We sell a bunch of first aid kits. When I say a bunch, I’m not playing with you. It’s a bunch.
There’s a reason for it. Being a hunting dog is a dangerous profession.
Just a short list of issues that can happen (and many that have happened to me) include heat stroke, hypothermia, torn pads, cuts of all kinds including ears, tongues, and bloody tails. Thorns and cactus issues in feet, eyes and legs – most are easy fixes but a few will have you rushing to the vet.
Skin tears might be the most common issue for me – I’d love to know a total dollar amount I’ve spent on cuts from barb wire fences.
Animal encounters including Porcupines, Skunks, badgers, Rattle snakes, Pigs and javelina – most of these end with only minor issues but some can be expensive.
So first aid is on my mind this morning since I’m taking “Pepper” to the vet to have one of her hind legs checked out. I thought it was just a prickly pear issue, but it’s not getting better and I’m starting to think it’s something more serious.
We sell a bunch of kits but do they cover the actual needs of our customers in the field?
I often see of a “lack of understanding” from the manufacturers of the kits that we sell that comes from not having in the field experience. None of our kits include a simple muzzle. Many times, I’m doing in the field “health care” and I’m alone. My patient isn’t the most understanding or helpful. Having a muzzle helps. You can make one from vet wrap or even duct tape in a pinch but it would be better if you had one handy. I like to carry one in my kit.
What first aid products do you use on a regular basis? What problems do you encounter and do you feel that you are actually prepared to deal with the more common situations that you run into chasing bird dogs across the country?
What in the field experiences have you had and were you prepared?