Best Puppy Top Tips and Treatments for Dog Bite Wounds

Written by Senior Editor Peter Gehr

We’re often talking about what to do if you are bitten by a dog, but I’m going to address the issue of when your dog is bitten by another dog, or cat. One of the most typical aspects of owning a pet is caring for your animal. These best puppy top tips and treatments for dog bite wounds to help ensure that you have enough practical tips under your belt to deal with minor emergencies. The best puppy dog treatments for home care can be performed at without the help of your vet, as long as you follow some basic guidelines on what to do, and how to continue doing it to make sure the wound heals properly and without infection.

Of course, if the wound is serious and is beyond your ability to take care of, then it would be advisable to get medical attention as soon as possible. Veterinary services can be expensive, and you don’t necessarily have to run to the vet every time your dog sneezes, but if you are faced with a serious injury do not hesitate to avail yourself of professional help.

Trying to cope with a serious injury my lead to complications with dire consequences and long-term or fatal repercussions for your dog. It’s almost inevitable that your dog will encounter another dog that may end up in a fight, or biting each other, and this is something that, as a dog owner, you can be prepared for with some advice.

Best Puppy Top Tips and Treatments for Dog Bite Wounds

5 Top Tips and Treatments for Dog Bite Wounds

5 Top Tips and Treatments for Dog Bite Wounds

There are steps you can take if your dog is bitten that can dramatically decrease the risk of complications:

1. How to Control Dog Bleeding from Bite Wound

Control any bleeding by applying a clean towel or washcloth to the wound and apply firm pressure. Dog bites tend to bleed more than cat bites and it also depends where the bite wound is located. Wounds in the highly vascular ear and nose tend to bleed a lot while legs and trunk may not bleed much.

2. Have a Vet Evaluate Dog Bite Wound

Seek immediate veterinary attention to evaluate the wound. Your vet will look to see how deep it is, judge how much dead space is involved and make recommendations for treatment. Dead space is created when the skin is pulled away from the underlying subcutaneous tissue creating a pocket of air between the skin and the underlying tissue. If the space is large, bacteria tend to grow creating an abscess. Typically one of two things will happen, your vet will clean the wound and prescribe antibiotics or if the wound is deep it may need a surgical drain.

3. How to Clean a Superficial Dog Wound

If the wound is superficial, it is cleaned by applying a small amount of KY jelly into the wound and clipping the fur around the wound. Clipping the fur makes it easy to clean the wound and prevents bacteria on the fur from contaminating the wound. The KY jelly keeps the clipped hairs out of the wound and is simply wiped off with a washcloth after clipping. The wound is then thoroughly cleaned with a chlorhexidene or betadine solution.

4. Home care for Dog Wound

Home care involves cleaning the wound gently with hydrogen peroxide moistened gauze three or four times a day and then applying a small amount of a triple antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin to the wound. It is important to monitor the wound for the three signs of infection which are: excessive redness, swelling or purulent discharge. If you notice any signs of infection then a re-check with your veterinarian is needed.

 

With timely veterinary treatment and good nursing care at home most bite wounds will heal with little complications. (Full story here)

These best puppy top tips and treatments for dog bite wounds offer a general course of action to assist you in nursing an injured dog back to health. Practical and informed steps should always be measured by severity of the wound, and the best puppy care advice I could offer is to be sure that you have considered whether or not you can deal with it at home, or if it’s time to consult with your vet in order to get the best counsel and guidance in regards to the wound. This is a case of “when in doubt, do.” In other words, if you cannot ascertain the severity of a wound, then chances are you are not qualified enough to make the call, and it’s time to get moving and get the right advice.

 

6 thoughts on “Best Puppy Top Tips and Treatments for Dog Bite Wounds

  1. Peter,
    I’ve never had any of my dogs bitten, thank goodness. However, good, sound advice for pet owners.
    Thanks,
    -Romy

    • Thanks Romy. Good news you’ve not had to deal with this problem. Peter

    • Hi Amanda. Thanks for visiting and glad you found the article helpful. Cheers, Peter

  2. I hadn’t really thought about what to do if my dog is bitten by another dog. This is good info to have tucked away. Hope I never need it, but it’s great to know.
    Thanks for sharing!

    • Hi Andy. It’s one of those scenarios that you hope won’t ever happen, but it’s good preparation just in case. I appreciate your comment. Thanks!

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