Emergency Vet Visit Or Not?

[Guest evanderleeuw]

So my first post and it had to be this...

 

Anyway Luke is new to us (since April) and was bitten by another dog owned by our in-laws. It happened in an instant and before we both pulled the leashes back he received a laceration under his neck. We are away visiting family in Greenville, NY (just south of Albany) so we don't have a Vet up here. I called one to talk and we were trying to figure out by phone through my description of the bite if it was necessary. We came to the decision to wait for the morning, but I'm having second thoughts.

 

It's hard to tell from the pictures but the Lac is shallow and seems to be just the top layer of the skin. I think because of the location and the way the skin is taut it looks to be ripped and not a puncture wound I cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide which he didn't like at all and I was glad we had the muzzle with us.

 

What would you do? Go to the vet or wait till the morning?

 

Thanks,

Erik

 

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[Houndtime]

I think I would go to the vet, but wouldn't necessarily make a visit to the e vet. Is he leaving it alone? If you can keep him from making it bigger, then he should be ok until the morning. He might need a stitch or two, but, I really can't tell.

[Hubcitypam]

My vote is that if he is not bleeding, not in obvious distress and is drinking it will wait until morning.

Edited July 3, 2012 by Hubcitypam

[TheFullHouse]

I'd have it stitched up. If you wait too long they won't be able to do it. Your pup will probably need antibiotics too.

[Guest evanderleeuw]

He's sleeping and doesn't seem bothered by it. The wound has some fluid coming out, but not blood.

[Guest IHeartDogs]

I'd have it stitched up. If you wait too long they won't be able to do it. Your pup will probably need antibiotics too.

Agreed. Stitches need to be put in before the skin start to 'die', and it looks like a couple stitches or staples will be needed.

Waiting until tomorrow means they might have to trim away some skin before stitching.

Sorry it happened, hope everything heals up quickly. Poor Luke.

[TheFullHouse]

Most wounds will ooze like that, it's normal.

[KF_in_Georgia]

No more peroxide, though--whether you take him in for stitches tonight or not.

[Hubcitypam]

I really wouldn't wake him up and flip him out, but that is just me.

 

No more peroxide, though--whether you take him in for stitches tonight or not.

yes, only use peroxide once.

[beledi]

Please keep us posted. Darn these thin skinned sweethearts..

Edited July 3, 2012 by beledi

[Guest evanderleeuw]

Thanks for the Peroxide tip.

[PatricksMom]

DH agreed with me, the neck, evet.

[tbhounds]

Vet in the am would be my vote.

[Guest evanderleeuw]

I think I'm just going to bring him up. Because the way the wound is and the location it has created a pocked of skin below the lac and it's oozing a lot.

[MaryJane]

Are there any pockets near the laceration that could be filling with blood? The neck area is never a good place for a greyhound to get bitten and because of that, if there is any question as to whether it is still bleeding then it would be better to head to the e-vet tonight. On top of that, there is the risk of infection and stitches are better done sooner rather than later.

 

Hope everything turns out OK

[OwnedBySummer]

I'd go to the e-vet. If it needs attention, then it will get it. If it turns out that it doesn't need attention, then you are reassured.

[Robin1017]

Robin had a bite on his side once and we decided to wait till morning. Worst night's sleep ever, and we felt absolutely awful, because he was in pain and spent the whole night standing next to the bed panting. Ended up with a fever in the morning when we brought him in. So I would say vet tonight. Though it sounds like you already decided that anyway.

Good luck!

[vjgrey]

Wounds like that can be deeper than you think at first glance. I'd go to the evet.

[kudzu]

How did things go last night? Hope it wasn't too serious & all are feeling better today. It's after the fact but from looking at the pics I was feeling 50/50 on whether he needed vet attention but am hoping you did follow through on your decision to take him. Photos only tell part of the story & can be very misleading. I've had several situations that looked like similar to that. One required stitches. The others I only did home care for. For one of the home care injuries there was some pooling of fluids under the skin. Assumed a hematoma juding by the bruising next day. All would have photographed similar to that yours though. Sometimes it's really hard to know what requires immediate vet attention. I am inclined to go with the better safe than sorry approach though.

 

For future reference, don't use peroxide at all on something like that. It isn't effective enough to do what you really want but it can kill skin cells thus requiring more work if they need to suture. Hope all is well or at least on the road to recovery today.

[Guest evanderleeuw]

OK Luke is all patched up, he was given three staples and a bruised ego. It was the right decision to go last night, the "pocket" that I thought was just the way his skin was, was actually caused by the other dogs teeth cutting into the skin and was quite deep. So because of the pocket he still has an open wound/hole (looks nasty) below the three staples so it can drain and reduce the likelihood of an abscess forming. So all is well, just have to flush the wound a couple times of day and give him his meds that haven't upset his stomach yet.

 

Thank you all for your help,

 

Erik

[Guest KennelMom]

We'd treat that at home. But then, we're well stocked with pain meds and antibiotics if it were necessary. I don't like punctures stitched up, even if they put in a drain.

[macoduck]

Don't be surprised if Luke develops a "uni-boob" at the lowest point on his chest. It will go away on its own as the fluid re-absorbs.

[Guest evanderleeuw]

OK, so we went to my vet at home today to get checked and he basiclly said the wound care he received by the e-vet was terrible. The staples were too few (3 for a 3cm lac) and too far apart, the drain they left open was extremely large (it even seemed too big to me, it was a hole the size of a dime or bigger), the solution they gave to me to flush the open drain shouldn't have been given, and the pain medication Carprofen shouldn't have been given to him either. (I don't know who to believe anymore)

 

Now the past couple of days Luke has been periodically walking sideways when he gets out of the crate or goes down the stairs (his head tilts and his hind legs go out to the side). He looks to be off balance and out of sync. This is beginning to worry me a bit...any advice or knowledge of this happening to your hound?

[MaryJane]

Did you ask the vet about these latest symptoms when you were there today? If not, I would call and ask him/her.

 

It could be many things ... a reaction to the meds, an infection starting, an inner ear problem, maybe he has a neck injury when the other dog got him. Regardless, I'd get him back to the vet. See if you can take a video when he looks off-balance or his head is tilting.

 

edited to add -- he may need x-rays of his neck and back but, the vet should be able to examine him and determine what should be done. Are you going to a vet that was recommended by the adoption agency? If not, is he knowledgeable about greys?

Edited July 7, 2012 by MaryJane

[Batmom]

OK, so we went to my vet at home today to get checked and he basiclly said the wound care he received by the e-vet was terrible. The staples were too few (3 for a 3cm lac) and too far apart, the drain they left open was extremely large (it even seemed too big to me, it was a hole the size of a dime or bigger), the solution they gave to me to flush the open drain shouldn't have been given, and the pain medication Carprofen shouldn't have been given to him either. (I don't know who to believe anymore)

 

Now the past couple of days Luke has been periodically walking sideways when he gets out of the crate or goes down the stairs (his head tilts and his hind legs go out to the side). He looks to be off balance and out of sync. This is beginning to worry me a bit...any advice or knowledge of this happening to your hound?

 

I can't address the walking sideways -- that would concern me.

 

But I really don't understand where your vet is coming from. 3 staples for a 3cm laceration is plenty. The only time you really need more than that is, say, on the non-fleshy part of a leg, where there is a LOT of pull on the skin all the time. And you want a good-sized drain if there is a deep wound. Carprofen is a perfectly good med, often given for pain and inflammation. Can't address the flushing solution as you haven't stated what it is ..... But, it sounds to me like the e-vet did a reasonable job.

 

Hugs and hopes your pupper heals well and feels lots better soonest.