14 First Aid Tips for Dogs on Boats + Everything You Need in Your Doggie First-Aid Kit
/Having an appropriately stocked first-aid kit for your dog while at sea is just as important as having first-aid supplies for the human crew. With expert help from an experienced veterinarian (who is also a sailor), we compiled the perfect first aid kit for sailing and boating dogs.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a veterinarian. While I consulted with a licensed veterinarian for this article, please consult your pets’ vet when compiling your first aid kit and use this article only as reference, guidance, and for tips.
By Michelle Segrest, Navigate Sailing — How to Get Your Sea Legs
What if you are at sea or at anchorage and your dog experiences a bad cut, has an allergic reaction, or falls and breaks a leg? What will you do?
You may not be able to take him to the nearest veterinarian. And even if you are in port, you may not be able to find a veterinarian. If you do find one, you may not speak the language you need to communicate to the doctor about the problem your dog is experiencing.
You wouldn’t set sail without a first-aid kit for the human crew, so don’t depart without a comprehensive medical kit for your four-legged crew!
Watch the video for expert advice on everything you need in your first-aid kit for dogs and what each different medication is designed to help.
We created a full video about FIRST AID FOR DOGS AT SEA, and keep a full dog pharmacy on board at all times. We have used many items in our first-aid kit for dogs along the way. It was expensive to create this kit, which includes many prescription medications, just in case, but it is a worthwhile investment.
I am not a doctor, and I am not a veterinarian. I relied on our personal veterinarian, Dr. Nietjse Langston, of Langston Animal Hospital in Gulf Shores, Alabama, for the information in this article and in the video. Dr. Langston is not only an excellent doctor of veterinary medicine, but she’s also a SAILOR! This means she knows exactly what being on the open water in a sailboat is like for people and for dogs.
Here are my Top 14 Tips for First Aid for Sailing Dogs & Boating Dogs
Consult with your veterinarian before sailing or boating with pets.
Secure all the required shots and health-related paperwork required for sailing to other countries with dogs.
Ask your veterinarian to help you create a first-aid kit specifically for your pet.
Be aware of any allergies your pet may have and include appropriate medications in your on-board first-aid kit.
In addition to first-aid supplies, be sure to bring enough of your pet’s regular medications, supplies, and any special dietary-specific food.
Your first-aid kit should contain preventive medicines as well as emergency medicine and supplies.
Ask your veterinarian if you can text him/her while at sea in case of emergency. Your veterinarian may also be able to recommend good veterinarians in the countries to which you plan to travel.
Familiarize yourself with the uses for each medication on board.
Keep medications in a place that’s easy to access when underway.
Make sure all medicine is labeled correctly. I even used a sharpie to write on the labels keywords like EARS, EYES, PAIN, so that you can locate the appropriate meds quickly.
Research local veterinarians near each port you may visit, just in case of an emergency. Ask your vet for recommendations.
Create a “cheat sheet” to help you quickly identify appropriate medications for different scenarios. It’s important to be familiar with which medications are for what ailment.
Learn how to apply bandages and practice before you set sail.
Know the signs of seasickness in animals.
I recommend these pet first aid starter kits that you may want to consider. If you order these from Amazon, you allow me to make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Everything You Need in Your Doggie First Aid Kit While at Sea
Dr. Langston put together a comprehensive first-aid kit for Cap’n Jack and Scout and was gracious enough to let us film this video of her explaining every detail for keeping our canine crew safe at sea! In the video, Dr. Langston discusses the different medications that would be great to have for pets on a boat, and she demonstrates how to apply bandages.
She also gives specific examples of when to use each item in the kit. We believe this video would be helpful for all dog owners—even if you are not traveling on a sailboat. Even though we got our information from an experienced, licensed veterinarian, it is important to consult your dog’s vet before using any of these medications. Remember that Dr. Langston has been treating Cap’n Jack and Scout since they were four months old. Every dog is different, and yours may have pre-existing conditions. Having disclosed that, here is a list of items you may want to include in your dog’s first-aid kit.
OUR MEDICAL FIRST-AID KIT FOR SAILING DOGS
Zofran – For nausea and vomiting. Take it after vomiting starts.
Carprofen – Anti-inflammatory. Use for soreness of joints or bones, an accidental fall, swollen toe, etc. Use for anything that would require humans to use ibuprofen.
Tramadol – For severe pain like a broken toe or a broken limb. You can use carprofen and tramadol together for extreme pain.
Metronidazole – Antibiotic used primarily for diarrhea. Continue for 5 days.
Diawin – Similar to Kaopectate, but for dogs. For extreme diarrhea, this can be used with Metronidazol.
Amoxiclav – Use for skin infection, nailbed infection, abscess (use for two days).
Ciprofloxacin – Use for diarrhea not resolved with Metronidazol; also works for urinary tract infections.
Acepromazine – Sedative; use for anxiety (dog will get red-eye and be very droopy and drowsy for about 24 hours).
Prednisone – Anti-inflammatory used for allergic reactions and itchiness. (Benadryl can also work for dogs; check dosage.)
Interceptor – Heart worm preventive and monthly de-wormer.
Next Guard – Flea and tick preventive.
Maxi-Otic – Use for ear infections (treat for 5-7 days).
Ofloxacin Drops – For scratch on eye or squinting.
Triple Antibiotic Ointment – For eyes or other skin abrasions.
Silver Sulfadiazine Cream – For burns or open flesh wounds.
Vet Wrap (Coban) – Stretch first, roll, then loosely apply without creating tourniquet – it sticks to itself.
Non-Stick Bandages – Place over wound then put vet wrap on top.
Silver Nitrate Sticks – For a skin tear with excessive bleeding.
Do Dogs Get Seasick?
Yes. Cap’n Jack and Scout have not experienced seasickness the same way that humans experience it, but we have definitely noticed that our dogs have been uncomfortable at times. There was only one time that Cap’n Jack actually vomited, and it was a brief episode. Dogs have a very low center of gravity and fantastic balance. This helps them when conditions get rocky. We found this information at HOW CAN WE HELP OUR SEASICK DOG? (Becker, 2012):
“Dogs get motion sickness when the inner ear gets jangled, causing nausea and dizziness. Motion sickness is more common in puppies, and many dogs outgrow it in part because they enjoy being out in the car—or boat, in your case—so much.
But the feeling of being sick may worsen over time into fear with similar symptoms, as the animal learns to associate being on the boat (or in a car) with discomfort. If you are boating on a lake or river and your dog is hanging his head over the rail in rough weather only, the occasional solution may be one of the motion-sickness medications people take. Just discuss it with your veterinarian first, because not all over-the-counter medications are safe for pets (some, in fact, are lethal), and you need to know if the drug is right for your dog and what the proper dosage will be.
For more severe or frequent cases, your veterinarian can provide a prescription medication that will help your dog. The same is true when anxiety is in the mix.
Because your dog only sometimes gets motion sick, however, I would want to know if you are boating on a saltwater body. Thirsty dogs will drink salt water (or take it in while swimming), setting up a cycle where they get thirstier (because of the salt) and drink more and more. If you’re not paying attention, the first time you notice there’s a problem may be when your dog throws up.
If the problem might be salt water, the solution is to make sure your dog is offered plenty of cool fresh water while you're out on the boat so that he’s never tempted to drink the salty stuff.”
DOGS AND MOTION SICKNESS (Flowers, 2018) is another helpful article. According to this article, dogs don’t turn the unflattering shade of green that people do when they’re experiencing motion sickness, but there are some signs of dog travel sickness you can learn to identify. These include:
Inactivity, listlessness, uneasiness
Yawning
Whining
Excessive drooling
Vomiting
Smacking or licking lips
The best way to prevent dog travel sickness, according to the article, is to make the atmosphere as comfortable as possible for your dog, keep him in the fresh air, give him plenty of water, and limit his food intake.
For further research, read this fascinating article: DO ANIMALS GET SEASICK? (Eveleth, 2012).
Scout got popeye while at sea possibly from dirt in her eye
Fortunately, we had what we needed in our first aid kit to help her
Scout’s Popeye — When Our Sailing Dog First-Aid Kit Came in Handy
THURSDAY, AUG. 9, 2018, STRALSUND, GERMANY
I woke up one morning and noticed that Scout's left eye was swollen shut. She was squinting and blinking and seemed to be uncomfortable, perhaps in pain. Fortunately, we had some antibiotic eye drops in our first-aid kit for dogs.
I texted Dr. Langston, and, fortunately, the time difference between Alabama and Germany worked in our favor. Our veterinarian confirmed this is what we needed to give her. The swelling cleared up completely the very next day. Scout probably got some dirt or other debris in her eye and this caused the irritation.
Dr. Langston told us that blinking is an indication of pain, so we also gave her Carprofen. We were so grateful that we had a complete dog pharmacy on board and didn’t need to go on the hunt for a local veterinarian or rely on the internet to help us with the issue.
Michelle Segrest has been a professional journalist for more than three decades. She sailed the world for a year with her two beagles, Cap’n Jack & Scout and wrote an award-winning blog about her sailing experiences. She is the author of the most comprehensive reference on sailing with dogs: How to Sail with Dogs—100 Tips for a Pet Friendly Voyage.
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