What Can I Do if My Dog Has a Wound?

Dogs, like humans, are prone to injuries. Whether your pet has stepped on a piece of glass or has been bitten by another dog, knowing how to treat and care for your pet is critical. While many injuries are treatable at home, there are times when your dog requires a veterinarian's care. Knowing how to control bleeding and prevent infection may save your dog's life. Every pet owner needs to know the basics of proper wound care.

  1. Bleeding

    • You must first control any bleeding. Keep a calm head and remember that your dog is in pain and needs your help. If you have an emergency pet first aid kit on hand, grab several sterile gauze pads, place them over the wound and apply direct pressure for five to 10 minutes. If you don't have gauze pads, use a clean cloth. If blood seeps through the pads, cover with fresh ones. Don't remove the old pads because you risk dislodging a blood clot. However, if the wound is deep or if the blood is bright red and spurting from the injured area, apply a pressure bandage and seek immediate veterinarian care.

    Cleaning

    • Before you treat your dog's wound, wash your hands and make sure the work area is clean. Dog wounds easily become infected. Have everything laid out and within easy reach. If your pet snaps or tries to bite you, muzzle it before you begin. Carefully trim any hair away from the wound with a pair of sharp scissors. This will make disinfecting and cleaning the area easier. Betadine or Nolvasan are excellent disinfectants. Moisten a gauze pad and gently clean the area around the wound, taking care not to get any disinfectant in the wound. Don't use hydrogen peroxide because it can irritate your dog's delicate skin.

    Irrigating

    • Once the area around the wound is clean, you need to clean the wound out to remove any dirt or bacteria. Fill a bulb syringe or a large plastic syringe with tap water and gently lavage, or flush, the wound out. This takes patience. You want to make sure you get every last bit of dirt out of the wound otherwise your pet may develop an infection later. You may want to invest in a commercial lavage unit. Whatever you do, don't scrub the wound out. It will only start bleeding again and traumatize already damaged tissue.

    Bandaging

    • Your dog's first instinct will be to bite and lick the wound. This is normal. However, your dog should wear an Elizabethan collar until the wound has healed. It looks silly, but it keeps your dog from continually irritating the injury. It isn't necessary to cover wounds on the head, neck or upper body. Extremity wounds on the legs or feet should be kept covered to protect the injury from dirt and other contaminants. Change the bandage periodically and always check for swelling around the wound area. Swelling may be a sign of infection and require further medical treatment.