Kit bag!
Joe has his own First Aid kit but, after we bought it we decided to combine it with his human’s kit. To keep his separate from the human stuff, it goes into a small ziplock bag, tucked into his First Aid bag. We were a bit ruthless eventually with our kits but, we believe that we have an adequate selection. Joe’s human First Aid Kit easily fits into this bag too. The one that we bought cost around £15 from Go Outdoors.
First Aid Kit contents!
We backpack mainly in Scotland so this is Joe’s list of First Aid items:
Tick removal tool. Practice before you go!
Selection of bandages.
Non-adhesive absorbant dressings (5cm x 5cm)
Surgical tape, cotton wool, a small absorbant towel.
A few eye and earwipes in a sealed ziplock.
Leucillin antiseptic skincare.
This isn’t an exhaustive list as Joe shares items such as a multitool with tweezers (for thorn removal etc), sterile water tube and cotton buds.
Keeping clean and treatments!
Keeping Joe clean on a backpacking trip is not easy! He is a bit of a water baby so, the worst of his mud can be cleaned off in a river, stream or lake. We use a large microfibre towel to dry him off. We use a small brush or comb to tidy his coat and to check for ticks. When he is in the tent we dry his paws thoroughly before checking for any splits or sore points and then treat with paw balm made by Pet Head. We check his ears and eyes and wipe with the wipes from his First Aid kit. He also gets his muscles massaged and check for injuries. The next morning, before we leave the tent we apply Musher’s Secret to Joe’s paws. This natural food grade wax forms a breathable barrier to protect his paws. It protects against heat and cold and helps on rough terrain. Both the products are readily available on Ebay or Amazon.
We will update this post when we buy any new kit. Please click on MENU and choose JOE’S TIPS. Other tips such as ‘What he wears’, ‘Joe’s Food and Treats’, ‘Joe’s Toys and Puzzles’, ‘Joe’s First Aid and Grooming’, ‘What Joe takes backpacking’ and ‘Joe’s other stuff’.
Joe the Cocker's Hikes 