A dog first-aid kit will not replace a veterinarian, but it turns “we should probably turn around” into something you can actually treat on the spot: pad tears, minor wounds, and the supplies to stabilize while you evacuate.
Keep one in the car and one (or a slimmed version) in the daypack. Add your vet’s emergency number and any dog-specific meds your clinician recommends.
Refresh expired items yearly — a dusty kit from three summers ago is false confidence.