Dog Wound Care & Healing Stages

Not all dog wound needs a vet's attention, but it's crucial to understand how to treat them and when to seek veterinary help. In this blog, our Gilbert vets explain how to provide first aid care for your dog's wounds at home. 

Dog Wounds

No matter your dog's lifestyle, accidents can happen, leading to injuries like grazes, scrapes, cuts, or others that require care. Even seemingly small wounds can lead to several infections. Therefore, if you are unsure if you should bring your dog to the vet or not, it's always best to be cautious and contact your veterinarian. Bringing your dog to the vet for a wound immediately after they have obtained it could save you a lot of money and your dog a lot of pain.

Wounds in Dogs That Need Veterinary Care

Even though you can treat some dog wounds at home, there are also situations where a dog's wound needs to be addressed by a veterinarian as quickly as possible. Here is a list of wounds that require veterinary care:

• A wound with a large object lodged in it (i.e., a piece of glass)
• Injuries around the eyes, head or that lead to breathing difficulties
• Skin that has been torn away from the flesh below (often occurs during dog fights)
• Animal bites (these may look small but become infected very very quickly)
• Wounds caused by a car accident or other trauma

First Aid Kit For Dogs

We recommend having a pet-first kit and a little knowledge prepared just in case your dog gets a minor injury. Here is a list of some items you should have on hand so you can be ready if your dog gets hurt:

Giving Your Dog First Aid

To prevent infections, promptly address and clean your dog's wound. Before starting your dog's first aid, you should have someone assist you in restraining your dog and be generally supportive.

If you don't know what to do or if you should take your dog to the vet or not, keep in mind it's always best to be cautious when it comes to your animal friend's health. When in doubt, call your vet or bring your dog to an emergency animal hospital immediately.

Muzzle Your Dog

A scared, anxious, or hurt dog may bite while you are trying to help, which is why our team recommends muzzling your hurt dog before beginning first aid treatment. It's a good idea to practice putting a muzzle on your dog before an injury arises so that your dog is used to the process and how the muzzle feels. This will help to prevent adding to your dog's distress.

Look For Foreign Objects Lodged in The Wound

Inspect the wound to ensure no objects or debris are lodged in it. This is even more essential if the wound is on the pad of your dog's paw, as they could have stepped on a sharp object. If you can remove the item easily with tweezers, do it very gently. If it's deeply lodged, leave it alone and call your veterinarian immediately, or bring your dog to an emergency vet.

Clean Your Dog's Wound

If the wood is on the pay, rinse it in warm water in a clean container. For wounds elsewhere, place your dog in a sink, bath, or shower and run clean water over it. You can add mil baby shampoo, dish soap, or hand soap to the water. 

Avoid harsh cleaners, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, or caustic products, as these can be painful and show down wound healing. 

Manage the Bleeding

If your dog has nothing stuck in its wound, apply pressure with a clean towel. While most small wounds should stop bleeding within a couple of minutes, larger wounds will probably take longer. Bleeding should stop within 10 minutes of applying pressure. If your dog is still bleeding after that time, contact your vet or emergency animal hospital right away.

Contain Your Dog's Wound

Do you have an antibacterial ointment handy? If so, apply a small bit to the wound before covering it with another bandage or piece of sterile gauze. Don't use products with hydrocortisone or other corticosteroids. You can use a self-adhesive elastic bandage to keep the gauze in its place.

Keep Your Dog From Licking Their Wound

Is your dog trying to lick their wound? They might have to wear a cone or e-collar. 

Ongoing Care

To ensure proper healing and prevent infections, monitor your dog's wound twice a day to make sure it is healing as it's supposed to and that it isn't becoming infected. Clean it with pet-safe antiseptic or water twice a day.  

If you notice increasing redness, swelling, discharge, increasing pain in the area of the wound, or a bad odor coming from the wound, contact your vet right away.

Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.

If your dog has a wound that needs to be addressed by a vet, contact our Gilbert vets immediately to arrange an urgent care appointment.