First Aid for Dog Wounds: How to Treat Them at Home
It is crucial to consider a dog’s health when providing care since accidents can happen and we need to be prepared. A smart approach to be ready for these scenarios is to keep a dog first aid kit at home, along with knowledge of how to treat common canine wounds.
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In this AnimalWised post, we’ll go over everything you need to know about utilizing a dog first aid kit at home to treat dog wounds. Learn more by continuing to read!
common dog injuries
Dogs can get hurt while playing, rushing about, attempting a difficult task, fighting, or for any number of other reasons, just like humans can.
Dogs frequently sustain these wounds:
Cuts: These occur most frequently on their paw and are typically brought on by treading on glass, cans, or other similar objects when walking on hard surfaces like tarmac or cement floors. Dogs might also get caught up in bushes or other vegetation, which could result in cuts and other harm.
Claws that have been broken or torn: If not treated right away, this is a very painful injury since it affects the claw’s nerve.
Our dog’s claws can easily become tangled in various objects, such as clothing, blankets, etc., if they are very long. The dog will start to pull away from it in order to free their claw, which may result in them hurting their claw and producing significant bleeding. Learn more in our post on how to cut a dog’s nails correctly.
Dog or other animal bites: On occasion, we find it difficult to prevent mishaps like fights because it is already too late when we realize it is happening. If your dog is bitten, the extent of the wound and the bite’s severity (depth and breadth) will determine how hurt your dog is. Nevertheless, you need to move quickly. These wounds must be attended to right away.
How to handle canine injuries at home
To prevent any potential consequences when your dog has a common wound, you must know how to treat it efficiently. Following are some first aid guidelines for treating dog wounds:
If you notice that the dog is really injured and won’t allow you to check the wounds without getting very angry, you should first place a muzzle on it (unless it is a snub-nosed breed like a pug). This stops the dog from biting you, which they might do in response to the discomfort their injury has caused them.
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With hydrogen peroxide, you can clean the wound and make the blood around it thicker. Never do this with alcohol since, despite disinfecting, it is not a coagulant and, regardless of how tiny the damage, it does not stop the bleeding. The better choice is hydrogen peroxide, which not only disinfects the wound but also slows down the bleeding. Alternatively, you can clean off any debris with sterile dressing. Never rub the skin when doing this; always tap gently. Apply pressure to the wound for as long as you can if there is heavy bleeding before bandaging it.
Prior to applying a covering, allow the wound to air dry as much as possible. Do this for a few minutes at the very least.
Before getting to the veterinary clinic, cover the wound lightly, just enough to keep it safe and keep it from coming into contact with contaminants.
If the fur has been removed from the area around the wound, do this with sterile gauze and tape;
otherwise, use sterile gauze and a bandage to keep it in place.
Inform your veterinarian of the problem and go to the vet to get the wound examined. Your dog might require antibiotics, a few sutures, or other treatments that a veterinarian can only offer.
What should a dog’s emergency kit include?
Let’s look at what your canine first aid kit should contain now that you are aware of the most frequent injuries in dogs and how to treat them.
The following supplies are the absolute must-haves in your canine first aid kit:
The emergency phone number for local veterinarians and your go-to vet.
a muzzle that is suitable for your dog’s size.
Latex disposable gloves that should only be used once before being discarded.
Cotton, absorbent pads, bandages, and sterile gauze.
chlorhexidine, iodine, physiological saline solution, or a comparable disinfectant spray, liquid, or powder.
alcohol with 3% hydrogen peroxide at 96°.
plaster with a strong adhesive.
tweezers, nail clippers, and blunt scissors.
medication that your pet’s veterinarian has recommended.
syringes for administering substances orally that are not syringes with needles.
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Rectal thermometer that is digital.
The above-mentioned goods must all be included in your dog’s first aid kit. In order to have it more suited to your dog’s demands and their lifestyle with you, you can also get in touch with your veterinarian and ask them what additional items you might have on hand. What first aid for dogs should you have? Find out more in this post. For additional information on creating your own canine first aid kit, see the video below.
