Wound Advice While I Wait For Vet To Open?

[Tracey]

Reggie just got a vertical tear - about 3 inches long - on his right rear thigh. It's right on the meatiest part, if that helps picture where it is. Anyone know if this is a stitchable area? Or what the treatment protocol should likely be? I can take a photo but not sure how to upload to here from my phone. Thanks for any help while we wait.

[Dawnnziggy]

Dawson had a vertical tear too and they stitched it up. Until you get him to the vet, I put a gauze pad on it and wrapped it around his body. I have also put a pair of my DS's boxer shorts to keep him from bothering it.

 

Good Luck!

[cleptogrey]

yup, my vet is into staples, they seem to heal better than stitiches. the dogs freak a tad when they are being stapled, but it's less than a second a staple- felix had 14 on his rib cage area. healed beautifully. look into bitenot collars- they are wonderful during the healing process. just clean it for now.

[Guest PhillyPups]

Irrigate and keep clean, apply granulex It is a difficult wound t stitch or staple. Tracey, I am taking the liberthy of sharing the picture posted on FB as you stated you were on your phone:

 

[PrairieProf]

Tracey, when you say "vertical tear" is sounds like a thin line to me -- but the picture on Facebook is more of a wide, circular area. Too wide for the edges of intact skin to be pulled together with stitches or staples from what I can see. In that area, even if they could somehow draw the skin together it would just rip again being so tight in a mobile area. I do think that's a granulation wound, alas.

[Burpdog]

I'd irrigate it twice a day.

[Guest grey_dreams]

Medical grade Manuka honey. Put some on a gauze bandage, and then wrap and cover the area with the honey-impregnated bandage.

[Tracey]

Thanks for posting it Pat. And it did look pretty vertical until he laid down. Now I know it's a whole different animal. Thanks for the advice. Who carries medical grade honey?

[Guest grey_dreams]

Thanks for posting it Pat. And it did look pretty vertical until he laid down. Now I know it's a whole different animal. Thanks for the advice. Who carries medical grade honey?

 

You might be able to find it at a natural food store or someplace similar. Otherwise you can order it online. I haven't bought it online so can't recommend one place over another. Just make sure that it is medical grade Manuka honey from New Zealand.

[tbhounds]

Well, I'll post here too as I seems to have been snarked on FB (thanks folks-yes, there's "always one"). Let your vet be the judge on the course of treatment. It's impossible for well meaning Internet folks to give proper medical advice without actually examining the wound. There may very well be a muscle tear or a pocket that will need further attention than just treating topically. The wound will need to be clipped and cleaned and possibly sutured. Most likely oral antibiotics and pain medications will be dispensed.

Good luck

[Guest grey_dreams]

Oh yes, I absolutely agree with tbhounds. I assumed you were taking him to the vet when they open, because that's what your post said. There is no way I wouldn't take him to the vet. The wound needs to be deep cleaned and examined and probably he needs medicine. I was just saying that afterward you might add honey treatment into the treatment plan.

 

I always find that I never type everything that I am thinking ...

[Batmom]

Well, I'll post here too as I seems to have been snarked on FB (thanks folks-yes, there's "always one"). Let your vet be the judge on the course of treatment. It's impossible for well meaning Internet folks to give proper medical advice without actually examining the wound. There may very well be a muscle tear or a pocket that will need further attention than just treating topically. The wound will need to be clipped and cleaned and possibly sutured. Most likely oral antibiotics and pain medications will be dispensed.

Good luck

 

Agree. Plus it'll heal a lot faster if it can be stitched/stapled.

[Guest PhillyPups]

Well, I'll post here too as I seems to have been snarked on FB (thanks folks-yes, there's "always one"). Let your vet be the judge on the course of treatment. It's impossible for well meaning Internet folks to give proper medical advice without actually examining the wound. There may very well be a muscle tear or a pocket that will need further attention than just treating topically. The wound will need to be clipped and cleaned and possibly sutured. Most likely oral antibiotics and pain medications will be dispensed.

Good luck

 

 

I almost lost Stepper to shock with pain from a wound. He sliced the front of his front elbow (medically incorrect term I am sure) with about 1 inch of skin holding in on, most likely on a branch in the yard as we were having a wind storm. My vet was away for the holiday, took him to a crappy e-vet and they stitched his wound and said "he's a greyhound, he won't need meds for pain, some people just want the pain meds for themselves". I was pizzed. I do not take pain meds (stronger than Alleve) for anything. Stepper went into shock, I kept him separated fromt the other hounds, and went in to check on him and he would not raise his head or flick an ear at me - very unusual Stepper behavior. I called my vet's cell, she had me go to her office and her vet tech meet me there and gave me the pain meds he needed. I asked how much, she said Happy Holidays. About an hour after the meds he was back to giving me his goofy look. Two surgeries later, when he went to the bridge at 13-3/4 the only scar he had on him was caused during his time with me.

 

Hope all is well with Reggie.

 

Disclaimer: I am NOT a vet, nor do I play one on TV, my only association with Vets is I take my hounds there, and think I may have put one or more of their children through college and if they drive a Mercedes, I may have paid for that too.

Edited December 24, 2012 by PhillyPups

[Burpdog]

I assumed he'd be going to the vet -- might need antibiotics. Bad place to suture.

[Guest cruzNhounds]

Thanks for posting it Pat. And it did look pretty vertical until he laid down. Now I know it's a whole different animal. Thanks for the advice. Who carries medical grade honey?

 

 

 

Wedderspoon 16+ @ Whole Foods

[Guest FawnFan]

Hope you were able to get Reggie into the Vet. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and a nicely healed wound.

[TINMANPDX]

No advuce - just well wishes that it heals quickly.

[silverfish]

Jeffie sliced himself on his thigh and on his flank one time, and the wounds were about three inches long, both of them. Yes, they were straight lines when he did them, but they opened up and gaped. They just do, on greyhounds.

 

The vet stitched Jeff, those two plus another smaller one he'd managed to get underneath his tail. They all healed uneventfully.

 

Don't assume, just because it looks circular now, that the skin can't be brought back together. Yes, it's a mobile area, but there's usually enough skin there. You just have to take a bit of care while it heals. I do second the Manuka honey - it's wonderful stuff.

[o_rooly]

Best thoughts for Reggie, from the mom of another healing-circular-wound hound.

[BatterseaBrindl]

That's nasty!

Hope you took him in an dthey were able to get some of the edges back together.

 

and keep us updated!

[cleptogrey]

i agree WITH EVERYONE WHO SAID GO TO THE VET!

 

personally until your vet returns i would only keep it clean and irrigate w/ saline solution. saline solution is a wonderful healing agent. if you have sea salt all the better, boil water in the microwave, add salt- it should have a slight taste of salt and that's it! i'm a tad hesitant about applying the healing maluka honey. by the time you get it you'll be at your vet. let him decide exactly what's next.

 

it will be the 26th soon enough. when you call let the receptionist know it's a good size tear and you need to be seen today. when something like that happens i always call just before my vet opens up and i'm told to come over.

Edited December 24, 2012 by cleptogrey

[RaineysMom]

ouch!!! hoping he went to the vet and is doing ok!!!

[gracegirl]

How is Reggie doing tonight? Did the vet stitch/staple or are they going to let it heal up on its own? I hope he's comfortable tonight waiting for Santa Paws to come!