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Ruff and Tumble: How to Care for a Dog Wound

36.5% of households in the United States own a dog, which means there are tens of millions of pet dogs. This means dogs are bound to encounter other pets on a daily basis, especially when you take your dog to a dog park.

But just like any other animal, dogs are bound to get into fights with other pets once in a while. Whether they’re fighting for food or for your attention, it’s bound to happen at least once in your dog’s life.

So what do you do when your dog comes out of a scuffle with an injury? Read on to learn how to treat a dog wound so it doesn’t get any worse.

How to Care for a Dog Wound

Dog wounds can come in all shapes, sizes, and severity, so it’s important to identify what kind of wound your dog has. For superficial and minor wounds, you can treat your dog at home. For more serious injuries, you should head straight to the vet.

Stop the Bleeding

The first step to caring for a dog wound is to control any bleeding from the injury. Apply a clean towel to the wound and apply pressure to help stop the bleeding.

Dogs tend to bleed more from their ear and nose areas than on their legs or back. Continue to apply pressure until the bleeding stops. When the bleeding stops, look closely at the wound to see if it’s superficial or serious.

Treating Superficial Wounds

If your dog’s wound is surface-level, then you should be able to treat the injury yourself. After stopping the bleeding, you’ll want to clean the wound.

First, apply a small amount of water-based lubricant to the wound and clip the fur. The lubricant helps to keep the fur away from the wound. Once the fur is clipped, you should clean the wound with a betadine solution.

Once the wound is cleaned you should apply Neosporin to the injury and wrap it to prevent any dirt or bacteria from getting to the wound.

Check the wound every day to make sure it is healing properly. If the injury looks to be staying stagnant or getting worse, you should take your pet to the vet for further treatment.

Serious Injuries

If your pet has a wound that won’t stop bleeding, then you need to take your dog to the vet right away. If your dog’s wound looks to be deep and goes beyond the surface level of skin, you should take your dog to the vet.

If your pet starts acting strangely after getting the injury, you should definitely take your dog to the vet. Even if a wound doesn’t look serious, your dog may have experienced internal damage which can be extremely dangerous.

Don’t Leave It up to Chance

If you have any doubt in your mind that your pet’s injury is more serious than a surface-level, superficial wound, you should take your dog to the vet right away.

For more information on how to treat a dog wound, please contact us today or come in and visit our office!