Ready, Set, GO!
I have spent most of my life in California so hurricanes and tornadoes have never been a concern for me. Growing up in the ring of fire we had many earthquake drills and were taught to have emergency supplies like candles, flashlights, batters, bottled water, first aid kit and shelf stable staples available in case the big one hit. We also learned where the gas and water mains were on our property so that we could shut them off. Knock on wood, I lived in southern California during the San Francisco earthquake of 1989 and I lived in northern California when the Northridge earthquake hit in 1994. I am terrified of earthquakes and thankfully I go into auto pilot during a tremor even though I panic… thank you SF elementary school for all the drills!
I live in the foothills of the Angeles National Forest and in September 2020 we had a very large wildfire, the Bobcat fire. We can see Mount Wilson from our house and watching the night sky glow from the mountains on fire was a bit scary. We were not in an evacuation zone and were safe but the smoke and ash was terrible! Thankfully firefighters saved Mt. Wilson Observatory and worked tirelessly to put that wildfire out.
We always enjoyed traveling and some of our destinations were off grid. After Lucy was diagnosed with diabetes I had a waterproof “GO” container for her supplies. I kept over-the-counter medications, testing supplies, hypoglycemia supplies, extra batteries, spare meter, and a pack of syringes in there. I printed up lists and triple checked them to ensure I had everything she could possibly need including food, toppers, insulin, food and water enticers, etc., etc., etc. There was never anything missing because I over prepared and I felt a little ridiculous with all the lists and supplies I had on hand when traveling, but now I look back and realize I was smart. My GO container was readily available for any emergency we could have encountered.
Being prepared for evacuation during an emergency is always important, but when our dogs need life saving medicine and supplies it is crucial to have everything in an easy to grab GO bag or container. Tornado season started March 1 st, hurricane season starts June 1 st, and the USA has already seen some wild weather with derechos, tornadoes, wildfires and floods.
READY – have supplies prepared ahead of time.
SET – packed and prepared to leave.
GO – time to leave, grab your GO bag/container!
Below are printable lists along with over-the-counter medications lists that are safe for dogs.
Products from PetTest for your GO bag/container! Click on the product link to take you directly to the product.
PetTest Meter Kit - INCLUDES 25 TEST STRIPS
PetTest Foil Wrapped Strip Box (NEW Easy Open Packaging) - 50 count
Advocate PetTest Safety Lancets - 21G x 2.4mm (100/box)
Advocate PetTest Twist-top Lancets 21G (2 Pack)
Glucose SOS Energy Boost for Pets
100 PetTest Ketone Glucose Urinalysis Reagent Strips for Pets (2 Packs of 50)
PetTest Urinary Tract Infection Test Strips for Pets (2 Packs of 50)
Small WeekAway® Tote Bag (Small Dogs)
Large Week Away® Tote Bag (Medium/Large Dogs)
I hope this blog helps you get supplies together for your GO bag or container, BUT I hope you only have to use it for fun outings like traveling!
Until next week stay comfy and caffeinated!
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please start a conversation below.
If you are looking for a Facebook community to join for support, I have proudly been an admin in Diabetic Dog Owners for over five years. You can also join Canine Diabetes Support and Information on Facebook as well.
Be sure to join the PetTest family on Facebook and Instagram. PetTest has fun, interactive posts AND they have fabulous giveaways every week!
For a printable version of this blog click here .