Grey Fight - Bite Wounds

[Guest LeanneSchatz]

My two girls got into a fight last night and one of them got bit. Sizzle, my more aggressive girl and Bea, the calm submissive girl were both laying on their beds sound asleep. My husband got up to go to the kitchen and they both got up quickly and bumped into each other and Sizzle got scared and bit Bea in the side. It's a small wound, like the size of a dime but it's sore, she doesn't want to lay on it or have us touch it. We cleaned it last night and now I am worried. What signs do I look for with infection? Should we go to the E-vet today? I feel so awful about this.

 

Thanks!

 

Leanne

[Guest Greytluv]

If it swells up and look really red. Bite wounds are always worrisome. Does it need stitches? If it does I would take her.

 

Bea

[Guest LeanneSchatz]

If it swells up and look really red. Bite wounds are always worrisome. Does it need stitches? If it does I would take her.

 

Bea

 

It doesn't look like it needs stitches. We are going to call the vet tomorrow anyway but I was worried that I should take her today. Thanks for the info!

[Guest TeddysMom]

If you have doggie antibiotics, I would put her on them and hot compress several times a day with and epsom salts solution. I wouldn't think that you would have to take her to the Evet but I would keep a close eye on it until your vet opens tomorrow.

[Guest LeanneSchatz]

If you have doggie antibiotics, I would put her on them and hot compress several times a day with and epsom salts solution. I wouldn't think that you would have to take her to the Evet but I would keep a close eye on it until your vet opens tomorrow.

 

 

Thanks. I was thinking of the hot compress. Unfortunately this is not the first time Sizzle has done this.....last time it was much worse and did require the e-vet.

[Teensy]

I just went through this with a non-grey. My feeling is, if it doesn't look like an emergency, then it's probably not. I waited, and it was fine, but it was not a greyhound with this thin skin. While I was waiting, I posted here, and veterinary nurse on this message board recommended cleaning the wound with Hibiclens, which you can get at Rite-Aid or CVS. When I took the dog to the vet during regular hours, they cleaned it, gave me an antibiotic for her, and told me to put a warm wet compress on it twice a day for 5-10 minutes for 4-5 days. This was to keep it open so infection couldn't get sealed inside.

[Guest Energy11]

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.

 

 

***I keep Keflex around just for this reason. Good Luck with this.

[Guest IrskasMom]

Dee ( Energy11) gave you all the Things todo . Just keep it clean with Hibiclens . Mine had a Bitewound on his Chest and I went to the EVet. That's all they did . No stitches . I took a white older T Shirt and cut it up to fit my Morty so he could not lick. It healed in no time at all.Bea

[Guest LeanneSchatz]

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.

 

 

***I keep Keflex around just for this reason. Good Luck with this.

 

 

Thanks so much! I just did a hot compress and she's resting now. I just feel awful because Sizzle just keeps going at her and the poor girl is scared as it is!

 

Thanks again!

[Guest Energy11]

Glad things are okay. That posting was from our first aid seminar at Mt. Hounds ... easier just copying and pasting! Hugs to you and your houndies! Dee

[cleptogrey]

sounds like a good cleaning and a couple of staples and you will be on your way. a puncture/bite, sorta like what a vampire would do takes a while to heal by itself, i know. even after i attempted to let felix's last vampire bite heal naturally, a couple of staples really sped up the healing process. i do recommend saline solution irrigation. if you have contact lense saline solution that will do the trick, or boil water w/ salt and after it cools squirt the wound. the saline solution should not taste salty and it will not sting. antibiotics are not really necessary. we have had numerous tears and puctures that were stapled, a bite not collar keeps them away from the staples.

[Guest KennelMom]

We'd treat that at home. Also, no one should be dosing antibiotics "just because" there's a little skin wound. That's one reason they are PRESCRIPTION only...(I know, I know, there are back doors). Seriously folks, it's bad enough antibiotics are over-prescribed as it is. A small flesh wound should not need antibiotoics if it's properly cared for and you do the world a dis-service when you do this sort of "at home" treatment for no good reason.

 

Keep it clean, slather some antibiotics on it every once in a while and let nature take it's course. A dime sized wound is not that big of a deal. Things you'd want a vet to look at: it becomes "angry" looking, pus, gets larger/skin continuing to split open, bad smell. Don't fuss with it too much. Once the wound starts to granulate, you need to let it heal.

 

Believe it or not, the following wound healed up (took a couple months) and Scout was only on antibiotics for the first couple weeks due to having several wounds, including punctures. The rest of the time she was healing, no antibiotics. They aren't always necessary! You give them WHEN NEEDED or preventatively in a very young, very old or immuno-compromised dog. All we did for this was water therapy (running warm water over it for a few minutes) and bag balm twice a day to encourage granulation. This is actually over a week into recovery, so this looks GOOD compared to how it started.

 

p.s. a dime sized wound is a "run in" or altercation...the above is what you get when there's a FIGHT. I'm sure your pup will be fine.

Edited January 3, 2010 by KennelMom

[Guest RaspberryRachel]

I agree with KennelMom. No need for the vet unless it gets infected, otherwise its just a waste of money and more stress for the dog. The vet isn't going to do anything for the dog that you can't do at home. Just keep it clean and dry, no biggie!

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

I am going to be the voice of dissention here; without being able to see the wound firsthand. Bite wounds can often appear small and insignificant on the outside but have more serious underlying tissue damage. If it is more of a puncture wound than a tear, I would probably get her seen by a vet sooner rather than later.