How To Treat A Pet Wound

Introduction

If your pet has an injury that’s causing bleeding, it can be scary. Helping a wounded pet will put you in touch with blood and other body fluids like saliva, which can contaminate you or spread disease from your pet to you. So first, get medical gloves and a face mask or face shield if you have them. Don’t try to treat the wound unless it’s flowing blood or is open and exposed. If the wound isn’t bleeding, monitor your pet for symptoms of illness before proceeding with any home treatment. After applying the first aid outlined below, call your vet immediately if the bleeding continues, or if your pet shows any signs of illness such as lethargy (lack of energy), vomiting (throwing up), fever (hot body temperature), or diarrhea (loose stools).

Clean the wound ASAP.

To clean the wound:

Use warm water and soap to remove any visible dirt from the area.
Pat dry with a clean towel.
Apply antibiotic ointment to help fight infection in the wound. You can purchase this at most pet stores or on Amazon for about $4-$5 for a tube that will last you quite some time if you’re not treating multiple wounds at once!
Use another clean cloth to apply pressure around your dog’s leg or paw to keep them from licking themselves raw while applying bandages/bandage wraps (e.g., vet wrap).

Stop the bleeding.

When you find a wound, stop the bleeding. Press firmly on the wound and apply pressure with a clean cloth or bandage. If necessary, use a tourniquet and keep the wound elevated.

Keep the wound moist, not wet.

For most pets, a simple damp cloth is the best way to keep the wound moist. Do not use a wet cloth or let it get soaked in water; this can actually cause more damage than good. Soap and soap residue should be avoided, as well as hydrogen peroxide and alcohol (which can burn). Don’t use iodine—it may cause allergies or bacterial resistance. Avoid any other liquid as well: no water or saline solution! The ideal solution for keeping a pet wound moisturized is simply to dab it with a damp cloth every few hours until it’s healed over completely. Use caution when applying any kind of ointment directly onto the open flesh of an animal—you don’t want them licking off what could be harmful chemicals!

Call your vet for further instructions.

If your pet has a deep wound, it’s important to seek the advice of an experienced veterinarian.
For shallow wounds that aren’t on limbs or the face, you can treat them at home by cleaning and dressing them. Your vet may prescribe antibiotic ointment or special bandages. Keep your pet calm while treating her wound so as not to re-open any stitches or increase bleeding.
Don’t let your dog lick his wounds—keep him away from them as much as possible until they heal up!

If your pet is injured, get them to the vet as soon as possible!

If you are unsure whether your pet’s wound is infected, see a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you do not get your pet checked out by a vet, the wound may become infected and then infected wounds can become problematic. They can also lead to other health issues like sepsis (bacteria in the bloodstream), organ failure and even death.

Conclusion

We hope this information is useful for any pet owners who find themselves dealing with an open wound. If you have been worried about your pet’s injury, now you know some basic steps to take if it happens again. The most important thing is to get them medical attention as soon as possible; we cannot stress this enough!