A gray dog disappeared into thick cover; a gray dog oozing bright red blood from its head in alarming amounts emerged seconds later.

“There was so much blood it took me a little while to zero in on where it was coming from – she didn’t even look like the same dog,” said Bryan Schwartz of Newville, Pennsylvania. His young Weimaraner, Greta, sported a nasty gash on one ear. “It was bleeding fast, and every time I thought I got it stopped, she’d shake her head and get it going again.”

Schwartz abandoned his “direct pressure” approach, and took off his boots. He double-wrapped and tied one of his long socks around the dog’s head, and headed back towards his vehicle.

“It was a wake-up call for me,” he said. “I had only gone to state game lands to give her a little exercise, and I had nothing with me to take care of any kind of injury on a dog.”

We’ve all got the horror stories – the time one of the dogs got bitten by a snake, quilled by a porcupine, caught in a trap, cut up by glass or other sharp debris, got punctured by a stick or fence, or…any of the zillion things that can happen in the field.

I’ll always remember the time I didn’t even make it out of a parking lot, and it was totally my fault. I was at a state game lands, in a parking area with room for a dozen cars. In front of each parking spot was a small sign, about shin high, each holding an identical sign “No Littering” about a foot square. If I’d been paying attention, I would have noticed that the sign was missing from one of the posts.

And of course, that’s the post my dog ran over in the high grass. Fortunately, although she got a bad slice along the entire length of her underbelly, it was not deep. It was bloody, ugly, requiring a vet visit, but not deep enough to warrant stitches.

As your hunt continues, be attentive to the dog’s attitude, demeanor and physical condition – be alert to signs of heat stress or any other changes. Take breaks to offer water and rest. What items should you carry in your dog first aid pack?

Most of us can probably name the basics - blood stop powder, EMT gel, bandaging wrap and gauze pads to name a few. I also carry a knee brace – in case I need it, and also because it makes a great compression cover for cuts on a dog’s head. Some of my hunting buddies chipped in some ideas:

Jake Bean, Blackridge Kennels, Schwenksville: “In addition to regular supplies like hemostats, gauze, and three rolls of ace bandaging, I also carry a small pair of bolt cutters, in case a dog is caught in a snare. I carry 20-inch zip ties, also to be used to get a dog out of a trap (foot trap). I also carry a space blanket and a small roll of rope.”

Skip Smith, Allentown: “I carry booties and duct tape, to hold them on. I also carry an Emergency whistle, to signal for help if I need assistance carrying the dog out – good to carry for personal safety too. You can get a whistle that includes a compass and a compartment to keep matches dry. I carry a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide to treat wounds and also to induce vomiting if need be.”

Larry Primeau, Pine Grove: I carry sweetened iced tea for myself but it’s also great to help stop bleeding on a wound. The tannins in tea help the blood coagulate faster, and the sugar in it helps draw the moisture from the wound, which kills off bacteria. Sweetened iced tea poured on a wound helps stop bleeding and prevent infection.” (Lisa’s note: tea bags are good for cuts inside the dog’s mouth).

It’s important to note that although these items may be of great assistance in the field, there’s NO substitute for proper veterinary care. For example, Adam Kahora of Eqypt, Pennsylvania, had an awful quilling incident with a dog and now carries needle-nosed pliers, intended for removing fish hooks, in his pack.

“You do what you can in the field,” Kahora said. “But you need to follow up with a veterinarian, especially with quills – if you miss one, even a very small one, they can migrate to other areas in the dog and really cause a lot of problems.”

Yes, we’ve all heard or experienced the “horror stories” but we can focus on the reality – that for every outing that goes badly, there will be many glorious days in the field where everything goes right. And by carrying the right gear in our hunting packs, we can turn a bad outing into a good one.