Before you give assistance, remember that your dog is not a person. Even if your dog has a great temperament, he may bite if he is in pain. Put a muzzle on him or get someone to hold his head away from you, to keep you safe while working on his wound.

The first step in treating a wound is to control bleeding with direct pressure. Hold a gauze pad – or if you have nothing available, your hand – over the bleeding spot for three to five minutes. Don’t lift the pad to see if it’s still seeping because that pulls off the clot and could restart bleeding. If the pad gets bloody, just put
another on top without disturbing the first one.

When you have got the bleeding stopped, clean the wound. Gently scrub it with clean water or use a bactericidal soap (like a chlorhexidene product, not antibacterial hand soap). Alternatively, you can spray the wound with a continuous stream of water (use a kitchen sprayer or hose) until the tissue is free of debris. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide for cleaning – it kills the cells that it touches.

The decision to stitch or leave a wound to heal on its own is best made by a veterinarian. A small puncture may look innocuous, but there can be internal dam­age or possibly debris (hair and dirt) pushed under the skin. Wounds that tunnel under the skin need to be opened surgically so they can be thoroughly ex­plored and cleaned. A superficial cut, in contrast, can be kept clean and covered, and allowed to heal by itself.

Resist the temptation to put ointment on a wound. It’s rarely needed unless the site is contaminated. Most importantly, do not let your dog lick the wound – licking causes irritation and infection, not healing, as the old wives’ tale suggests.

Once it’s clean, put a dry bandage on the wound (if it is in a location that can be bandaged). First, apply a non-stick wound dressing; a sanitary napkin will suffice. Next, wrap the pad with gauze strips to hold it in, then cover the site with bandage material that sticks to your dog’s hair.

If the bandage is on the bottom of the leg or foot, keep it dry if your dog goes outside, by covering it with a plastic bag. Empty IV bags are great for this purpose because they are strong. If a bandage accidentally gets wet, remove it immediately.

By Jeff Grognet, D.V.M.
A multi-published writer, Jeff Grognet, D.V.M., B.S.c.(Agr.), runs a veterinary practice in Qualicum Beach, B.C., along with his wife, Louise Janes, D.V.M.

(Appeared in June, 2008 issue)