Pets are often active and they can get a cut, a scrape or puncture wound in several ways.
Some of the wounds can be managed at home and do not need a vet whereas some are serious and require medical attention.
First aid for a simple wound or even a serious wound before taking the pet to the vet is a paramount skill. Leaving a pet’s wound untreated will result in an infection leading to the wound taking longer to heal.
Do you have a home pet wound treating kit? If not, get one soon.
It should have some of these basic supplies – clean wash clothes or gauze, iodine solution, non-stick gauze, self-adherent bandage, hydrogen peroxide and disposable latex gloves. If your pet comes hurt, depending on where the wound is located, how deep it is and how old it seems, you can treat it as follows:
The first thing is clean the wound with warm water or sterile saline and a washcloth. Depending on the location of the wound and how painful it is, you may need someone to hold your pet still, especially dogs as you inspect and clean it. Put on gloves and if there is fur where the wound is, use electric clippers or scissors to carefully chop the hair away from the wound.
Using sterile or warm water, flush the wound then gently wipe it, removing any debris that may have gathered. Next, use an iodine solution over the wound. If there is blood around the wound, use hydrogen peroxide to remove it from the fur. Do not use hydrogen peroxide directly on the wound. Lastly, pat the area dry with gauze or towels.
If the injury is on the paw, leg or somewhere you can easily wrap, prepare the bandage materials. Use this by squeezing some antibiotic ointment on the wound and placing non-stick gauze over it. Then take the self-adherent bandage and wrap it over the gauze to hold it in place. Make sure it is not too tight and have the area stay dry all the time. Aim to change it daily as you monitor the healing progress.
If the wound is deep, have it examined by a veterinarian to check if it needs stitches or a surgical procedure. Some puncture wounds can penetrate the abdominal or chest cavities which can be serious.
If it is a scrap or a shallow cut, a visit to the vet is also important. They may recommend some antibiotics to prevent an infection and pain medication to keep your pet comfortable during the healing process.
