Guest Hotdogs Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Help! My dog was just bitten by a stupid squirrel. What should I do? I've cleaned the puncture wound with iodine and have dabbed a little neosporin on area. She is up to date on all her vacinations. Is a trip to the Emergency Vet Neccessary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scouts_mom Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 My Mindy was scratched last summer by a squirrel she caught. Sounds like the same thing happened to your pup. If the wound isn't terribly deep, I would just watch it now that its been cleaned. But if it is deep, or doesn't stop bleeding, then a vet trip is in order. Mindy still hunts squirrels, but I've noticed that she is not as quick to grab them since she learned that they can hurt her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiona3 Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Depends on the wound - if she is not still bleeding and the wound isn't too deep you could wait to take her to your regular vet just to look it over tomorrow. If there is continued bleeding or it is torn and deep I would go to the e-vet. We've had squirrel bites on our greys and we have to judge each situation as it happens. It sounds like you have done all the right things. Please keep us updated. Quote Hobbes - April 2, 1994 to April 9, 2008-----Tasha - May 23, 2000 to March 31, 2013 Fiona - Aug 29, 2001 to May 5, 2014-----Bailey - March 22, 2001 to Jan 20, 2015 Zeke - June 1, 2004 - Jan 26, 2016----Callie - July 14, 2006 to July 27, 2019 Forever in my heart: Chooch, Molly, Dylan & Lucy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hotdogs Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 (edited) I just found another one under her nose too. They stopped bleeding within less than a minute, so I don't think it was anything too deep or serious. I don't want to dismiss this as not a big deal, even though I think that I'm going to hold off going to the e-vet today, I will call her vet and make an appt. tomorrow. I cleaned out her mouth with Nolvadent (a chlorexidrine acetate solution) and then slathered her gums and and teeth with Oxyfresh. What if she punctured the squirrel? Could that be dangerous too (for my dog, not the squirrel) in case there was any squirrel blood involved? I was on-line and several sources said that squirrels rarely transmit rabies, even though she's vacinated and the squirrel didn't appear to be sick (although, obviously, I'm not an authority on sick squirrels), but it could be carrying other diseases, right? I also plan to call the medical coordinator for our rescue group for any advice she may today.....thanks so much for the posts. If anyone else has any advice, I could love to hear it. thanks again Edited March 15, 2009 by Hotdogs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicocat Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Don't think the e-vet is needed for puncture wounds, but I'm sure your vet will want to put her on antibiotics. It's pretty easy for infection to rear it's ugly head from puncture wounds. Quote Ann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 My old dog was bitten by a squirrel (in the squirrels defense, my dog was trying to kill it at the time!) and I freaked out and called the vet--he didn't even have me bring him in. Squirrels are not typically carriers of rabies--that was my concern--but as the vet said, "Hey, Susan. Those rabies vaccines? They work!" As long as the wounds don't seem horrible, you don't need the e-vet. Evaluate them Monday AM to see if you think that your vet needs to check on them, but based on my vet's reaction, disease was not a big concern. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 The amount of money I spent at e-vets as a new owner is embarrassing in retrospect. Shallow squirrel bites should be fine and assess it in the morning. I wll tell you that my bridge guy Rex loved nothing more than killing a squirrel. Poodle would come in and make me go outside and confiscate half eaten squirrels from Rex. Squirrel blood is not going to kill her and bats and skunks are the biggest transmitters of rabies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WarmheartedPups Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 A squirrel really scratched up Roo's face last summer....No Vet trip. Just a brief but honorable burial for the squirrel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bellenzo Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I had one grey whose nose leather was slashed by a squirrel bite that requires stitches but healed nicely. Another was bitten on the inside of the lip. The vet said that the inside of a dog's mouth can handle all sorts of bacteria and has an amazing capcity for healing, so we didn't worry about that one. I try to scare the squirrels out of the yard before letting out the dogs, but sometimes I don't see all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 A friend's greyhound grabbed a squirrel too far back from the "business end" of the squirrel for safety. The squirrel whipped around and nailed the greyhound, leaving the dog with serious puncture wounds, drains...and a never-ending desire to grab another squirrel. Some dogs just don't learn... Your baby's situation sounds much better. Good luck at the vet's on Monday. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hotdogs Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 My baby's ok. The puncture wounds still look good. Took her to her vet today and vet gave me some amoxocilin (I can't spell) to give her just in case. Thank you for the advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiona3 Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 That's good to hear your dog is fine. Antibiotics are usually given as a precaution for infection. She should be healed in no time. Quote Hobbes - April 2, 1994 to April 9, 2008-----Tasha - May 23, 2000 to March 31, 2013 Fiona - Aug 29, 2001 to May 5, 2014-----Bailey - March 22, 2001 to Jan 20, 2015 Zeke - June 1, 2004 - Jan 26, 2016----Callie - July 14, 2006 to July 27, 2019 Forever in my heart: Chooch, Molly, Dylan & Lucy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.