As disaster season barrels down upon us, are you and your pets prepared?
I tend to err on the side of "overly cautious" and "way too prepared," as both our dogs are seniors; they take medications, and one of them is on prescription food. These are things I cannot just pop in to a grocery, or convenience store to grab....assuming there are even stores available to you at the time. While most scenarios will have options after a few days, it is a good idea to plan for a Week (7days) worth of supplies for each of your pets.
If you are a Feline family, take the time to adjust your kitties to riding in a kennel. Cats can be more easily spooked by unfamiliar smells, places, noises, etc. and having your cat in a kennel can minimize escape risk. Make sure your contact information is Securely, and Clearly marked on the outside of the kennel; with a description of the pet inside. Your kitty should also be wearing a breakaway collar with your information on a tag. Taking some extra time to train your kitty to be comfortable in a harness and leash, will give you another layer of safety, should you need to get kitty out of the kennel for any reason.
Canines can also be kenneled for safety, especially if they are on the smaller side. Again, clearly mark your information on the outside of the kennel, and make sure your pup is wearing a collar or harness they cannot escape from. Be sure the information on the ID tag is up to date.
Speaking of ID: Microchip your pets. Make sure the information is Up to Date. In the event that your pet becomes separated from you, this might be their ticket home. More than 50 percent of lost pets in 2023 were reunited with their families because of their microchips.
The following list is what we keep ready to rock during fire season. Obviously, your Go-Bag items may differ a bit. Depending on your region, and climate, your Pet-Go Bag may be Tornado, or Flood ready. In any disaster scenario, having a Ready Bag is a Must.
Being Prepared means learning new things. Take a Pet First Aid class. In the short term, if you cannot reach veterinary services, or something happens that requires minor intervention, it can literally save your pets life for you to have basic First Aid and over-the-counter medication knowledge. Note: I am not advocating Home Treatments as a go-to; this is 100% in a scenario where you cannot get to a vet in a timely fashion.
Go-Bag Checklist
☐ 7 days Food--Don't forget to refresh the food stock about every 4-6 wks. The oils and preservatives (yes, even in 'all natural' foods) can become stale, and sometimes even rancid, leading to upset tummies. If your pet eats canned foods; don't forget to pack a lid/sealable container for any opened cans. Check expiration dates on your cans.
☐ Fresh Water--If you are using a re-usable bottle, wash and refresh this at the same time you rotate the food. If using factory sealed bottles, the bottle should be good for at least 6 months before a 'swap' to a fresh bottle is recommended.
☐ 7 days medications--If your pet is on a controlled substance, talk to your vet about extending the quantity if possible, to cover the additional week's supply. In some cases, it may be helpful to have a written prescription for the week, so you can potentially fill it in another town, should disaster make it impossible to get to your vet before the meds run out.
☐ Vaccination Records and Medical History
☐ List of Care Requirements, medication dosing, diet, behavioral information, etc.--In short, if you become incapacitated, and a Humane Society volunteer suddenly finds themselves with your pet in their care, do they have the information to provide your pet with the medications or special needs they may have?
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| Our little notebook is an Owner's Manual. |
☐ List of veterinary services, emergency service locations outside your immediate area. Knowing where to go, after you get out of the disaster zone is vital. If you live where poisonous snakes reside, call the veterinary practices and make sure you know Who Has Anti-Venom on site--Not all vet clinics can provide this medication/don't have it. Wasting time driving to a clinic without it, may mean the difference between Life and Death for your pet.
☐ Extra Leash and collar/harness--Let's say you get the order to Evacuate, NOW. In the haste to GTFO, it might save you valuable minutes if you only have to grab the animal and stick them in a kennel, grab the Go-Bag and leave. Knowing everything you need is In The Bag.
☐ Travel Bowls for food and water
☐ Tissues or Paper Towels
☐ Pet Waste Bags--If you are traveling with a kitty, make sure you pack a disposable litter pan and scooper too. In a pinch, you can use dirt as cat litter, should litter either not be available, or you find that packing cat litter takes up too much space. Arm n' Hammer makes a great disposable litter pan, that comes with pellet litter already in it.
☐ Muzzles. Did you know that when Katrina hit, many pets were left behind because the evacuation checkpoints would not allow animals without "screen mesh" muzzles to cross? Take time to do Positive muzzle training well before you may actually need to use it in a disaster scenario; no need to add more stress to an already stressful pet.
Not to mention, if your pet becomes injured, they may try to bite because they are in pain, or very frightened. Being comfortable in a muzzle should be part of your dogs regular life.
☐ Pet-Safe Baby Wipes
☐ Any Daily needs--One of our dogs is prone to fungal infections of the skin, so he gets daily belly-cleansing with KetoHex wipes; our other one won't take medication without peanut butter...these are 'daily need' items
☐ Flea & Tick Prevention--Who knows how long you may be away from home, and if their monthly dosing schedule falls on a day you were being evacuated, this ensures no gap in coverage.
☐ Heartworm Prevention--packing a dose just in case....
☐ First Aid Kit:
☐K9 Medic, by Eric "Odie" Roth--This is an invaluable resource for most dog emergencies.
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| This Book is worth its weight in Gold. It will help you decide what should belong in your own First Aid Kit, and explain what to do with a lot of the items on our list here. |
☐ Benadryl 25 mg pink tablets (canine dose = 1 mg per lb. of dog). DO Not dose unless you are certain this will not interact with other medications
☐ Pet Safe Anti-Diarrheal medication
☐ Anti-Emetic (nausea) medication--Check with your vet for best recommendations. We use an over-the-counter med. for our Go-Bag, but it is Strictly for emergent situations. Do Not Use Human Medications, unless your Veterinarian says OK.
☐ Thermometer for rectal temp. check
☐ KY Jelly for rectal temp. check
☐ Rolled Gauze
☐ Vet Wrap/Self Adhering bandage wrap--swap this out every few months, as the adhesion can become sticky to itself, making this unusable
☐ Cotton Balls or Cotton Rounds
☐ Nail Trimmer
☐ Quick-Stop Gel or Styptic Powder
☐ Chlorhexadine antiseptic --Find this at most feed/equine supply stores, or online.
☐ Peroxide 3% Solution
☐ Oral Syringes 20 ml, marked with your dog's peroxide dose
☐ Saline Solution
☐ Disposable Medical Skin Staple Gun
☐ Tick Twister
☐ Blunt nose Scissors
☐ Tweezers
Remember to check expiration dates on all medical supplies; even Peroxide has an expiration date. Pack all of this in organized fashion, so it is easy to reach in a 'gotta have it' situation. Your list may not match ours, but ours may be a good place to start.
