How to take wound care in dog

(December 22, 2009)

It is not unusual for your pets to hurt themselves and get wounded. Dogs, playful animals that they are, often get injured much to the dismay of their owners. However, if your dog is wounded and in pain, there isn’t necessarily any need to worry.

Occasional injuries can be treated using first aid. For minor scrapes, cuts and wounds, always keep a first aid kit handy. Some gauze strips, anti bacterial creams and ointments, scissors, adhesives, tweezers and hand towels are some of the things you can include in your first aid kit. Apart from these, if your dog gets injured, you may also require an ice pack which can be very handy.

Injured animals respond differently as compared to injured humans. Even if your dog is very faithful and loves you very much, when injured, it could bite and no matter how sure you are of your dog’s behavior do not take it for granted as this would not just be careless, but also highly unfair to the dog. This is because the defenses of the dog decrease when it is injured and instinctually, it begins to feel threatened. To administer the first aid that you intend, you may need to use a muzzle and a restraint.

If your dog has minor injuries, the wound can be cleaned thoroughly using just water and soap. Antiseptic lotions can also be used, but they may cause a lot of pain to the animal. Dry the wound before applying any ointment or lotion on it. This will ensure that infections do not remain in the wound. In case the wound gets infected, you may have to take your dog to the veterinarian. There could be a requirement for draining the wound.

Healing of the wound can be promoted naturally by using natural aloe vera gel or products containing extracts of the plant. The dog usually tends to lick it off, so you might have to put on some gauze on it.
If some other animal has bitten your dog, this could lead to a serious infection. Even if wound from the bite is very small, it is best to take your dog to the veterinarian in order to check for any signs of infections and to get immediate treatment.

Wounds that lead to substantial blood loss may also require urgent attention. In such a case, try to contain blood loss by applying pressure directly on the wound. You will have to restrain and muzzle the dog while doing this. Take your dog to the vet immediately. Keep checking the color of the gums of the dog and its breathing rhythm to make sure that the dog has not already slipped into shock.