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Best First Aid Books for Pet Parents

Mary Simpson
by Mary Simpson
Published:  July 9th, 2021

It never hurts to be prepared for an accident. Have all the info that you need on hand with our top picks for the pet first aid books to own.

Whether you and your pooch are the outdoorsy type who thrive on hikes and games of extreme Frisbee, or are home-bodies who enjoy a snuggle on the sofa and a car ride over a walk, it’s inevitable that at some point you’re going to be googling the phone number for the local emergency clinic or reaching for the first-aid box. Yes, if it can be eaten or stepped on, if it bites or stings, our pooch will find a way to come in contact with it. And when it happens, help can actually be closer than you thought.

Given the plethora of first aid books and websites that cover every disease known to man (and dog) we decided to short list those that cater specifically to our four-legged family members and that offer simple, practical advice for the non-medically-trained.

In no particular order, here are the top five First Aid books for dogs:

1. Editor’s Pick: The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats

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By Amy D. Shojai

Class this next one under the “everything you ever wanted to know about…” heading. The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats delivers the basics in first-aid such as how to clean a wound and make a splint as well as identifies which over-the-counter meds can help or harm your pet. The author further gives tips on how to stock your own pet emergency medicine chest and identifies many of the more common injuries and conditions.

2. Runner Up: Field Guide to Dog First Aid: Emergency Care for the Outdoor Dog

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By Randy Acker

For the true outdoorsy type and their sporting dog, the Field Guide to Dog First Aid: Emergency Care for the Outdoor Dog touches on everything from how to deal with heat stroke to tackling snakes bites, broken bones and even gunshot wounds. Naturally this Swiss-Army Knife of first aid manuals is sized to be pocket-friendly and carried with the owner when out in the wild. It identifies not only treatments but also symptoms of a dog in distress.

3. Best Basic: Pet First Aid: Cats & Dogs

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By American Red Cross

If your pet typically ventures no further than his own back yard, the Pet First Aid: Cats & Dogs is the perfect addition to your living room shelf. This handy book tackles emergency issues such as CPR, choking, poisoning, bleeding, and trauma, providing the pet owner with guidance on how to control the situation in advance of seeking emergency treatment.

4. Best-Seller: Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook

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By Debra M. Eldredge

One of the original guides to pet healthcare is the best-selling Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook; the go-to reference book for pet owners for more than 27 years. Revised and expanded, the new fourth edition is fully illustrated and includes step-by-step instructions on how to handle common canine ailments while encompassing everything from care to nutrition to holistic treatments.

5. Best for Kids: Pet First Aid for Kids!

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By Denise Fleck and Sandrina Lee

Pet First Aid for Kids! makes a great gift for a child that got their first puppy or kitty or a kid that aspires to be a veterinarian when they grow up and love animals more than anything else in the world. Written in a simple language that’s easy to understand for kids 8 years of age or older, this handy first aid book is chock full of useful and life-saving tips for the budding pet parent learning how to properly care for their new family member. Pet First Aid for Kids! covers all the basics and beyond that: it will give your kid helpful information on handling emergencies such as choking, allergic reactions, bee stings, bleeding, heat strokes, and much more.

Not only does this first aid book outline the potentially life-saving steps you’ll need to take before taking your pet to the veterinarian’s office, but it is also filled with detailed photographs. Everything a kid needs to learn how to care for their four-legged sibling in a case of a medical emergency- and to help you brush up on some things, as well!

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Mary Simpson
Mary Simpson

Sharing space with three seriously judgy Schnoodles and a feline who prefers to be left alone. #LivingMyBestLife

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New Study Searches for the Secret Connection Between ‘Gifted’ Dogs

As dog parents, we all want to believe that our dog is the smartest, most incredible, most amazing dog out there. Right? But there is a select group of dogs whose talent and intelligence stand out above the rest. What makes these dogs so bright? That’s what a new study hopes to understand… Known as “Gifted Word Learner” (GWL) Dogs, these dogs display an impressive vocabulary by learning the names of dozens of their toys, with some learning as many as 125 toys by name! Interested in better understanding this phenomenon and what makes these dogs so naturally gifted, researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary set out to identify any commonalities between these pups. Their recent study, published in Scientific Reports on December 14, included 41 GWL dogs from nine countries: the US, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Norway, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Hungary. They put out a call for ‘gifted’ dogs, asking owners to complete and submit a self-assessment following their detailed instructions and send the results in a video. Dogs that passed that phase were then given an online vocabulary assessment test to better assess their language skills. The owners were also given a questionnaire to provide a better understanding of each dog’s life experience. “In the questionnaire, we asked the owners about their dog’s life experience, their own experience in raising and training dogs, and about the process by which the dog came to learn the names of his/her toys,” explained Dr. Andrea Sommese, study co-author. Researchers discovered some interesting connections between the GWL dogs using all this information.

UK Insurance Giant Names Pets as Culprit in Over 6,000 Claims

Between 2019 and 2023, dogs and cats identified as cause for missing jewelry, broken electronics, and property damage.

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