Dog Wounds

Dog wounds can result in bleeding and infection. This page looks at how to assess severity of and control dog bleeding, and how to clean and dress a wound.

Dogs are playful and adventurous, and it is not unusual for them to get injured. It is therefore important for us to learn how to treat wounds sustained by our dogs. It is also essential to have a well-stocked dog first aid kit so that you have everything you need to treat your dog when there is an emergency.

The two most important goals in treating a dog wound are to stop the bleeding and to prevent infection. Before you attempt to treat your dog, remember that he may be in pain, so be prepared to restrain and muzzle your dog.

How to Assess Severity of Dog Bleeding

It is important to assess how severe your dog is bleeding to determine if he needs veterinary treatment, or if home treatment is enough.

Begin by identifying the source of the bleeding. Use a clean moist towel to blot the area directly in order to absorb and clean at the same time. Once the bulk of the recent and dried blood has been cleared, use a dry, light colored towel and press it to the area for a few moments. If the towel is quickly soaked with blood, start controlling bleeding immediately and rush your dog to the vet. If the amount of bleeding is moderate, explore the area more carefully to identify the source.

Generally speaking, spurting or pulsing is a severe bleed which requires an immediate trip to a veterinary facility nearby; flowing or dripping is a very serious bleed which requires an immediate trip to your veterinarian; and seeping or oozing is usually possible to control at home.

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Dog Wounds - How to Control Dog Bleeding

The two methods used to control dog bleeding in an emergency situation are to apply a pressure dressing, and to apply a tourniquet.

Pressure Dressing

The most effective and safest way to control dog bleeding is to apply direct pressure on the wound with several sterile gauze pads or a folded clean towel. Apply direct pressure for 5 to 10 minutes.

Do not keep lifting the gauze to see if the bleeding has stopped as this disrupts the clot that may have formed. Similarly, if the gauze is soaked with blood, do not remove it since it contains important clotting factors. Instead, keep adding more gauze or towels on top of the soaked ones.

If possible, try to elevate the source of bleeding so that it is above the level of the dog's heart.

Tourniquet

If pressure dressing is not enough to stop the bleeding or slow it significantly, a tourniquet may be needed. Never use a tourniquet if the bleeding can be controlled by direct pressure, and if at all possible, only apply a tourniquet on the advice of a veterinarian, or if you see no other way to control the bleeding before getting the dog to an ER.

Tourniquets are best used on limbs and tail to control arterial bleeding. To apply, find a rubber tube, belt or even a shoelace. Tighten the material above the wound (somewhere between the wound and your dog's heart). Loosen the tourniquet every 10 minutes to prevent muscle hypoxia (a deficiency of oxygen reaching the muscle tissues) and to check for persistent bleeding. If bleeding has stopped, remove the tourniquet and apply a pressure dressing. If bleeding continues, let the blood flow for 30 seconds and retighten the tourniquet for another 10 minutes.

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Dog Wounds - How to Clean a Wound

For small open dog wounds, they can be treated at home without sutures or staples.

To clean a wound, start by trimming the hair from around the area. If a dressing is to be applied after cleaning, you should extend the area of trimming to a distance of 2-3 inches on all sides to allow bandaging and adhesive attachment.

If the wound has crusted blood and debris stuck to the surrounding hair, making it difficult to trim the hair, try to soften the material with warm water and soft toweling. Use a gentle blotting technique. Then use a wide-toothed comb to help clear the mess before trimming.

After trimming, squirt the entire area liberally with sterile saline, then blot with a clean cloth or sterile gauze.

Medicate twice a day with a topical antibiotic ointment (such as Bactroban, Neosporin) to prevent infection.

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Dog Wounds - How to Dress a Wound

Dressing the wound has the advantage of protecting it from dirt and contaminants. It also prevents the dog from biting and licking the wound.

Start by spreading a thin coat of topical antibiotic ointment (such as Bactroban, Neosporin) on one side of a non-adherent pad and applying it directly to the wound, ointment side down. Using a roll of cotton gauze, trap the pad against the skin and wrap the gauze around the body part in a manner that will keep the pad in place. Do not wrap the gauze too tightly though because that would cut off circulation.

Then cover the gauze with a protective, self-adherent wrap and finish by using one layer of adhesive tape around each edge of the dressing, the other half sticking directly onto the dog's skin with the hair trimmed.

Change the dressings every one to two days to monitor progress.