Pets often injure themselves when they are outside. Some pets have access to large areas of land, which increases the chances of injuries. Other pets may escape their homes or yards and find themselves injured. In any case, pet owners need to treat open wounds as soon as they are discovered. Anyone who treats an animal with an open wound needs to understand that the injured animal is stressed and likely to behave differently than usual.
Things You'll Need
- Restraints (muzzle, towel, blanket or cage)
- Tweezers
- Clean cloths or rags
- Wound dressings
- Water
Instructions
Assess the mental state of your injured animal. The pet may be overly aggressive or lethargic. Be careful not to move too rapidly or without warning.
Restrain the injured animal before treating the wound. Use a muzzle if possible. Towels and blankets are good to restrain leg movement.
Inspect the wound. Is it bleeding? Are there any objects in the wound? Is it a puncture wound, or is it a tear or rip of the skin? Collect tweezers to remove any objects, cloths to stop the bleeding and dressings to cover wound after cleaning.
Stop any bleeding by applying pressure to the wound with a towel or cloth.
Remove any objects or debris with your hands or tweezers if possible. Be prepared for a hostile reaction from your injured pet, as this will probably hurt.
Clean the wound with water.
Cover the wound with the dressing, making sure it is secure but not too tight.
Take your injured pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible to have the wound assessed and treated further if required.