In the course of a dog’s life, he or she is likely to sustain wounds that range from minor injuries, such as small cuts or abrasions, to major ones which include gashes or deep punctures. Before you go and treat your pet’s wound yourself, it’s important to assess whether your dog is in vital need of emergency care or if taking them to the vet can wait. If you’re not sure, always err on the side of caution and bring your pet to the vet for professional dog wound care.
Take Your Pet to the Vet Immediately If:
- He or she sustained wounds or cuts affecting their eyes to prevent permanent damage to his eyesight.
- The wounds were caused by a bite from another dog, which are usually more than superficial and may require surgery.
- The wound is bleeding profusely.
Things You Will Need to Treat Your Dog’s Wounds at Home:
- Warm water
- Clean paper or cloth towels
- Electric scissors, clippers, or a razor
- Water-based lubricant, such as KY jelly (not Vaseline)
- Antiseptic solution
- Saline solution
- Antibacterial ointment
- Muzzle (you can use a makeshift one from a sock or a dog collar)
- Tourniquet (towel, cloth strip, nylon, or bandana)
Procedure:
Step 1: Use a muzzle before attempting to examine or treat your dog. Using a muzzle is a precautionary measure since wounded dogs, no matter how docile or sweet-natured, can be unpredictable. Place a small dog on top of a table and a big dog on the ground.
Step 2: Apply a water-based lubricant on and around the wound to remove shaved hair easily and to reduce the possibility of contamination.
Step 3: Use scissors or clippers to cut the hair around the wound. Avoid cutting it too close to the skin.
Step 4: Clean the wound with a saline solution or diluted Betadine to determine the depth and severity of the wound. You can forego this step in dog wound care if the wound is clean and if the damage can be easily assessed.
Step 5: As a final rinse or soak, use diluted Betadine or a similar product.
Step 6: Using a sterile gauze or any material that is absorbent and clean. Pat the wound gently to dry.
Step 7: Apply an antibacterial cream, but make sure your dog doesn’t lick it off. You can use a cone collar from the pet store or get one from your veterinarian.
Step 8: Inspect the wound daily and watch out for signs of infection, such as gray, yellow, or green discharge and an unpleasant smell. If the wound is infected, take the dog to your vet immediately. Otherwise, clean the wound two to three times a day and apply antiseptic and antimicrobial ointment until the wound is completely healed.
As with humans, your primary goals in dog wound care are to manage the bleeding and prevent infection. Once you have these two covered, the rest of the steps are easy to follow.
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