kids will be kids and it seems like cuts and scrapes are a part of growing up. While there may be no way to prevent them, a first aid kit for babies can help treat them when they happen.

Many commercial first aid kits for babies are available and most have the essential items you may need and they are usually in a convenient carrying case. However, you will probably want to add specific items to the first aid kit for babies for your family’s specific needs. Putting your own kit together can also insure you have everything, plus by building the kit yourself, you’ll have a better idea of its contents.

You may want two separate kits to have one for the home and another for your vehicle, since you never know when an accident is going to happen. Whichever kit you choose, one of the essential items in any first aid kit for babies are emergency phone numbers. These should include the doctor, hospital and poison control center. You may also want to include the phone numbers of friends and relatives who may help watch other children while you make a run to the hospital.

Plan For All Contingencies

You will want to include in your first aid kit for babies a list of all prescription medications, the prescribing physician’s name and phone number as well as the pharmacy’s phone number in case you would need an emergency refill.

Your first aid kit for babies should also include a thermometer. A digital rectal thermometer for infants and an oral digital thermometer for older children should be available.

Liquid soap, which doesn’t need water, for cleaning small cuts and scrapes as well as band-aids for closing them, should be included in your first aid kit for babies. Anti-biotic ointment and sterile gauze bandages are needed for covering larger wound areas. A pair of tweezers may also be nice to have for removing splinters and ticks. A bottle of alcohol can be handy for cleaning the tweezers if they will be used near an open wound.

A cold pack is useful for bumps, which children usually seem to find on the playground along with sunscreen for when they are playing outside. The PDF value will be determined by the type of skin the child has and their susceptibility to sunburn.

Be Prepared With First Aid Equipment

Having the right first aid equipment on hand during an emergency can mean the difference between life and death. It is not enough to know how to use it; you have to actually have to have it available in order for it to useful.

One of the main pieces of first aid equipment you will want to make sure you have is rubber gloves. Blue examination gloves work well and they should be powder free. Although no powder may make them harder to put on, they decrease the possibility of infection from the powder.

Some Equipment Benefits Responders

Other first aid equipment includes a pathogen kit is also a necessity to help prevent the spread of infectious disease. Blood borne pathogens are the most reported infections among first responders and this type of kit will help protect the user. It normally will contain protective gloves as well as a soft plastic mouthpiece for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Sterile alcohol wipes are also included as well as bleach for cleaning up any blood spills.

A portable automated external defibrillator is one piece of first aid equipment that someone must know how to use before attempting it on a live person. While they are simple, they can still cause more damage if an untrained person attempts its use. They can, however prove to be invaluable in the event someone is suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. Proper placement of the paddles can bring the heart back to life.

A litter is also a common part of a first aid equipment kit. It is used to transport the injured individual once initial first aid has been rendered. It can also be used to carry the first aid equipment to the scene where it is needed. Usually a small, folded canvas litter can be used and is easier to store and carry as part of the first aid equipment kit.

In some cases, protective goggles may be called for, for example with a punctured main artery, which causes blood to spurt or splash. Although you are trying to help an injured victim, your first priority should be your own safety. Other first aid equipment may include scissors with which to cut tape or gauze pads to fit a wound and possibly a small pair of clamps.

Especially in an industrial environment they can be useful to clamp off a badly bleeding artery or to hold a tourniquet in place until professional emergency technicians arrive at the scene.