Accidents happen. Your dog's playful nature and curiosity may lead to cuts, scrapes, and punctures at some point in his life. Cleaning the wound properly at home will help him heal and may buy you some time if you can't get him to the vet immediately. Proper wound cleaning will prevent infection and help you and the vet tell how bad your pet's injury really is.
This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. This article has been viewed 532,416 times.
Co-authors: 13 Updated: May 6, 2021 Views: 532,416 Article Rating: 94% - 33 votes Categories: Canine Health | Emergency Dog Care Article SummaryX To clean a dog wound, first calm your dog down by petting it and speaking to it in a low, calm voice so it doesn’t resist your help. If it’s still bleeding, apply pressure to the wound using a clean towel, washcloth, or old t-shirt. When the wound has stopped bleeding, trim your dog’s hair with clippers or scissors to stop hair trapping dirt inside the wound. Then, use a syringe or turkey baster to flush out the wound with warm salt water. If you don’t have either of them, just pour the water directly over the wound. Once you’ve cleaned the wound, apply a disinfectant like dilute Betadine or Nolvasan, which will kill any bacteria on your dog’s skin. If you notice signs of infection, like a bad smell or green, yellow, or gray discharge coming from the wound, take your dog to the vet for treatment. For more tips from our Veterinary co-author, including how to use a torniquet to stop your dog's bleeding, read on!
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 532,416 times.
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