Duct Tape And Greyhounds

[Guest Adrianne]

Lots of great suggestions and new things for me to try. Thank you sooooo much! I can't tell you how high my frustration level was today.

 

The Vicks Vapor Rub seems to be working right now, which will give me time to make a makeshift harness and try to attach something to that.

 

As I said before, I know the wound needs to drain, and I'm okay with that. I just don't believe constant licking could be conducive to healing.

[Guest mickie37]

Curad makes an elastic gauze that can hold dressings in place with out the use of tape. it is the same material that is used in burn centers to hold dressings in place with out tape. It is very stretchy but doesn't compromise blood flow. I have used it on humans with rods sticking out and anchored one end of it on the rod and then pulled it down over the gauze dressings and it held them in place.

I used this material on one of my lambs who had an injured leg and it was great. I could just roll the elastic gauze back and change the dressing and roll the gauze back in place.

Curad is only one of the companies that has this elastic gauze available.

Good Luck.

 

 

[Guest grey_dreams]

I'm sorry to read about the difficulties you are having. You've already received so many great suggestions. I only wanted to add, it's clear that the site is bothering him a lot and that's why he keeps going at it (as you already know). What if, in addition to all these other techniques, you approached the problem from a different angle, and that is to calm Wilbur. You could do massage or even better T-Touch. You could give him Rescue Remedy. Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) also works well. Or maybe something stronger, ask your vet. The goal is to keep him as calm and relaxed as possible for the couple/few more weeks it will take to heal. Because if he's not calm, no dressing will last and he will keep bothering his leg that is bothering him so much. Just a thought. I wish you and Wilbur peaceful healing

[silverfish]

Would a Bite-Not collar work for that? It should stop him being able to get his head around past his shoulders and then you can stop messing with complicated dressings. I've used one with huge success! If they can't bend their neck to the side, they can't reach the wound. Simple as that! And they don't mind the Bite-Not because they can still see all around, and lay in most of the positions they're used to, and be comfortable. The only place I've found the Bite-Not won't help with is the front legs, everything else is near impossible if it's fitted properly. And they can't use the edge to scratch with, either, as they can with the 'lampshade' type.

 

I'd be wary of anchoring too much to the pin. If he catches any part of it on anything, it has to hurt having the pin yanked.

[Guest Adrianne]

Thank you everyone for brainstorming with me. I thought I had tried absolutely everything, but, thanks to you, I have several new things to try.

 

I'm happy to report the Vicks Vapor Rub seems to be doing a good job keeping him away from the wound. We'll see how the day goes.

 

I'm working on some of the other ideas posted. Thank you so much.

[cello]

I wonder if velcro would be helpful for the sleeve? I am thinking of the 'tear away' pants that basketball players wear. They have velcro instead of sewing down both outside seams. That way you would start with a flat piece of fabric, then just wrap it around the leg and press the velcro closed as you go. Just Google tear away pants to see photos. You can buy velcro at Lowe's or Home Depot in the fastener department - and it is adhesive so you don't even have to sew it on.

[Guest Adrianne]

Wilbur has decided that the taste of Vicks Vapor Rub is not bad enough to deter him from licking, so I'm on to trying a harness that I can somehow pull his sleeve forward enough to keep him from getting to the wound.

 

I'm not going to spend money on a harness because a)it may not work for what I need and b)even if it does work, I won't use it once this wound heals. So I have fashioned a harness out of--don't laugh--knee high panty hose. (Ok, you can laugh a little bit; my husban did.) It's soft and stretchy, and he doesn't seem opposed to wearing it. I'm getting ready to doctor the wound, cover it, and try to attach the sleeve to the harness. If it doesn't work, I'm only out two pair of knee-hi panty hose.

 

I'll let you know how that goes.

 

We are trying different things to keep him calm, because I know he must be really bothered by the wound to lick Vicks Vapor Rub.

 

 

ETA: Upon close examination today, the wound looks less red and more pink than it has before, and it isn't the entire wound that is draining--just a spot near the bottom and to the right. The wound itself is and inch and three quarters long and a half-inch wide. It seems the upper portion would heal if left alone. Fingers crossed that this works.

Edited January 14, 2010 by Adrianne

[3DogNite]

My First greyhound would lick her back legs into a mass of bloody Heat-granuloma things,, don't remember what they are called,, but they were from allergies.

 

So, I did a version of what you did with the sweatshirt arm as a leg cover,, but I did for BOTH legs using straps across the top. If you did this, made Wilbur wear both legs coverings, it would hold the one side on that needs to be on and you probably wouldn't have to attach it to the rod on his hip. just make him wear it all the time,, maybe put snaps at the top to undo it to make bandage changes easier.

 

also, feminine pads are great at absorbing ! i used them for bandages all the time.

 

Good luck! It looks like Wilbur is doing really well,, other than messing with his wounds.

[Guest LindsaySF]

I had a foster with a wound on her front leg, and she would not let that thing heal for ages. Even with a muzzle with a stool guard on she would rub at the wound and make it bleed again. I ended up fashioning a sweatshirt sleeve onto her leg with vet wrap and using a Kan-Sal muzzle. That way she could still grab her toys through the holes in the muzzle (this kept her distracted/occupied) but not lick the wound.

 

Have you tried putting a pair of pants on him (both legs), or even pajamas? Cut a hole for the tail and elimination, but otherwise keep them on him. Pants or PJ's might cover the whole leg better than the other wrappings. Here is a PJ pic if it helps to visualize. You could cut a hole for the rod.

 

Have you tried Granulex spray? I swear by it for wounds. It helps dry the wound and cause it to scab over and heal faster. Most other medications and creams, in my experience, keep the wound too moist and delay healing.

 

 

 

~Lindsay~