American Red Cross · Free app

The five minutes before you reach the vet

Pet First Aid is a free reference app: step-by-step instructions, short videos and quizzes for choking, wounds, seizures, poisoning and the other emergencies that happen to dogs and cats.

Publisher — American Red CrossPrice — freeiOS & AndroidDogs & cats

Chapter one

The point is having it before you need it

A first-aid app earns its place by already being on the phone when something goes wrong. Pet First Aid organises emergencies by situation, so you can find the right page without reading a manual while your hands are shaking and the animal is on the floor.

Alongside the emergency material there is preventive content: what belongs in a pet first-aid kit, which signs mean call the vet now rather than wait until morning, and how to include animals in a household emergency plan. You can also store a basic profile per pet with medications and vaccination dates.

What it will not do

It does not diagnose and it does not treat. Every serious situation ends the same way: stabilise, then get the animal to a veterinarian. Keep your emergency clinic's number saved somewhere you can reach in one tap.

Chapter two

What is inside

Six kinds of content, all offline-first so a weak signal in the car does not leave you stranded.

Step-by-step guidesChoking, bleeding, burns, bites, seizures, suspected poisoning — written for people with no medical training.
Short videosVisual demonstrations, easier to follow than text when you are under pressure.
QuizzesQuick self-tests so the information is in your head before the day you need it.
Pet profilesMedications, allergies and vaccination dates per animal, on one screen.
Emergency kit listWhat to keep in the kit and where to keep it so you can grab it fast.
Preparedness planFinding pet-friendly shelters and hotels, and including animals in an evacuation.

Chapter three

Build the kit this weekend

The app's most useful screen might be the least dramatic one: the checklist of what to keep in a box in the hall cupboard. Gauze, non-stick bandages, adhesive tape, blunt scissors, tweezers, a digital thermometer, saline, disposable gloves, a spare leash and a muzzle — because a frightened animal in pain bites, including you.

Add a printed page with your vet's number, the emergency clinic's number and address, and your pet's weight and medications. Paper works when the phone is dead.

Chapter four

Who it is for

Install it if

You own a dog or cat and have never had any first-aid training
You hike, travel or camp with your animal, far from immediate veterinary help
You foster, pet-sit or walk other people's animals
You want the preventive checklist as much as the emergency pages

Do not expect

Diagnosis or treatment advice — this is stabilisation guidance only
Coverage of species beyond dogs and cats
A replacement for calling a veterinarian

Chapter five

Questions

Does it cost anything?: No. It was sold for a small fee years ago; the current listing is free on both stores.
Does it work offline?: The core reference is designed to live on the device. Video playback may need a connection depending on the version.
Can it tell me what is wrong with my pet?: No. It gives first-aid steps and tells you when to seek professional help. Diagnosis needs a veterinarian.
Is it useful outside the United States?: The techniques are general, but emergency numbers and shelter information are US-oriented. Save your local emergency vet separately.