The other day I had one of those heart-stopping moments every pet parent dreads. I looked out into the backyard and saw my dog happily munching away on something. When I rushed over, I realized it was half of a cooked pork rib bone she had somehow found. My stomach dropped.

Cooked bones are dangerous for dogs because they can splinter into sharp pieces and cause serious injuries, like intestinal punctures or blockages. The bone she had was already splintered, and I freaked out. I immediately took it away from her and started thinking fast about what I could do to help.

I mixed some wet food and pumpkin puree in with her Freshpet dog food, hoping to soften her stool so the bone fragments would pass more easily through her system. For the rest of the day, I watched her like a hawk—checking her comfort, her behavior, and (yes) her poop—just to be sure nothing was wrong.

That scare made me realize something: emergencies happen, and sometimes you only have minutes to act. That’s when I decided to order PawMergency, an Activated Charcoal First Aid Kit for Dogs, Cats, and Pets. Activated charcoal can help absorb toxins in certain emergencies, and I wanted to make sure I had something on hand if my fur babies ever got into something dangerous again.

Now, PawMergency lives in my cupboard—ready for the “just in case” moments. I truly hope I’ll never have to use it, but knowing it’s there gives me peace of mind.

If you’d like to have PawMergency on hand too, I found mine on Amazon here: PawMergency Activated Charcoal First Aid Kit.

Because when it comes to our pets, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.