Should I Take Trooper To The Vet?

[Guest kellybrown]

I don't know what he did, but he tore a big patch of skin around his ankle. There is no skin to stitch. I have been putting neosporin on it and keeping it wrapped up so he can't lick it to death. Every time I change the bandage, it looks like it has oozed a little and a little blood on it. I figure it needs to get some air, but he won't leave it alone. I can't decide if I should take him to the vet, what could they do any different than what I am doing? He cries when I touch it.

[Houndtime]

Paul did the same thing and we don't know how he did it. Came in bleeding and Len was even out in the yard with him. He had a large v-shaped tear. I took him to Dewey, bandaged. The GEM girls told me EMT gel, telfa pad and leave it bandaged for as long as possible. I was opening it up every time I changed the bandage. I left it on for three weeks. Not a pretty scar, but it healed well.

EMT gel costs $12 from GEM. They do overnight shipping. No affiliation, just a satisfied customer.

My boys have gotten more scars in my yard than they did on the race track.

Edited February 25, 2009 by Houndtime

[Guest greybookends]

You might want to take him to the vet. Most likely they won't stitch it but it sounds like he could use some antibiotics and a little something for pain. A little water therapy could help to. Let some tepid water run over his foot for ideally 15min. twice a day or 5 min. 3 times a day. It will keep it clean and help it to heal faster. As for the licking I can only suggest an E collar because I don't know how else to keep him from getting to his foot.

[seeh2o]

My boys have gotten more scars in my yard than the did on the race track.

 

 

Oh, yeah, I second you on that. Thanks for the EMT tip, I've never been able to use it successfully.

 

Can you put EMT, a Telfa pad and a sock on it to keep him from worrying it?

[Guest nerak254]

Aruba did that too. I put EMT Gel on it and kept it wrapped with get tape (pink of course) and a sock which I pinned to her jammies. I changed everything every day and within just a few days it was gone. It started out the size if a quarter.

[greysmom]

Try putting his muzzle on to keep him from licking. If he still can maneuver his tongue through the bars, tape the bottom of it closed with duct tape inside and out.

 

Only you can decide if going to the vet is a good idea. You're right in that they probably won't do much more than you're doing, but he might need antibiotics (pills or a shot) and some pain meds.

 

Mine get scrapes and cuts all the time. Our yard has a lot of sticks and they're always digging up rocks and debris. Kind of goes with the territory.

 

greysmom

[Guest nerak254]

You can get EMT Gel at Fleet Farm, Gander Mountain ( I think) and Cabella's. I think that stuff is a miricle

[MP_the4pack]

You really should get antibiotics.

 

 

[Guest TBSFlame]

I use EMT for those types of things. Tractor Supply has EMT Gel here in the Charlotte area.

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

A product we used in the kennel a lot was

Granulex

It seemed to help the wound heal faster.

Might muzzle him along with a poop cup or like someone said above taped up muzzle.

Antibiotics are also not a bad idea.

 

Hope Trooper heals up quick and stops licking!

[Guest kellybrown]

I am working today, but we have an appointment tomorrow morning. I hadn't even thought about antibiotics until I called the vet this morning. Thanks for the tips. I have never heard of the EMT gel before, maybe my vet will know where to get it. I'll try to get a picture of it, it looks pretty groce. He doesn't like me to mess with it. The first gauze I had put on it sort of stuck to the wound, that was not pleasant. I went and got some new gauze that doesn't stick. I guess I should set up some type of first aid kit. I never have band-aids or anything in the house. I had to go to my neighbor's house, who is also one of my vets, and his wife is a nurse, at 9:45 Saturday night to get the tape to wrap his leg. Things always happen on the weekend or after hours.

[Guest myjazzy]

I have used both Granulex and EMT Gel with success. I recenlty had Gem, whose skin seems to be made out paper, come in with a about a 2" spot of sking missing. I used hydrotherapy (washing it out well with a hose for a few days) and Granulex and it healed nicely. It was on her left hip, a difficult place to bandage and I just put a pair of boys' shorts with a hole cut out for her tail, so she would leave it alone. I did not take her to the vet, because the wound never looked nasty. The decision to go in for antibiotics is a personal one, but if they are in good health and you keep the area clean, antibiotics should not be necessary.

 

I used EMT on her tail, when it got caught in a car door. I took her in for antibiotics then, because it took forever to heal. But it did heal and we were able to save the tail. For that one, I had to muzzle her, because it is very difficult to keep a bandage on a tail, as some of you I"m sure are well aware.

 

Good luck with Trooper and his wound. Rinsing it out with water twice a day for a couple of days, drying it well and putting EMT Gel on it and muzzling him, should do the trick. Then just keep putting EMT Gel on until it heals completely.