Dog First Aid UK 2026 - What to Do Before the Vet

The home first aid kit

The 6 essentials, plus 3 useful extras. Store the kit in a labelled, waterproof bag, and check it twice a year.

Essentials:

• 5 cm conforming bandage (1 to 2 rolls). For wrapping wounds.
• 10 cm cohesive bandage (1 roll). For padding, securing dressings, making a temporary muzzle if needed.
• Saline pods (5 to 10). For flushing wounds, eyes, or skin.
• 5 cm micropore tape. For securing dressings without sticking to fur.
• Tick hook. For removing ticks safely (twist, do not pull).
• Foil emergency blanket. For keeping a sick or injured dog warm (shock, hypothermia).

Useful extras:

• Wound antiseptic (chlorhexidine, diluted 1:10 with water). Do not use TCP, hydrogen peroxide, or alcohol on dog wounds.
• Sterile non-adherent dressing. For larger wounds before the bandage.
• A spare lead and collar. For an emergency.

The kit costs £25 to £60 to assemble. A pre-made first aid kit for dogs is available from most UK pet shops for £30 to £80.

The 6 emergencies: protocols

A practical protocol for each.

1. Bleeding. Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or gauze pad. Maintain pressure for 5 minutes (do not lift to check). If the bleeding soaks through, add more layers on top. After 5 minutes, if the bleeding has slowed or stopped, apply a pressure bandage. Drive to the vet if the bleeding does not stop in 5 minutes, or if the wound is more than a small cut.

2. Burns. Run cool (not cold) water over the burn for 10 minutes. Do not apply creams, ointments, or ice. Cover with a clean, non-adherent dressing. Drive to the vet. Chemical burns (cleaning products, etc.): rinse with copious water for 15 minutes before driving.

3. Choking. Open the mouth carefully (use a cloth to protect your hand from a bite). Look for a visible object. If visible, sweep it out with a finger. Do not poke blindly down the throat. If the dog is unconscious, the Heimlich manoeuvre for dogs: stand behind the dog, place a fist just below the ribcage, and give 3 to 5 firm upward thrusts. Drive to the vet immediately.

4. Heat stroke. Move the dog to a cool, shaded area. Wet the coat with cool (not cold) water, focusing on the belly, paws, ears, and groin. Offer small amounts of water if the dog is conscious. Drive to the nearest open vet immediately. Phone ahead. Do not use ice or ice water, which constricts blood vessels and slows cooling. See our summer safety guide for the full protocol.

5. Poisoning. Phone the emergency vet before doing anything. Common UK poisons: chocolate (especially dark), grapes and raisins, xylitol (sugar-free gum, peanut butter), antifreeze, slug pellets, ibuprofen, paracetamol, lilies, and many garden plants. Do not induce vomiting unless specifically instructed by the vet; some poisons are more dangerous coming back up than going down. Bring the packaging or a sample of the suspected poison to the vet.

6. Seizures. Do not restrain the dog. Move objects away so the dog does not hit anything. Time the seizure (start to finish). Most seizures last 1 to 3 minutes. After the seizure, the dog will be disoriented; speak in a calm voice and keep the room dark and quiet. Phone the vet after the seizure, even if the dog seems to recover. Drive to the vet if the seizure lasts more than 3 minutes, or if there are multiple seizures in a row.

The dog recovery position

For an unconscious or collapsed dog, the recovery position keeps the airway clear.

• Right side (the dog's right, your left when facing the dog).
• Head and neck extended (slightly tilted back, mouth slightly open).
• Front and back legs at right angles to the body (the right legs extended forward and back, the left legs bent in).
• Tongue pulled slightly forward, out of the mouth, to keep the airway clear.
• Foil emergency blanket over the dog for warmth (shock and hypothermia can set in within minutes).

Check breathing every minute. Drive to the nearest open vet.

What NOT to do

Five common first aid mistakes that make things worse.

• Inducing vomiting for a suspected poison. Some poisons are more dangerous coming back up. Phone the vet first.
• Applying ice or ice water to a heat stroke dog. Constricts blood vessels and slows cooling. Use cool (not cold) water.
• Restraining a seizing dog. The dog cannot control its movements; restraint risks injury to the dog and the owner. Move objects, time the seizure, do not restrain.
• Giving a dog human medications. Ibuprofen, paracetamol, and aspirin are toxic to dogs. Do not give any human medication without vet instruction.
• Waiting to see if the dog gets better. For the 6 emergencies above, the cost of waiting is higher than the cost of the visit. Phone the vet and drive.

Bleeding: the most common first aid

Three steps for a bleeding wound.

• Direct pressure. Apply firm, steady pressure with a clean cloth or gauze pad. Do not lift the cloth to check. Add more layers if needed.
• Pressure bandage. Once the bleeding has slowed, apply a conforming bandage over the cloth, then a cohesive bandage on top. The bandage should be snug but not tight enough to cut off circulation (check toes for swelling or coldness).
• Vet within 1 hour. Even a "small" cut that has been bandaged should be seen by the vet if the bleeding was significant, the cut is more than 1 cm long, or there is visible tissue damage.

The single most common first aid mistake: removing the first cloth to check. If the cloth is soaked, add more layers on top. Removing the first cloth removes the forming clot and the bleeding restarts.

When to phone the emergency vet

A practical 5-question checklist.

• Is the dog breathing normally? If not, drive to the nearest open vet immediately.
• Is the dog conscious? If not, recovery position, drive.
• Is the bleeding under control? If not after 5 minutes of direct pressure, drive.
• Did the dog eat something toxic? Phone the emergency vet before doing anything.
• Is the dog in pain? Pain that cannot wait is a vet call.

A "yes" to any of the first 4 is a vet emergency. A "no" to all 5 is a calmer situation that can wait for a routine appointment.

A UK first aid course for dog owners

The single best first aid investment is a half-day course. Most UK vet practices, RSPCA branches, and local dog clubs offer "dog first aid" workshops. Cost: £40 to £80 for a 3 to 4 hour session. Topics: the 6 emergencies above, plus hands-on practice with bandaging and the recovery position.

A list of UK providers: the RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, and many independent trainers (search "dog first aid course [your region]"). The course is not a substitute for the vet, but it gives you the muscle memory to act in the first 5 minutes.

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