Treatment11 connections · 5 sources
Wound Care
Wound care in pets encompasses cleaning, bandaging, infection prevention, and surgical repair of injuries including punctures, lacerations, and abrasions.
Key Facts
- Wounds bigger than a small cut are almost always worse than they look
- Bite wounds always have more damage below the surface than visible
- Deeply contaminated or >8 hour old wounds should be left open, not sutured
- Debridement (removal of dead tissue) is essential before wound closure
- Drains are placed for 3-5 days when dead space exists between skin and tissue
- Bandages have three layers: contact (Telfa pad), absorbent (cotton wrap), and outer (Vetrap)
- Bandage from extremity toward body to avoid restricting blood flow
- Improperly applied bandages can cause limb loss
- Species: dogs and cats
Connections (11)
Related Conditions
AbscessCondition
Bite wounds are the primary cause of abscesses
BurnsCondition
Burns require specialized wound management
CuterebraCondition
— post-removal wound management
FractureCondition
Open fractures require wound management
ShockCondition
Severe wounds can lead to shock from blood loss
SnakebiteCondition
Necrotic tissue from venom requires surgical debridement