Wound Healing Meds - Suggestions?

[mychip1]

Hi All,

 

Our 11 1/2 year old, EZ, has a nasty scrape on his back leg. It looks a bit like road rash, and when it first opened, it actually bled a good bit, leading me to believe it's more like skin gone than a scrape. I stopped the bleeding, and wrapped it w/ a bit of bacitracin and a gauze wrap. He left that on fine. I pulled it off two days later and while I wasn't looking he licked it and it started bleeding again. I wrapped it once again two days ago and pulled the wrap off tonight to get air on it. He is leaving it alone. It is about 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide on his back leg where there is little skin. I would imagine they could probably stitch, though there is little extra skin there.

 

The problem is that he heads back to NY with my husband for 10 days on Monday. He doesn't have a regular vet up there. His vet here is open on Sundays, but I hate to put him through that as he gets pretty stressed if all they are going to do is tell me to put something on it and wrap it.

 

So, my question is this....my gut is that the bacitracin isn't helping it heal, just keeping it clean. What do any of you suggest to promote healing, if anything??? It currently looks very raw and if I dab it with a gauze, there is reddish liquid...so it is not actively bleeding, but it is "wet".

[tbhounds]

Think it just needs time. Keep it clean and stop him from licking and it will heal.

[FiveRoooooers]

Manuka honey might help that one, Robin. Without seeing it, I can't say, and don't tell this to anyone but with some wounds I use Crazy Glue.

[mychip1]

Manuka honey might help that one, Robin. Without seeing it, I can't say, and don't tell this to anyone but with some wounds I use Crazy Glue.

 

My husband was trying to get me to use that liquid band-aid stuff - which to be honest, smells just like crazy glue!!!

[GreyPoopon]

I've had some luck with Derma Gel. Honey has been wayyyyyyy too tasty.

[Guest june]

Manuka honey might help that one, Robin. Without seeing it, I can't say, and don't tell this to anyone but with some wounds I use Crazy Glue.

 

My husband was trying to get me to use that liquid band-aid stuff - which to be honest, smells just like crazy glue!!!

 

The liquid band-aid stuff stings/burns. I used it once and won't use it again. One of my girls had a wound we had a hard time getting to heal and my vet prescribed Derma Gel. It is a prescription, but worked well.

[Hubcitypam]

EMT gel or spray. Do NOT bandage after use.

[BatterseaBrindl]

Stitching will be a bit tricky on a leg...probably too late anyway.

I agree with keeping it open to the air...if he's not licking it.

 

I use Colloidal Silver gel quite a bit....I have some with aloe in it.

I put it on Ruby's ear and Nixon's nasty wound that he had on his side....they both healed up quickly.

We sell it at the Tack Shop in various forms.

 

Traumeel cream is another that I always have on hand....I use it mostly for heat/swelling.

You can get it OTC here...I find it at the grocery store!

 

Derma Gel is also another good one...I've used it on horses more than dogs. It really helps to minimize scarring.

Here in Ontario you have to get it from the vet....Perhaps one of your 'horse friends' has some.

[greymatters]

EMT gel or spray. Do NOT bandage after use.

Another vote for EMT gel - we've found it especially good for treating abrasions such as you describe.

[Hubcitypam]

Another vote for EMT gel - we've found it especially good for treating abrasions such as you describe.

It's in the equine aisle at Tractor Supply....

[KF_in_Georgia]

Robin, I'll vote for EMT Gel, too. And I'm casting a huge vote AGAINST the liquid bandage. I've used both on myself in a pinch. Once I stopped swearing and my eyes stopped watering, I tossed the liquid bandage in the trash, very grateful that I'd never had occasion to use it on the dogs. EMT Gel? No problem.

 

(Also, if I remember correctly, no expiration date. The stuff doesn't go bad, but it can get a bit thin, so I keep mine in the fridge.)

[Guest greygirls2]

Manuka honey is the best...it's an all natural antibiotic and it heals wounds like magic. That was the only thing that got Diamond's wounds to heal after three months of trying everything under the sun. You do need to keep the area bandaged but granulations begins with the first application...amazing stuff.

[Guest KennelMom]

Just leave it alone. Keep an eye on it and let his body heal itself...

[robinw]

Leave it alone. If you're not comfortable with that, try EMT gel or spray.

Edited May 20, 2012 by robinw

[mychip1]

Thx, Everyone!!!!

 

The biggest thing that seemed to help looking at it today (and it looks less "raw") was being able to leave it open for about eight hours yesterday - because I could sit and watch him to make sure he didn't lick it. It's been open about three hours again now.

[tbhounds]

Just leave it alone. Keep an eye on it and let his body heal itself...

That was my thought

[Guest sireltonsmom]

Here's some information I came upon and asked the reps of the company about if it burned or stung. This was her response about Vetericyn:

 

Vetericyn is as safe as water to use and will not burn or sting upon application. Vetericyn will help soothe the irritated skin. If the pet objects to the spray, you may saturate a cotton ball or medicine dropper for application. If there is a large open wound, it is possible that there could be a slight "burning sensation" since water would have the same effect on more severe wounds. The pH level is neutral which is the same as the animals tear fluid. Vetericyn is very effective to help the healing of hot spots! I hope this information helps!

 

So, hope this is of some value to you and that if EZ gets worse or gets a bigger wound at some point, this could be considered. You can get it at a drugstore. It is for humans as well.

 

Ginny - Mom to Sir Elton (13+) and Mindy (7)

[WalterWallerson]

Manuka honey is the best..

 

where can you get this from? edited to add: how is it different from locally made honey? or packaged honey (from major food stores)?

Edited May 21, 2012 by WalterWallerson

[cleptogrey]

i irrigate w/ saline solution. it helps dry it out, removes any dirt and wounds heal up in no time. just taste the solution that you make, if it has a faint salty taste that's good. french gray sea salt has remakable healing properties and adds lots of flavor to your cooking as well . don't worry about an infection, on application of an antibiotic ointment has taken care of that, keeping it sealed w/ emt bandage slows the healing process.

[mychip1]

Again, thanks! It's so good to have so many of you out there to help!

[HopeForHounds]

Manuka honey is the best..

 

where can you get this from? edited to add: how is it different from locally made honey? or packaged honey (from major food stores)?

 

I use raw honey for wound healing. I was skeptical at first, but was amazed at how it helped heal a bad foot wound that Jake had. I couldn't find manuka honey so I bought unpasturized "raw" honey in the organic section of the grocery store.

[Guest Adrianne]

I like water therapy to promote healing. Outside with the hose or in the bathtub, just run water over it for a few minutes.

[Hubcitypam]

I like water therapy to promote healing. Outside with the hose or in the bathtub, just run water over it for a few minutes.

That worked well with Poodles staples on his stomach when he was attacked at the dog park. It really did heal faster like the vet promised. For scrapes and stuff I still like EMT.

[brandimom]

I keep New Zealand Manuka Honey Wound Honey on hand. It is a sterile Topical. Very sticky so you do need to keep it covered up

[juliemac]

I love vetericyn!

 

Riley ripped his leg open when he got to his stitches from his fatty tumor removal a few weeks ago ... there wasn't enough skin to re-stitch, so the vet gave us an antibiotic (preventative) and said keep it open to air and try to keep Riley from obsessing over it. It took ~2w for the 1.5" x 3" opening to heal (and a week of it was clearly annoying to my boy), but its healing very nicely from the outside in. So ... another vote for leaving the wound alone and watching for infection.

 

good luck!