# Gaping Wound - how to treat? (with pic. of dog)



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Can someone tell me how to treat this wound? (picture below) Our dogs got into a fight today, and this guy ended up with a big chunk of skin being ripped off his shoulder. It's about 2 1/2" across. It's not just torn. My husband later saw the flap of skin/hair in the yard. No punctures into the muscle of this one that I can see, although he does have several smaller puncture wounds in other places. We live remote in the bush, way off the road system, so chartering a plane to get him to the vet isn't an option. I have some suture supplies, but nothing to deaden it, and I don't think this dog will sit still while I sew. I poured peroxide over the wounds, then dressed with comfrey oil (all-round miracle cure for many, if not most things), and keeping him in the house. 










Thanks,

Jenny


----------



## Darren (May 10, 2002)

I had a cat with its belly tore up by something along with puncture wounds on the head and side. The vet gave, sold me, Granulex which is a spray. Looking at the label it has mostly castor oil USP, with Balsam Peru N.F., and Trypsin N.F. It works on dogs, cats, horses and cattle.

It healed up some nasty wounds.


----------



## amwitched (Feb 14, 2004)

Don't use peroxide any more. It will make the wound worse (Trust me, I found out the hard way). Soap & water will clean it just fine. Do you have some Neosporin? Will the dog keep a bandage on it's wound?


----------



## Del Gue (Apr 5, 2010)

I've had to treat horses with similar wounds.
Make a pasty syrup of betadine and sugar (sugardine) and paint it on there a few times a day. With luck it will scab over and heal. The betadine also works as a good fly repellent for the wound.

Try to keep him inside and quiet for a few days and he might need a cone collar to keep him from licking that sugardine off.


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

I agree that you definitely should not use peroxide again.


----------



## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

I would just keep it clean, let it scab over. It will granulate in eventually.


----------



## Del Gue (Apr 5, 2010)

Peroxide is an overused and destructive medicine. it's good for a few things but open gashes and punctures are not one of them.

You're better off using bleach and water solution mixed 30:1. You can pour that directly into an open wound and it will do no tissue damage.
If in doubt, you should be able to taste 30:1 and it will taste like strong pool water or strong city water. It's a good disinfectant for flushing out wounds.


----------



## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Believe it or not, when Duke his HUGE pressure sore, I used some neosporin, etc but also made a dressing with honey drenched on the gauze. The Egyptians were using it on wounds for thousands of years. The vets didn't want to sew it up because it was so deep they were worried they would sew infection IN. Just watch him for signs of insects bothering him if you go that route. Honey is a natural antibiotic with some healing properties.


----------



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Thanks a bunch for the replies. I talked to a musher friend who told me the same thing about peroxide earlier today, so I won't use that anymore. Before I began growing and using comfrey years ago, I used Neosporin for everything, but I think the comfrey works just as good, especially when used immediately after the injury. I'll give the sugardine a whirl. I thought about honey for the reasons you mentioned, Becky, but I was worried about attracting bugs. Also, I wondered if the (relatively) cheap, pasteurized honey we have would work as well as high quality organic honey. I'll keep all these ideas in mind for the future. I'm glad nobody suggested trying to sew him up.  He's hobbling around a bit, but eating and drinking. I suppose he'll be fine. 

Thanks again,

Jenny


----------



## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

get a medical stapler. a couple of staples would work for that.


----------



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

Im not sure what your supposed to staple together there pops but maybe we are seeing things in two different ways.

First clip all the hair away from the area as far away as its needed so no other hair gets into the wound, then flush with clean water. I would use a product found at livestock supplies called Tri Care as its for dogs and horses but works in a few ways. TriCare is an antibiotic cream that also contains a pain reliever plus its very thick so it protects against debris, flys and its not very pleasant to the tongue so licking isnt an issue. It will be also more economical than neo because a little goes a long way.
The wound needs to stay moist to heal faster so the tricare will take care of that for you as well. I would reccomend to get an ace bandage to wrap around the dog to help keep dirt out and the goopies contained. I also find this stuff works better than furazone in boosting healing times.

Its a painful wound but it is not as bad as it looks. I would recommend that you get her on some antibiotics if she starts running a fever


----------



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

oh, the skin thats on the edge will dry up and die so dont be alarmed. when you clean it use sterile water. 
I traveled with a wound nurse for a while and believe it or not some of the major wounds these people had they treated with gauze soaked in sterile water packed into the wound and it did quite well for folks.


----------



## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

The picture makes it look like it isn't that deep ..like a huge scrape almost.
I know it tore but same idea.

If it is skin deep like it looks it will heal fast.

I would keep neosporin on it to prevent infection .

Most human doctors say washing with soap & water is best if he will let you.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Neosporin is easily contaminated because people use their finger to get it. Buy small tubes and open a new one for each fresh wound. Also, use something more sterile than your finger to get it. This is true for any oil or goop. I've been using frankincense e.o. for bad wounds and it works great. Honey needs to be local unpasteurized.


----------



## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

most dogs have loose skin. stple the edges to reduce the drying & necrosis of the underlying tissue and it'll still be able to drain.


----------

