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Vet Kit

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kwebb

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Does anyone know of a good list of first aid/medicines/tools to doctor cattle that I should have on hand?

I've just been getting things as I need them from antibiotics, syringes, etc., but it would be nice to have a good list to work from for emergencies or maybe even a kit made ready to buy.

I'm actually doctoring a horse right now, but I usually work on cattle. This horse had a wire cut and bad infection in the left rear pastern. I doctored it open, washing it out with Iodine and spraying it with a furazone spray a couple of days while giving her antibiotics, but it really didn't respond until I covered it. I packed it with nitrofurazone salve and gauze and vet-wrapped it. A couple of bandage changes later and she's coming right along.

That vet wrap needs to be made for Christmas presents as it makes a fella look like he knows what he's doing. My first go I had salve all over, gauze hanging on bushes, and just a big old mess. But, you can just cover it all up with that stuff and it looks like it's done by a pro.

Thanks in advance for ideas on a vet kit.

Kevin

BTW, I'm doctoring that horse on my own because last Saturday when I first found her hurt, our vet told me he had work until midnight already and suggested this treatment.
 
Recent studies show that furacin will slow the healing process. It is a good antibiotic but neosoprine is better and they will heal faster and is cheap if you buy the generic from Costco, Walmart, ect... But even more important is current tetanus vaccination .

What is need in a first a kit would depend on how fast it takes your vet to help you, or how long it takes to get to the vet, or how much you feel you can do on your own.
1# roll cotton
4 rolls brown gauze 4"
sterile gauze assorted sizes
6 rolles vetwrap 3-4"
telfapads assorted sizes
saftey pins
thermometer
stethoscope
cutters
scissors
knife
flashlight
betadine soln
diapers (for bandages)
clippers
antibiotic ointments

Your vet can be the best help for setting up other stuff you may need.
 
That sounds like a first class kit for horses. :D They are so accident prone. :roll: There's one thing I'd add if you have it in your area. We have a product up here called Dermagel. It's a clear gel that is absolutely super on open wounds. I know a girl who's horse ran into a barb wire fence and ripped a big gash right across it's chest about three inches high and a foot long. She put this on twice a day, and in six weeks you could hardly find it. A bonus is that the hair grows back it's regular colour, not white like it sometimes does with other treatments. I wouldn't be without a bottle in a first aid kit.

As for a cattle doctoring kit, mmm... it would depend what time of year it is. A pasture kit would hold different things than a calving kit for instance.
 
This is going to sound crazy and I'm not real sure how to explain it but one of the things that you hopefully will never need but will sure be glad you have is vise-grips with two flat pieces welded on the end of the jaws.
this old-timer gave me a set one time and i've only used them a time or two but it has saved a couple of cows. Great for stoping bleeders. Had a cow cut a vein on her udder and we shut it off enough to get her to the vet and saved her. never came back to milk but at least we got another calf out of her and got to pack her out. As for the rest of the kit I have just about everything a vet would have. We had (have) lots of cattle and a few horses and goats. Uncle and very good friends are both vets and you never know what you might need, nose tonges, twitch, syringes, antibiotics, etc. For horse cuts try to find some pink lady lotion, we hydro it twice a day and put the lotion on, does great to keep from gettting proud flesh.
 
Duct tape and rubber bands!!

The tape will hold a wound close till you can get to something better.

A rubber band will most likely be able to be rigged where it will hold an artery closed, again, till you can get where you do a better job.
 
Super glue stings like crazy but I cut the tip off my left index finger and super glued it back on about 4 years ago - - - a little cocked toward the thumb but you have to look at it close to tell.

One of the guys working for me laid his hand open on an auger and we super glued it after cleaning and he had to change his pants afterward - - - he said the super glug hurt worse than the cut - - - can't even find a scar though.
 
at the Biotech companies Pharm I work for we use Vetbond to seal up the hole when we pull out catheters. Would probably work well on wounds, same idea as super glue.
 
When I worked at the vet clinic we used superglue all the time. It was good for making a final smooth closure on the suture line, especially on spayed cats. We also used it at times to replace occasional small stitches that had pulled out. (You can't trust cats and dogs to leave things alone. :roll: :roll: ) Pulled out stitches don't stitch back together well, especially if time has passed, but the glue would do it. It doesn't replace stitches completely, but makes a good patch.
 
I'd ad Epinepherine ...two doses....I know of one ranch that had two calves react to vaccine in one day, only were able to save one of tem, te shot was gone after the first,

PPRM
 
I guess the list could go on and on,Mine is an accumulation of years working remote locations..........if you think you need it ,then add it to your vet box...........good luck
PS one thing I see no mention of here that I would'nt be without is several sizes of disposable gloves,they make a very good bath reservoir cleaning foot wounds,1/2 hydrogen peroxide and water then slip it over the hoof,you can really get em cleaned out,works like a charm :wink:
 
PS one thing I see no mention of here that I would'nt be without is several sizes of disposable gloves,they make a very good bath reservoir cleaning foot wounds,1/2 hydrogen peroxide and water then slip it over the hoof,you can really get em cleaned out,works like a charm Wink
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A piece of intertube also work well. cut a 10-12" section of tube, slip the foot 1/2into the tube, fold the back and the front 1/2 up and duct tape around the top to close. It may need to be longer for horses.

I don't like hydrogen peroxide for soaking because once the electron is given off it becomes water and a water bath. Betadine solution in water to about the color of icetea works the best for me and last longer. As HayMaker said your kit will cont. to grow, I would also add some hemostats and needle holders and umblical tape to the kit. Needle holder work great for the fly fishing trips :lol: :lol:

PPRM said
I'd ad Epinepherine ...two doses....I know of one ranch that had two calves react to vaccine in one day, only were able to save one of tem, te shot was gone after the first,

PPRM
Click to expand...


If you use epi in a horse the response is very dramatic.. they will start sweating profusely to the point of scarry.
 

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