A few years ago, Christian Shauf was on a trip when his Swiss Mountain Dog, Barron, became injured. Schauf, the co-founder of Uncharted Supply Co, which makes survival gear, fashioned a makeshift tourniquet with duct tape and a zip tie, and he was able to get the dog to the vet. The incident made him realize the need for a dog-specific first aid kit, one that a dog itself could carry.
Enter the ($89). It’s a small pouch integrated into a collar that gives you just enough secure storage space for a few essentials.
Now obviously you’re already carrying a first aid kit with you anytime you throw on a backpack or get in your truck. But, if you’re anything like me and my dogs, there are plenty of casual hikes, bathroom breaks, restaurant patio sessions, and other scenarios where you would rarely grab anything more than your wallet, pocketknife, and smartphone. Or maybe you have a first aid kit, but need to add some dog-specific tools. That’s where the Wolf Pack shines.
Uncharted includes a basic load out of common first aid essentials:
- Two packs of sterile gauze
- Three alcohol wipes
- One pair of nitrile gloves
- Mini tweezers
- A few poop bags
- Vet wrap
- Two packs of antibiotic ointment
- Two little pieces of hemostatic (blood clotting) gauze
- Two zip ties
That’s a pretty good list. But as with any commercial first aid kit, the Wolf Pack is built for a wide, general use case. Like any first aid kit that ends up in my possession, I’ve swapped around its contents to suit my own needs.
Let’s look at what I’ve kept and what I’ve added:
Alcohol Wipes and Triple Antibiotic Ointment
For cuts, scrapes and similar minor wounds, the first aid protocol is to clean them out, prevent infection, then close them up to prevent dirt and foreign objects from getting in there. The little single-use packs Uncharted provides actually work great when stored in such a small kit. I’m keeping these.
Gauze Squares and Vet Wrap
In case of a laceration, I would place gauze over the wound and then secure it to the dog with the vet wrap. There’s not enough wrap here for even a small dog’s torso, but most cuts and scraps are occurring on paws and legs, so that’s fine. Vet wrap sticks to itself, but not fur.
Hemostatic Sponges
With a larger wound or heavy bleeding, my first priority is stopping blood loss. In a compact kit designed to get you only as far as your vehicle, house, or vet, these small, single-use packs are the right choice. I carry a clean white t-shirt in my vehicle’s first aid kit to press into larger wounds.
Zip Ties
Tourniquets are a controversial item, and even though Schauf could have used one in the incident that inspired the Wolf Pack, I’m not surprised Uncharted chose to leave one out. A tourniquet requires special training to use and can lead to the loss of a limb when used incorrectly. Not to mention that adding one would have doubled the price of the product. I carry tourniquets in my vehicle to use on any mammal that may be injured in my presence, and also carry one with me anytime I carry a firearm. Since I live in grizzly country, that’s most of the time. These zip ties take up no space, aren’t something I’d otherwise carry in a pocket on a casual outing, and maybe help cobble together a first aid solution in pinch, so they stay in.
Benadryl
On a hike outside Todos Santos in March, our husky-mutt Bowie dug up an underground nest of bees. He was stung dozens of times. The swarm got inside my clothes, resulting in at least half a dozen stings on me too—and led to embarrassing public nudity. I had Benadryl in my backpack, and immediately shoved three down Boo Boo’s throat before swallowing two myself. The medicine works to prevent swelling and other allergy symptoms and can help sedate a dog, which may help you work on an injury or carry them back to a trailhead.
Tissue Glue
Wiley, our oldest dog, once split half one of his claws off at a 90-degree angle on a camping trip. I was able to stick it back into one piece using tissue glue, which kept him comfortable through the night until we were able to take him to the vet and get the claw removed the next day. These tiny tubes are indispensable for outdoorsy owners of active dogs.
And that’s it. This kit carries just enough to handle most common injuries, while minimizing weight and bulk. Feel free to steal my list, or build your own based on your unique experiences and capabilities. This collar should fit any dog about 55 pounds and larger without being burdensome or getting caught on brush and branches as the pup runs off-leash like some dog backpacks can. It’s a simple, useful solution I’m using every single day.