Normal Treatment For Bite Wound?

[Guest doggiehappiness]

Is is a usual practice to not stitch up a bite wound due to the possibility of infections/pocketing of fluid? Ernie's was left open to drain and heal -- he is on antibiotics and warm compresses 2-3 x daily. Anyone who is more familiar with bite wounds, could you reassure me?

[Guest greyaspet]

Yep they don't close up bite wounds just went to the E vet this morning myself with my dog after my foster bit him 5 times. The vet explained that with a bite wound fluids will build up and cause an infection so he has 2 drains on his head. And a lot of leakage which they told me to expect for the first 24 hours.

Sheila

 

[Guest longdogs]

Any deep wound, like a bite, is generally left open. The major risk comes if you seal a deep wound at the top leaving infection inside. It might look worrying but open wounds usually heal well.

[greysmom]

I usually tell them not to stitch them up, as the stitches fail more times than they help. Greyhound skin is so thin that the stitches rip right out. It does leave a bit of a scar sometimes where the stitching usually won't. Sounds like it's going to be OK - keep up with the compresses, and maybe add a bit of hydrogen peroxide (I use a 1 part hydrogem=n peroxide to 3 or 4 parts warm water) to help keep it clean depending on where the wound is.

 

greysmom

[RobinM]

When Beau was attacked by Teddy and just missed his jugualar, I was appalled that they had beau sitting in a crate at the vet hours after he was brought there. They explained to me that they did this purposely. Because a bite has a lot of bacteria and bad germs, infections could occur. They sedated him to make him comfy and non knowing and put drains in to get the yucky stuff out, then, they stitched him up.

[BootsyCollins]

Hmmmm...when Argos was attacked by another dog, they stitched it up. I'll ask about that next time (which there won't be, knock wood).

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

Spud's bites were left open to drain and heal on their own.

[Guest longdogs]

I usually tell them not to stitch them up, as the stitches fail more times than they help. Greyhound skin is so thin that the stitches rip right out. It does leave a bit of a scar sometimes where the stitching usually won't. Sounds like it's going to be OK - keep up with the compresses, and maybe add a bit of hydrogen peroxide (I use a 1 part hydrogem=n peroxide to 3 or 4 parts warm water) to help keep it clean depending on where the wound is.

 

greysmom

 

It's usually not such a good idea to apply hydrogen peroxide or anything similar on a regular basis to a healing wound although OK for the initial clean-up and for fighting any residual infection (I prefer Betadine). It can actually slow the repair and regrowth of tissue. Daily flushing with saline solution is good to keep larger wounds clean and to help them heal, although the latest research shows that any water that is pure enough to drink does as good a job as sterile saline.

[Guest CindyMessmore]

Yep, ditto here. Leave it open, no stitches, and let it drain. That seems to be standard operating procedure.

[Robin1017]

Hmmmm...when Argos was attacked by another dog, they stitched it up. I'll ask about that next time (which there won't be, knock wood).

 

 

Yep. Robin got bitten on the side last summer, and the vet (we were out of town) stitched it up completely. We didn't know any better. The wound kept reopening and didn't heal right at first because of the fluid collecting. Once we got back home, our vet flushed it and fixed it up a bit, but I know it wouldn't have lasted as long if it had been left open to drain as I now know it was supposed to.

 

Luckily, the scar's not too bad. Live and learn--hopefully knowledge that won't be needed next time.