First Aid Treatments for the Dog’s Puncture Wounds
<p>Energetic, very playful and explorative – these are the trademarks of man’s best friends. Should a dog owner be surprised at the frequency of injuries sustained by the pet? A puncture wound is one of the injuries that can happen to the pet.
Any sharp object that pierces and penetrates the skin will result to a puncture wound. Because of an inquisitive nature, a dog will not let a debris strewn road to stand in its way especially if there is a scurrying prey on the other side. The paws can be punctured by barbed wires, nails or tacks. Dog owners aware of the fact that dogs are accident prone animals would dog proof the house but accidents involving the dog and a knife or a pair of scissors will still happen. Dog fights always erupt when dogs congregate. A dog can get puncture wounds from the bites of other dogs.
Cuts and lacerations are types of wounds that bleed heavily but a puncture does not really bleed so much. The dog owner may not feel the need to deal with the dog’s wound thinking that it is a minor injury. Puncture wounds have the tendency to get infected as this kind of wound heals easily so that bacteria are trapped inside the skin. Large puncture wounds can bleed freely and apart from the need to control bleeding, the dog owner has to realize that with this kind of injury, internal bleeding is possible.
As mentioned, puncture wound are not heavy bleeders and because of the fur covering the wound, the owner may not be aware of the pet’s injuries. A puncture wound on the foot or leg would make the pet limp. A dog with puncture wounds will be in pain and because of the pain, a change in the dog’s behavior will be noticed.
A vet’s attention is necessary for serious and large puncture wounds. The pet has to be rushed to a veterinary facility to for proper evaluation and treatment of the dog’s injury. A dog owner competent in administering first aid can treat the dog’s minor puncture wounds at home. The owner has to make sure that there are no foreign object embedded on the puncture wound. Any dirt must be removed with tweezers and the wound must be flushed with water. Gently pressing the skin around the wound will induce bleeding. The blood flow is aimed to flush out any germs that have entered when the sharp object punctured the skin. Bandaging puncture wounds is not advisable as it increases the risk of infection.
Find out more about dog first aid and treatment for punctures at Sarah’s Dogs.
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