Jake's Cut Not Closing

[Batmom]

Eek. Dunno how I missed this. How is he doing this evening?

[Cully]

Sending prayers for the baby boy.

[Guest houndlover]

Good news for Jake! And kudos to you for being such a good bandage changer. It sounds like you saved you boy some unnecessary agony and saved yourself some money.

[Guest goddessgina]

Glad it turned out to be not quite as bad as you originally thought.

[4greyhounds]

We will have Jake in our prayers! Bless his heart!

[Guest LolasMom]

Jake

[HopeForHounds]

Update: Feb 20th.

It's been a week and so far no infection. But, it is still open.

 

I am going to do water therapy and just put a sock on it to limit the licking. I have been wrapping it, but now Jake has an irritation between 2 toes and a sore on the knuckle of one toe. More problems we don't need.

 

Any suggestions to speed the wound healing?

[Guest ejw]

Update: Feb 20th.

It's been a week and so far no infection. But, it is still open.

 

I am going to do water therapy and just put a sock on it to limit the licking. I have been wrapping it, but now Jake has an irritation between 2 toes and a sore on the knuckle of one toe. More problems we don't need.

 

Any suggestions to speed the wound healing?

 

Is there any way you can get some silver ointment ? I can't remember what the ointment was called, but I had trouble with a surgery site healing and every time I applied either a silver impregnated bandaid or silver ointment it improved drastically. You can also buy a silver emulsion and injest it or put it right on a wound, but the stores I dealt with only had 28 ppm and that didn't seem strong enough to do much good applied topically. Never tried drinking it, but it isn't poisonous. Supposed to be good for killing bacteria and wound healing.

 

Edited to add: the ointment was prescribed by a physician. You might need to get a vet to prescribe it.

Edited February 21, 2008 by ejw

[Guest GiJenn51]

Janet-- when you put the sock on, but some 2x2 gauze pads in between the toes. Wrap with rolled gauze, -- I've been using ace bandages instead of vet wrap. Helps with the cost. I'd put just some bag balm on the knuckle though. You'd be surprised how fast that works.

[HopeForHounds]

Janet-- when you put the sock on, but some 2x2 gauze pads in between the toes. Wrap with rolled gauze, -- I've been using ace bandages instead of vet wrap. Helps with the cost. I'd put just some bag balm on the knuckle though. You'd be surprised how fast that works.

 

Yep, planned to do that. I just want the darn thing to look like it is starting to close. I am leaving town in 2 weeks you know

I'm way more vigilant about keeping his foot clean than Daddy so would be really happy if the darn thing was well on it's way to being better. I know patience:lol

[Guest KennelMom]

I second the bag balm suggestion. It's helped several wounds here heal...the e-vet that told us to use it on Scouts ginormous open wound on her side said it helps with the granulation. Good luck...I hate dealing with foot wounds/injuries. They can take forever to heal.

[HopeForHounds]

I second the bag balm suggestion. It's helped several wounds here heal...the e-vet that told us to use it on Scouts ginormous open wound on her side said it helps with the granulation. Good luck...I hate dealing with foot wounds/injuries. They can take forever to heal.

 

Nooooooooo it can't take forever!

 

I've used bag balm on irritations, but never on an open wound. It's worth a try. Thanks for the suggestion Heather.

[Guest GiJenn51]

Ahem-- you could bring him!!!!

[patricia]

How about Silvadene cream?

[HopeForHounds]

Ahem-- you could bring him!!!!

 

Ahem-- he cries all the time in the car. You know what shape we'd be in by then? Plus you going to take care of him while Laura and I play tourist?

[Batmom]

How about Silvadene cream?

 

SSD (sulfasilvadene cream) is The Bomb for wounds that you can't stitch. It's used on burns. I just put a big blob on and then bandage. Yes to some bits of gauze between the toes (get some "gauze sponges" and cut them to size -- thicker than just gauze) and be vigilant about changing that bandage if it gets at all damp.

 

Once the wound isn't oozing anymore, I keep the bandage on as long as possible -- 3-5 days if it doesn't get wet and there are no funky smells. I leave the tips of the two middle toes poking out so I can see if I've got it too tight (if anything starts to swell, those two toes will start moving apart). There's kind of an art form to getting the bandage tight enough to not shift around (and cause sores) but not so tight as to make parts rub against each other (and cause sores).

 

Hugs and luck. Betting you'll see a difference in another week.

[Guest wmlcml6]

I can only tell you what I did for Rosemary's foot when she sliced the bottom open. Dermaplast antibiotic spray plus pain relief.

 

Jake, hop on three legs so your foot can heal, buddy.

[HopeForHounds]

How about Silvadene cream?

 

SSD (sulfasilvadene cream) is The Bomb for wounds that you can't stitch. It's used on burns. I just put a big blob on and then bandage. Yes to some bits of gauze between the toes (get some "gauze sponges" and cut them to size -- thicker than just gauze) and be vigilant about changing that bandage if it gets at all damp.

 

Once the wound isn't oozing anymore, I keep the bandage on as long as possible -- 3-5 days if it doesn't get wet and there are no funky smells. I leave the tips of the two middle toes poking out so I can see if I've got it too tight (if anything starts to swell, those two toes will start moving apart). There's kind of an art form to getting the bandage tight enough to not shift around (and cause sores) but not so tight as to make parts rub against each other (and cause sores).

 

Hugs and luck. Betting you'll see a difference in another week.

 

 

 

I'll call around and see if I can get some.

 

For now I put a thick layer of Germolene Cream on it. It's an antiseptic cream my Mom put on everything when I was little and lived in England.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest cas0673]

I use Neosporin, the gel stuff. I try to put it on when my guy is sleeping, so it is on the cut a while before he can lick it off. But it seems to really help the healing process.

[Guest MomoftheFuzzy]

Hope Jake's foot wound closes up soon but glad to hear there's no infection. Feel better, Jakey!

[HopeForHounds]

What a difference a day makes. The suggestions were great, and I am picking up a couple of things to have on hand as I am sure there will be a next time.

Last night I used Germolene, an antiseptic cream my Mom used when I was a kid. We used to thing this stuff was miracle cream. I am beginning to think we were right.

Jake's cut is closing, and has dried up. Last night it was more open and oozing red fluid. Today - nothing. The irritation on his knuckle and between his toes - Gone!

I'm going to have to get someone to bring me some from England.

 

These are the ingredients

 

Anhydrous Lanolin

Starch

Zinc Oxide

Methyl salicylate

Phenol

Menthol

Octaphonium Chloride

[Guest Elvis1]

When Elvis removed a hunk of skin from his back leg ( don't ask me how ), my Vet recomended using Unpasteurized honey. Put a good glob of it on a no stick type of Telfa pad, put on wound and bandage over top of it - leave it for two days if you can - then rebandage. Elvis ( bless him ) left the bandage alone, and put up with the rebandaging every two days or more ---- after about two weeks; it had healed - no infection and NO scar. I was amazed -- but it has to be Unpasteurized honey.