A while back, I talk about traveling with pets and, in that post, I said when you travel with pets you have to be prepared for a pet emergency. Part of that preparation is carrying a pet first-aid kit. Well, today, I thought I’d share a few thoughts about what you need in a first-aid kit, both for people and pets, and what I have in the one I created when I transitioned to full-time RV life.

RV Life in My Imagination

In my planning years, I spent hours and hours painting the picture of what RV life would look like, feel like, smell like, be like. I acquired information from many sources and felt I had a good idea of day-to-day RV life. And it is funny because despite all the research, I was wrong in so many ways.

The way that is most glaring to me was when I included in my original budget one night a month at a motel. Even now, I can still see the movie of what I needed to do during those motel hours.

First, I’d plug in my electric toothbrush (because it takes the longest to charge) and all my electronics so they could get fully charged. Second, I’d take a long warm shower to remove a month’s worth of dirt and grime. Third, I’d get all my laundry done (my imaginary motel had washers and dryers) from a month’s worth of dirt and grime. Fourth, I’d bath my dog from all her dirt and grime. Fifth, I’d remove everything from both the van and the trailer in order to give it a good cleaning.

In my little scenario, there’s a lot of dirt and grime. I can see now that I still saw RV life as camping life. I saw it as camping life with walls.

RV Life is Actuality

Guess what my RV life looks like? First, when I need electronics charged, I plug into an outlet in the trailer. Second, I shower nearly every day. Third, I do laundry regularly. Fourth, Solstice got monthly baths in the tiny rig’s shower and, more often, at dog washes. Fifth, if I removed everything from the van and trailer once a month to clean and organize them, I would never get another thing done.

In other words, this aspect of RV life looks a whole lot like sticks-and-bricks life except in varied settings. And in a much smaller space. In other words, actual RV life looks very little like the movie I played in my head for all the years leading up to RV life.

So what’s the connection to a first-aid kit?

All of this is to say, I was just as wrong about what I thought I needed in my RV first-aid kit. I thought I needed to be prepared for absolutely every medical scenario because, I guess, I envisioned being in a middle of nowhere with no one around. I envisioned needing to set my own broken leg, to give myself mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, to suck out poison after a snake bite and sew my thumb back on after a slip with the kitchen knife.

Ridiculous. I know that now.

First First-Aid Kit

When I packed up my van, I bought a bunch of medium-sized storage bins with the commitment to limit myself to one bin per category. There was a bin for games, one for exercise stuff, electronics, winter gear, office supplies, holiday decorations, etc.

The limits were hard. For example, holiday decorations filled five big storage containers in sticks-and-bricks life. During the downsizing process, I got it down to two overflowing medium bins. Every few weeks, I’d go through them again. Then it was down to one overflowing medium bin. And, just before I hit the road, I made the final hard decisions needed to get the lid to close.

So, you can see, I took my one bin per category very seriously. I knew I needed to or my life wouldn’t fit into the van and trailer.

Still, somehow, as I prepared my first-aid kit, I justified first aid taking up two bins in the van. You know, all those broken legs and snake bites.

How I Came Up with My First-Aid Kit Supply List

I scoured the internet for recommended supplies for a good first-aid kit. I collected lists for general first-aid kits, for backpacker first-aid kits and camping first-aid kits. Then I pulled information from each one to create my own master first-aid kit supplies.

These are the things that made sense for me. Of course, you’ll want to adjust your kit based on your traveling style and planned locations as well as the space you can dedicate to first aid.

What to Add If You Travel with Pets

After I had my kit complete, I tackled a kit for the pets. Turns out, nearly everything needed for my pets I already had in my own kit. The only things I added was a quick-reference brochure for pet CPR, a pet first-aid book, a rectal thermometer and a couple nylon leashes.

The First-Aid Kit Supply List by Category

Personal Protection:

• Nitrile gloves because vinyl is too porous and latex is a common allergen.
• CPR mask and airway management.
• Antiseptic wipes, ointment, lotion, powder or spray.
• Hydrocortisone ointment packets.
• 1” athletic tape. It’s good for blister prevention, blister covering, ankle taping, etc.
• Gauze/ dressings (for burns or abrasions) and adhesive tape.
• Adhesive bandages.
• Roller gauze or self-adherent wrap (which last longer than roller gauze).
• Waterproof/ breathable wound dressings (occlusive dressing).
• Tweezers (sharp and pointy).
• Small magnifier for wound cleaning. Be sure to have a reliably bright light source for wound exploration.
• Skin closure strips (such as 3M Steri-Strips)
• A 60cc syringe with an irrigation tip for wound cleaning as it gives better pressure than anything you could improvise.
• Trauma shears.
• Moleskin, foam, gel pads, etc. for blister care. Duct tape should not be used on open blisters.
• Oral thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass).
• Foil emergency blanket.
• Cotton balls or swabs.
• Rubbing alcohol squares.

Musculoskeletal Injuries:

• Compression wraps (ACE bandage).
• Instant cold compress.
• Heating pad.
• Aluminum foam splint (for sprained or broken fingers).
• Triangular bandages or cloth for arm sling.

Over-the-Counter Medications:

• Pain management such ibuprofen and acetaminophen. If you use tablets, add a few grains of rice to the bottles to keep them dry in moist conditions.
• Antacids and anti-diarrheal medicines for gastrointestinal issues.
• Antihistamines for allergic reactions.
• Topical antibiotic cream which are good for small, shallow wounds.

Comfort Care:

• Aloe.
• Throat lozenges.
• Lip balm.
• Sunscreen.
• Insect repellent.

Pet Specific Supplies (some are repeats from above and from post on traveling with pets):

• Pet first aid book.
• Phone numbers: your veterinarian, the nearest emergency-veterinary clinic and a poison-control center or hotline (ASPCA poison control center is 800-426-4435).
• Paperwork for your pet: proof of rabies-vaccination status, copies of other important medical records and a current photo of your pet (in case she/he gets lost).
• Nylon leash.
• Tick picker or needle nose pliers for removing ticks.
• Self-cling bandage. Don’t use human Band-Aid bandages on pets.
• Muzzle or strips of cloth to prevent biting. Dogs can bite when in pain. Don’t use if pet is vomiting, choking, coughing or otherwise having difficulty breathing. Can use nylon leash, tie, small towel or other soft cloth.
• Hydrogen peroxide (3%) to induce vomiting if directed by a veterinarian or a poison-control expert.
• Milk of Magnesia or activated charcoal to absorb poison.
• Rectal thermometer (pet’s temperature should not rise above 103°F or fall below 100°F) and petroleum jelly to lubricate.
• Sterile saline solution.
• A pillowcase to confine your cat for treatment.
• Pet carrier.

Other Useful Pets Items:

• Ear-cleaning solution.
• Expired credit card or sample credit card (from direct-mail credit-card offers) to scrape away insect stingers.
• Glucose paste or corn syrup for diabetic dogs or those with low blood sugar.
• Nail clippers.
• Penlight or flashlight.
• Splints and tongue depressors.
• Styptic powder or pencil to seal injured blood vessels.
• Towels.

Other Items Not on the Official List

In addition to the first-aid kit items in my van, I keep a few items in the trailer for easy and quick access. Many, perhaps, are not first-aid kit specific but never the less, here are the items I keep on hand:

• Cold medicine (my go-to is DayQuil and NyQuil liquicaps)
• Cough drops.
• Menthol rub.
• Dramamine for water adventures.
• Rice bag which can can be put in the freezer or microwave.
• Sore muscle cream.
• Antibacterial ointment and Band-Aid bandages.
• Advil.
• Skin closure liquid (liquid adhesive)
• Gauze and tape.
• Allergy medicine for days when I kiss the cat too much or there is something in the air causing my nose to run, my eyes to water and my face to itch.

Best Practice

I may not have thought of this had I not worked at the Heceta Head Lighthouse in December. But one of Ranger Ben’s December tasks is to go through all the first-aid kits in Carl Washburne State Park, including the one up at the lighthouse, and to replace any expired items.

I happen to be on shift the day he came to the lighthouse to check the kit and I made the mental note that I should do the same with my own first-aid kit. And you should do the same with yours. Many of the medicated ointments and pills lose efficacy with time so make it an annual habit to check those expiration dates.

Final Thoughts

Of course, if you don’t want to take the time and effort to create your own first-aid kit, there are lots of ready-made first-aid kits on the market, from small basic ones to elaborate everything-and -the-kitchen-sink ones. The nice thing about the ready-made kits is they aren’t stuffed full. So, you can purchase one as a starter and stuff extra items in based on your needs.

Once on the road, after deciding I probably wasn’t going to need to give myself mouth-to-mouth or set my own leg or sew my finger back on, once I figured out three or four Ace bandages was probably overkill while the dozen I brought was downright silly, once I figured out RV life doesn’t mean I’ll never see the inside of a hospital again, I whittled down the kit to a single storage bin.

So, once again I am following my own rule about a single bin per category. I think–I hope–that I found balance between the ridiculous and a well-stocked first aid kit.

Do you have anything in your first-aid kit that isn’t on this list? If you are a full-timer do you feel the pressure of maintaining a well-stocked kit the way I did (and still do)? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Links to Referenced SSL Blog Posts Above:

• RV Life and Traveling with Pets
• Big Dog, Small Tub: Bathing Solstice in an RV Shower
• My First Workamping Experience

To see products recently purchased by readers or to browse and shop at Amazon, follow either of these links. Huge thanks for your support.

• Purina ONE Weight Management Dry Dog Food
• Larry Black T10 Fountain Pen Ink Cartridge
• Captain Tolley’s Creeping Crack Cure (no doubt from the post on sealing a gasket)