Wound Care - Wrapping

[Guest suzye]

Popo skinned the upper part of his foot (skidding into the fence chasing a cat -- it got away). I wrapped it last night and it actually stayed on all night and all day today. Should I remove the wrap to give the wound some air every night when I can keep an eye on him (and also to apply more Betadine)? They tend to get a little moist when wrapped, don't they? Maybe it won't since it's not actually his foot -- the wrapping starts just above his pads. I don't have any experience with minor injuries that don't seem to require vet attention. Jazz always seemed to have big scary mishaps.

[Guest SusanP]

I don't know that I'd put Betadine on it. Isn't it kind of harsh? (I'm asking because I'm not positive). I usually rinse wounds like that with Novasan or a saline solution and then put some antibiotic ointment on them and wrap them up. Letting the wound get air depends on the nature of the wound, but I usually keep them wrapped until the bleeding stops. I put more antibiotic ointment on when I change the bandage.

[Guest Energy11]

This is from our first aid presentation at Mt. Hounds... hope this helps! I wouldn't use Betadine, though. It is IODINIE, and not good if you puppers licks it, and it does burn.

 

Neck, trunk and body injuries:

 

As most of us already know, greyhounds’ skin is thin, and when cut, tears like a zipper! If your dogs get cut or bitten, and it is a weekend or night, ... YOU CAN treat this yourself, for the most part. (*If the wound is into the muscle, or the bone is showing, see the vet IMMEDIATELY.

If it the wound is superficial here is what you do: Hold pressure to stop the bleeding. Gently clean the wound with antibacterial soap and water, and blot dry. Apply Trypzyme-V ointment or triple-antibiotic ointment to the would. Cover with a large band aid, or non-stick dressing. You can cover this, depending on the size , with a maxi pad, and affix to the dog’s body with Kling (stretch bandage) or the Surgical tubing mentioned in the ear segment. This dressing needs to be changed twice daily, and you need to see your vet for a course of antibiotics and a follow-up. Deramaxx or Rimadyl can be given for pain. If you don’t have either of these, ONE 81 mg BUFFERED aspirin can be given daily, according to Dr. Beau Delaporte, D.V.M., but for only a short time, as this can cause stomach upset and ulcers.

 

 

Torn Pads; Pulled Nails, Corns, and other foot injuries:

 

One of THE most common injuries to your greyhounds are foot injuries. For torn pads, pulled or broken off nails, clean the wound with antibacterial soap and water, blot dry. Apply Trypzyme-V ointment or spray, or triple antibiotic ointment to the wound. Cover with a clean toddler sock (*usually shoe size 3-8.5), and tape the sock on loosely (*too tight will cut off the circulation to the foot ... you should be able to slide you pinkie finger between the tape and sock with ease) with tape, preferably, Transpore clear tape. Cover with a bootie. I use the high booties available from The Voyagers: http://www.k9apparel.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=5. Usually, a torn nail will fall off in a matter of days, but it is advisable to see your veterinarian for a course of antibiotics and follow-up for the injury.

 

 

[greyhoundlady]

One of my greys is constantly 'skinning' her legs. I rinse the wound with either plain water or saline, apply neosporin, cover with a sterile gauze pad and then wrap it up with vet wrap. I check it everyday and change the dressing until it doesn't look 'raw' and then let it air dry. I keep it covered in the beginning so no grime gets in there.

[Guest suzye]

I just took the wrap off and it's not exactly bleeding but it's a bit... juicy. I had expected POpo to flinch when I put on Betadine, but he didn't, at all. I will use ointment instead and keep it covered for a few days (checking it). Thanks!

[Guest Energy11]

Sounds good. It will probably take a few days to heal. Just watch for things like, redness, swelling, puffiness, and oozing, all signs of infection. If that happens, you vet will probably put him on Keflex for a week to ten days. Good Luck!

[ahicks51]

Depending upon the severity of the wound, I like to check every 8 hours- clean dressing and fresh tape 3x/day, which may help capture an infection more quickly. Once it skins over and dries, one can back off to once a day, or as needed if the bandages tend to fall off.