My First Aid Kit

[Riven]

Something which I haven't seen many people have or even talk about is first aid kits for pets. I'm sure you have some first aid bits and pieces around for yourself or your family to help take care of minor things yourself or to use until you can get to the hospital or while waiting for an ambulance. So why not have one for your pet?

As someone who has owned numerous different animals over the years, I've often found myself in situations where a pet has had a minor injury or something that doesn't need a vet right away yet have nothing to help them. I believe a first aid kit is really important.

There are several times that I have reached for the first aid kit not just for my own animals, but for others pets too. It's quite versatile and can be a life saver so I thought I'd share what I have.

General​

Disposable gloves - for wound care to prevent any bacteria being transferred from you to your hamster or vice versa.

Cotton Pads - can be used to wipe crusty/gooey eyes. Only do this once you have see a vet though.

Thick gardening gloves - a scared hamster that's in pain is more likely to bite. To protect your hands should you need too. (Can also be used for taming).

Small towel - to wrap your hamster into a burrito so you can administer meds or trim nails.

1ml syringes, including metacam syringes. For administering meds. I like to keep a few extra metacam syringed from past prescriptions in the kit just in case one breaks.

Digital kitchen scales and note pad - Regularly checking their weight is the most important thing you can do in some crises.

Vet grade disinfectant like F10 or Virkon. To help thoroughly disinfect the cage and toys. Useful following illness/death.

Nail clippers/ nail file for trimming nails. However, if you are not confident in doing this, pop to the vets and they'll help.

Container/carrier for vet visits.

Urine sticks to test for glucose and ketones in diabetic hamsters. Can also be used to check the presence of blood in the urine.

Sterilising fluid/ tablets. Can be used to disinfect syringes and bottles.
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Recovery and Comfort​

Snugglesafe - to help keep an ailing or post surgery hamster warm. It can be placed under a portion of the cage and can provide a warm spot for them. You can also have them in a cozy hide on the snugglesafe while you have them out in their playpen or on your lap.

Cozy hide - to help them feel safe.

Hospital cage with familiar smelling bedding if keeping them in their cage isn't advised.

Mushed up pellets or recovery formula which isn't in the photo but I used science selective pellets.

Probiotics like fibreplex or pro-c. These are typically useful when the hamster has been on antibiotics to keep the microbiome healthy. Use no less than 2hrs after each antibiotic dose.​

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Injury​

Sterile gauze - for applying pressure to or cleaning wounds.

Saline to flush wounds

Styptic powder or cornflour to help stop bleeding nails or small superficial wounds.

Artificial tear gel for eyes. Don't use if you're seeing a vet in the next 24hrs.​

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Breathing and Skin Problems​

If you are just dealing with dry skin, rubbing a tiny amount of olive oil on the area can help as well as adding flaxseed, also know as linseed, to their diet. However, if you are unsure, do not treat at home.



I hope you have found this useful and maybe even gets you thinking about making your own if you haven't already. For those of you who do have a first aid kit for your pets, what else do you have in it and why?

 

[Maz]

Great post, thanks Riven. I prefer the probiotics without vitamin C in but I believe the Pro C is fine as well. Benebec for small animals was my go to, but it's not available easily in the Uk now. Dr S Potent Brew is popular too (Rat Rations sell it).

 

[Riven]

Great post, thanks Riven. I prefer the probiotics without vitamin C in but I believe the Pro C is fine as well. Benebec for small animals was my go to, but it's not available easily in the Uk now. Dr S Potent Brew is popular too (Rat Rations sell it).

Is there a specific reason why you prefer them without vitamin C?

Pro-c contains probiotics, probiotics, vit c and dextrose. Typically aimed at guinea pigs as they can't make their own vit c like rabbits can, so need it in their diets.

Studies are yet to determine if hamsters can actually make their own vitamin C like rabbits. Some say yes, others say no. For the time being I'll leave it listed but will say that I'd not use it to supplement a healthy hamster.

 

[Riven]

I think potent brew contains vitamin C as well @Maz

 

[Maz]

Ah so maybe doesn't matter either way then . I know Benebac doesn't. I know a few people use Pro C.

 

[Maz]

Is there a specific reason why you prefer them without vitamin C?

Pro-c contains probiotics, probiotics, vit c and dextrose. Typically aimed at guinea pigs as they can't make their own vit c like rabbits can, so need it in their diets.

Studies are yet to determine if hamsters can actually make their own vitamin C like rabbits. Some say yes, others say no. For the time being I'll leave it listed but will say that I'd not use it to supplement a healthy hamster.

No real reason except that Benebac was available at the time and was just probiotic with no other additions - just probiotic only - and that seemed good to me at the time. But so many people have used Pro C that it must be fine. They are all based on dextrose/sugars though it seems so I guess care needed with dwarf hybrid hamsters. Eriathwen was looking at that issue recently. A probiotic in a first aid kit is good though!

 

[Maz]

I think hamsters benefit from a probiotic if they've been on antibiotics for more than a week, or had some digestive ailment. Some people give them while they're on the antibiotics, others given them for a week or so after they've finished the antibiotics. Others say they don't need them unless they've been on antibiotics for a couple of weeks. I think some depends on how the hamster is on the antibiotics - if they're looking a bit ropey then giving the probiotic daily might help, at a different time of day. If they're seeming fine when on the antibiotics then they could have some probiotic after for a week or so.

Also just to add - giving human probiotics doesn't work. There are only specific probiotics that work with hamsters and pets. Some people think giving them a bit of natural yoghurt will help. It won't. They are different probiotics. There's a very good article about that somewhere - I'll see if I can find it.

 

[Maz]

I remember why I preferred one without Vitamin C powder now. Hamsters can of course process vitamin C - it's in pet foods as well. Too much could overload the kidneys though maybe, so the probiotic as you say, should only be if needed. What I remember thinking was that Vitamin C powder wasn't good for humans as the powder is very acidic (ascorbic acid or similar) and can affect teeth and digestion, being acidic, so I thought it may be the same for hamsters. That was just a personal view however. And I know many hamster owners have used Pro C. I haven't used Potent Brew either but I know others have used that safely too and that it contains added vitamins as well but not powdered vitamin C as it's a liquid. It's a shame Benebac isn't easily available now as I did likethat one - it's the one vets used to use in the US.

 

[Maz]

I have most of the things on your list in various places in the house (some in the human first aid kit!) except for the articial tear gel, Sterilising fluid or tablets (I have boiled things to sterilize them if needed) or Virkon. Our Vet said they use the Beapher small pet disinfectant and they sometimes use it for a deep clean. I also use a tiny pair of nail scissors rather than clippers for nails - I seem to be able to see what I'm doing better with those . Thankfully I have never needed any of it as yet, apart from the nail clippers! And something to wipe sticky eyes. And weighing scales of course.

My tip for weighing is (with the flat digital scales). Just put a tasty treat in the middle - like cucumber - and then zero the scales. The hamster walks on to get the treat and sits there nibbling it so you can see their weight. The only thing then is the scales need to be on something firm - if they're on the carpet they don't read properly. So if the hamster is in the playpen I put the scales on a book. Or just have the hamster on the coffee table and the scales on there!