What's In the First Aid Kit?
A question that's gone around on falconry/avian Facebook pages and other locations on the World Wide Web is "What's in your bird's first aid kit?". After typing essentially the same thing over and over again, I decided to put up a post explaining what is in my first aid kit, and why I included that item. I'm also going to give you a list of other medical items I don't necessarily take with me when I go on a trip, but are good to have. Please note this is just what I take with me, not a 'master list.' I'm sure if you ask other falconers you will get multiple different answers.
This is the first aid kit I take with me to the field. It all fits within a small toolbox (I think it's about 5"x12" or something like that), and is what I am most likely to use in an emergency situation.
Paper towels: For cleaning up messes. They are always handy to have around!
Plastic bag: Really for whatever needs to be put in one.
Hemostats: Good for gripping small items, and also good for force-feeding a stubborn or weak bird. This would be rare.
1ml, 3ml and 10ml syringes: Used for administering fluids or medication.
Needles: Used with a syringe to administer fluids or medication under the skin or into the muscle.
Crop tube: Used in conjunction with a syringe to safely force fluids into the crop by bypassing the trachea. Again, this is a rare case.
Dog nail trimmers: Used for trimming beaks, and talons on non-hunting birds or birds whose talons have grown to an unhealthy length.
Assorted files: For fine tuning and shaping beaks and talons after trimming with the clippers.
Gauze pads: Bandaging wounds.
Saline solution: Used for rinsing wounds. Any pure, sterile saline can be used.
Medical tape: For securing bandages or pretty much anything that needs to be taped down.
Hydrogen peroxide: Cleaning wound sites.
Self-adhesive bandages (brand name VetWrap): Bandaging wounds or immobilizing joints, especially wings.
Gauze bandages: Bandaging wounds.
Abba (casting jacket): I carry one size for each of the birds I have. Used to restrain a raptor in a way it cannot injure itself or its handler.
Latex gloves: To keep bacteria from the hands from being transferred to the wound.
Triple antibiotic ointment: Protecting wounds.
Cotton swabs: For applying ointments, hydrogen peroxide, etc.
Corn starch: Stops bleeding. Much cheaper, more readily available, and safer for birds than KwikStop.
Silver Sulfadiazine (SSD) Cream: A prescription cream you can obtain from your vet. It is very effective at healing abrasive (or really any kind) of wound.
Unflavored pedialyte or a mixture that when dissolved in water will have similar nutritional properties of pedialyte. Used to administer sugars and electrolytes to weak birds.
Spare liquid vial: Just in case!
The above items are the ones I keep on-hand and ready for use. However, there are a few items that I don't use often or need to keep on-hand, but are incredibly useful to have when you need them. Here they are:
Nebulizer: Used for administering medication by misting it into a bird's enclosed transport carrier.
Mite & Lice Spray: This can be picked up at Walmart or a local pet store. It's effective not only against mites and feather lice, but also hippoboscid "Flat" flies that chew on feathers and bite.
Various creams & ointments: I keep several ointments, both prescription and over-the-counter as they are always good to have.
Spare syringes and needles: I rarely throw my syringes away, so I usually have more than what fit (or are required) for my first aid kit.
Extra VetWrap: I use VetWrap for more than just medical implementations. In fact, I have used it more often for securing perch topping materials than I have in actual medical use.
Calcium and Multivitamin Supplements: Calcium is good for birds recovering from a bone fracture. I made mine from ground up eggshells. Multivitamin supplements can be purchased from most online falconry vendors. There are two main brands, ProVital (the one I use), and the other is VitaHawk.
Clear nail polish: This is used for sealing and protecting damaged talons.
Ivermectin: I use the 1% injectable solution for cattle and swine. This is an over-the-counter drug in most states and a very powerful dewormer.
Some information on Ivermectin dosing is provided below. All sick or injured raptors should be taken to an appropriately licensed veterinarian with experience with birds-of-prey (not just parrots).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11386446
http://www.irishwildlifematters.ie/animals/bird-drugs.html
