Leia Bitten Again...2nd Time In 2 Weeks

[Guest FordRacingRon]

My last update. We noticed that her wound sort of smells and there is a white patch of soemthing my DW says has alwys been there. We pointed out the smell to the vet. So I called him again after my last post and discovered that she never was sewn up all the way. She has open wounds too,,the white parts being ligaments (confirmed by Sandysgreys with a photo). When he told me there was no infection, he was refering to the part I brought her in for, the swollen wrist and foot. He said there is a minor infection causing the smell and that's what the two topical medications he sent me home with are for, fighting the infections. If by Friday it isn't better we are going to up her antibiotic dosage.

 

All because of a loose pitbull,,so far we are out 780 bucks because of the loose dog. Of course getting her well is the priority not the money amount,,I am just saying......

 

Would a people thermometer that you use in the ears work on a dog?

Edited November 1, 2006 by FordRacingRon

[Guest Winterwish]

Oh,it's truly awful isn't it? And so,so unfair in every way.

That's a good question about the ear thermometer. I've never used it for a dog,but my guess is it would be accurate as long as it's placed gently down toward the ear canal. But someone else with experience using it on a dog would know better.

 

Keepping Leia in my thoughts and prayers for complete healing.

[kjw]

I don't see why an ear thermometer wouldn't work, but I've never tried it.

 

I bought a plain old rectal thermometer for my guys, and labelled it DOGS

My guys seem fine with it, just don't forget the vasoline.

[Guest vahoundlover]

I can't offer any advice....I am sooo sorry Leia is going through this! You aren't being a pest..there is a lot of knowledge here and wonderful people to share it. Sending prayers and healing thoughts.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

Update for those interested,,,one step forward, two back.

Leia started walking yesterday. The Rimadyl really took the swelling down and her foot looks normal. So she walks and limps around but mostly walks which is a good thing,,,,,but,,,,,

 

Either from the cleaning we've been doing or because she is moving a set of her stiches let go so yesterday afternoon,,back to the vet. He told us he thought this may happen but he didn't want to scare us because were we so afraid she would lose her leg he didn't want to panic us. She now has a hole in her leg about 1 inch in diameter. The gross part is when you move her foot you can see the parts inside move (tendons and muscles?). We go a new script added to the mix, mertornidazole, and given other types of cleaners and we are to clean the wound 3 times a day. My question for the day,,does not stitching it back together sound right and does leaving it open sound right?

 

I can't see and way you could put it back together, the skin is way too tight, but having an open wound scares me. He said we could cover it when we go outside but to leave it open otherwise.

 

Yesterday you could tell she was really depressed. When my DW went for the Am walk she really wanted to go and when I took off in the car she really wanted to go. So yesterday afternoon, before the vets, we put her in the car and drove her to her favorite park. Layed out a blanket and had her walk about 15 feet from the car to the blanket so she could lie outside for a bit. Really perked her up. I HATE THIS. Vet says maybe 4 weeks now.

 

Edited to add: Thank you to Kim for the Shelby Treats. Got them yesterday. I think its the Rimadyl that made her walk,,but it also may have been the peanut butter treats.

Edited November 2, 2006 by FordRacingRon

[Burpdog]

I've done water therapy on wounds that were pretty gross and they healed. They have to heal from the inside out. Just keep up the irrigation as he instructed you and it will heal

 

Sending more prayers.

[kjw]

Yup, water therapy works great - the irrigation seems to trigger granulation of the open skin, and the would heals from the inside out, as Diane says.

 

My Bailey had an open wound on his side about 2" in diameter, at the time I could not afford surgery to close it, so my vet taught me how to take care of it at home. We just kept it as clean as possible, irrigated regularly, and it really did well. The vet showed me how to rub the open area (ewwwww) with a sterile cloth, and we used saline with iodine for flushing. He healed up completely within 3-4 weeks with no complications, and infact it healed better than other holes that we had stitched, it just took a little longer. We did an initial 2 week round of antibiotics, but other than that and a few days of NSAIDs, nothing.

 

Since Leia's wound is on her leg, you would expect the healing to take a little longer, and it may be more challenging to keep clean. You're also likely to have some digestive issues because of the rimadyl. I know it looks really horrible, but what you're seeing is normal, and you can deal with it. It just takes a little getting used to.

 

That was a great idea to take her out, I know Lou gets very bored as he can't walk far, but we've done the same as you just to give him a change. He also likes just going for car rides, it seems to break the day up a bit for him as he's healing. I've also bought him some more entertaining treats, like pigs ears and bully sticks. Unfortunately he has little interest in stuffies! We have also had grey friends over for inside visits, and he has gone visiting as well - I find that if they are inside, they tend to not get quite so rambunctious as they do outside.

 

If she likes stuffed kongs, that may help keep her occupied as well.

 

Hugs to you both.

:grouphug

[Guest Winterwish]

 

Sending best thoughts of healing for your baby.

[Guest adriahna]

No advice or experience on this - just many gentle hugs and prayers for Leia and the both of you.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

Could you expalin water therapy,,All I know is we were given this solution of something called Nolvasan that were are suposed to flush the wound with 3 times a day and clean it with gauze at the same time. Then we have some other patches we rub her with that have anti-fungal medicine then spray with another thing I forget the name of that is a topical anti-biotic.

[kjw]

Water therapy is just flushing with water, or liquid. It stimulates healing. The rubbing with gauze does a similar thing. I'm not sure why it happens, but it does speed the healing when the inner layers are exposed.

[Guest MPPwith3]

Ron and Ann, if you can afford the property taxes here in NJ, you're are welcome to move. Just stay out of our cities. Leia is welcomed to come run in my backyard acre anytime.

[Guest albrodie]

I can't believe you can't do anything about that guys dog. Animal control should be able to take that dog and euthanize it. If you hadn't been with your dog, the dog probably would have attacked you. You are so brave to pry open that pitbulls mouth. I would have been terrified not knowing what to do. Your pupper is very lucky to have you both. As far as the guy and his dog, this doesnt help with the vet bill, but what goes around comes around. If he is affiliated w/a gang he will most likely end up dead on the street and his stupid dog too. Many happy thought to yall and your pupper.

[Guest sandysgreys]

You saw the pictures of Roscoe, and his wound was about 2.5" X4" in the beginning and amazingly enough it healed in about 4 weeks to the size of a dime with daily bandage changes and special wound care dressings, but the last small dime sized hole took another 2 weeks or so.

 

The skin would probably be too tight if he closed up the hole, but that is reasonable to manage as an open wound for a few weeks, especially with the highly attentive level of care that Leia is getting from you and Ann.

 

Sandy

[Guest FordRacingRon]

You saw the pictures of Roscoe, and his wound was about 2.5" X4" in the beginning and amazingly enough it healed in about 4 weeks to the size of a dime with daily bandage changes and special wound care dressings, but the last small dime sized hole took another 2 weeks or so.

 

The skin would probably be too tight if he closed up the hole, but that is reasonable to manage as an open wound for a few weeks, especially with the highly attentive level of care that Leia is getting from you and Ann.

 

Sandy

 

 

 

I did see Roscoe but this is what puzzles me. I agree the skin is too tight to close and probably was ehnce the reason itt tore open,,butw e don't cover the wound, we don't put any dressing on it,,all we do is flush it 3 times a day with this solution and spray the anitbiotic on it.

 

 

 

I would feel much better if we had some type of dressing to put on it or to at least cover it so I don't have to see the moving parts inside. It just feels so un-antiseptic leaving iot open in the air. Although Leia doesn't seem to mind at all.

[kjw]

It won't heal when its covered. That's why you have to leave it open. I know, it's gross, but that's what you have to do. the flushing takes care of any microbes that might land.

[Guest DoneRacin]

Leia. Your Mommy & Daddy love you very much.

 

I am so sorry you are going through this. Good for you fighting with that nasty dog!

 

My are with you, that you all will be able to overcome the trauma of such terrible incidents, especially Leia, bless her sweet heart.

[Guest vahoundlover]

I know it the instructions from the vet sound strange BUT it works. Keeping Leia mentally stimulated with kongs, chewies, car rides and laying outside in the sun will do her good. Continued healing thoughts and prayers.

[Guest Tenderhearts]

I agree also on the water therapy. Biscuit, my elderly newf mix had a bunch of sutures that came loose after tissue died off. She had a huge wound, but we irrigated daily, dabbed dry gently with a towel, and made sure she always had a clean sheet to lay on.

[Guest longdogs]

I would feel much better if we had some type of dressing to put on it or to at least cover it so I don't have to see the moving parts inside. It just feels so un-antiseptic leaving iot open in the air. Although Leia doesn't seem to mind at all.

There are far fewer problems dealing with aerobic bacterial infection than with an anaerobic one nicely sealed up in a wound. When Nugget smashed her leg, she had a surgical wound going from her hip to her shin. The skin was too tight and fragile, leading to to staples tearing out and creating a large open wound with exposed bone and surgical pins etc. This had to be kept open for weeks, initially bandaged to stop her chewing at it - and you don't ever want to see your dog gnawing on its own bone, believe me - then uncovered. After pins and a piece of dead bone was removed, it was partly stitched but otherwise left open for the tissue to fill in naturally. Well, it did. The wound kept healthy the whole time despite its alarming appearance.

[Guest Cruz]

I just read this entire thread...how incredibly horrible!! I know it's tough now but you'll all get through it! My grey broke his leg racing and had an open wound on his leg for months that seemed like it would never heal. It finally did and now, every once in a great while we say, "Hey, remember when Cruz wouldn't walk on his leg & we had to clean the wound 3 times a day?" It seems so long ago and strange to think about now. Someday this will too..hang in there! You've got the best support in the world here on Greytalk. These people are the best!!!!

[Guest sandysgreys]

Roscoe's wound was so large that it did need to be covered initially, but I had ordered him $9/each foam dressing pads impregnated with silver to prevent bacterial growth, that absorbed the exudate. I have two greyhound friends that are also wound care nurses and these are the human products that they recommended. Most dogs with a 1" open wound will have it left open because as others said here, the infection can be worse if they close it up. It was very helpful to me emotionally to have these two friends and another friend that was a nurse in Vietnam that I could show pictures to and they would give me positive feedback such as "wow, that's a good clean wound with nice pink margins" and "I wish my human patients healed that quickly."

 

Often you won't notice the progress because you are looking at it several times per day, but if you take photos of it every few days, you will see the progress.

 

I also gave Roscoe 2 - 3 fish oil caps per day to help with the skin repair.

 

Sandy

[Guest FordRacingRon]

Most dogs with a 1" open wound will have it left open because as others said here, the infection can be worse if they close it up.

Often you won't notice the progress because you are looking at it several times per day, but if you take photos of it every few days, you will see the progress.

 

I also gave Roscoe 2 - 3 fish oil caps per day to help with the skin repair.

 

Sandy

 

 

 

Well, Leia's wound has grown since we went to the vet on Wednesday,,,but hasn't gotten larger since yesterday. I believe what has happened is the last of the stitches that could let go did. Her wound, as of yesterday , was about 2 inches by 1 inch,,and it the same this morning,,but way no worse., But it looks really nice and clean,,all the dead skin has sloughed off, the smell is gone (obviosly form the necrotic tissue) and I am trying my hardest to believe you all that this is the way to go,,bizarre as it seems, and you guys have given me a lot of proof. Funny hting is she has no idea she is hurt anymore,,what she can't figure out (if I percieve her correctly) is why she doesn't get to go on walks in the morning.

 

 

 

She gets salmon grizzley oil with her breakfast which I assume is as good a fish oil capsules..

Edited November 3, 2006 by FordRacingRon

[Guest fastdogs]

I just read this entire thread and I have to tell you that I think you are doing a wonderful job. You (and Leia) have dealt with an incredible amount of adversity. You have been unwaivering in your love and support for her. You've stuck with what has worked and found solutions to new problems as they arose, questioned things you thought weren't correct, all the while remaining positive about Leia's recovery. It may be hard for you to realize right now, but you are her hero and an inspiration for us all.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

Okay guys,,I am freadking out agin,,,give me advice. I read a thread about Burpdog's pupper that went to the bridge during a 5 week course of

Rymadel. Leias foot is no longer swollen, she walk just fine. She has only been on the drug for 5 days. I am ready to stop it now. Any thoughts? I really don't want her to get sick because of this.