Last Updated on September 20, 2023
When starting out being a pet parent, it can be daunting to attend to everything your dog needs. You may be the type of owner that thinks that food, bath, and treats are all there is to taking care of your four-legged friends.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But it’s not all there is.
Just like with humans, dogs can sometimes require medical attention. They can be at risk of injury, bites, and even risk of infections due to a variety of factors. As a pet parent, it’s our sole responsibility to look out for the well-being of our furry friends.
In this feature, we are going to talk about how you can clean a dog wound, and how you can avoid such unfortunate instances in the near future.
Let’s get right into it!
Common Causes Of Dog Wounds
We all are aware that dogs are curious and active by nature. This allows them to be extra vulnerable to puncture wounds, abrasions, and even bite wounds. This also means that the are more prone to injury, and must be attended to immediately when noticed.
Other causes can be hard or sharp objects from their environment, or vehicles, and even from other animals.
Why You Should Treat Wounds
Whether it be from bites or merely and injury, you should always take the pressure of looking out for the health conditions of your dog. Wounds are always gateways for bacterial infection if left untreated and unattended, and this is something you don’t want happening to your four-legged friend.
When left untreated, even small contaminated wounds can spread bacteria to other parts of your dog’s body,
Home Treatments
Now, it can be easy to just treat a wound initially, but there are some things you need to consider.
For the first few steps, it’s always ideal to control the bleeding by having a clean cloth-like material, and applying a fair amount of pressure to the affected area for 3 minutes.
For the long treatment, some of the things you will be needing are warm water, an electric clipper (if the wound is covered by hair), clean towels, antiseptic solution, and an antimicrobial ointment.
Depending on your dog’s size, you have to adjust based on how big or small they are. Position yourself at an angle where you have complete access to the wound, and are comfortable enough for you and your dog for minimal movements to operate.
The first thing you’re going to want to do is to spread the water gently around the wounded or affected area. This is a good first step to do, to help aid the earliest signs of infection on your dog.
If you notice your dog’s wound is covered by hair, then gently use an electric clipper to nip those away for you to have greater access to the wound, enabling you to clean it thoroughly.
Once the wound is visible, continue with cleaning it with water-based lubricant, and if deemed okay, gently wipe it off with a clean, dry towel.
Afterwards, you may then apply your choice of a non-stinging antiseptic formula to the affected wound. Some of the options you have are Chlorhexidine and Povidone-Iodine solutions.
Next, you may consider a variety of antibacterial ointments to disinfect the wound. It’s always a good idea to opt for the ointments which have neomycin, polymyxin B, and bacitracin present in them. It’s also important to remember that you should avoid elements such as hydrocortisone and corticosteroid for your chosen ointments.
After doing all of the above, continue monitoring your dog and make sure that he or she doesn’t lick the applied treatment, and leave it applied for as long as possible. A good way to ensure that your dog doesn’t lick the affected area is to apply a bandage, and change it as often as necessary.
The Wrap Up
When treating dog wounds, it’s important to seek the help of a licensed professional, and pay visits to your regular veterinarian. Now, there are always home remedies made readily available, such as one we discussed. But for serious cases, it’s always the best idea to avoid further complications by seeking emergency treatment. After all, our four-legged friends deserve all that they can get in terms of medical attention and safety.
