Darwin has a gash on his leg, ADVICE NEEDED...

[Camilla and Darwin]

So I just found a gash on Darwin's leg. It looks like a "v", and each side of the "v" is about 1" long. It's from earlier today so the blood has clotted a little bit, but he's been licking it and blood is still coming away when I wipe it with a wet paper towel. I am going to take him to the vet tomorrow morning, but for tonight what should I do? 

Rinse it with Hydrogen Peroxide? Is there some kind of ointment I should put on it? Do any of you have an idea of how I can keep him from licking it, because we don't have a cone. It's on his upper hind leg. 

Thanks!

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

I think you are fine on your own... Not sure what else the vet will do if it doesn't warrant stitches. Just do neo 3xs a day and keep him from licking and see how he is on Monday...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would be worried about infection. I personally would take him in, it sounds like more than a superficial scratch. When you say a ton of stuff came off it, what kind of stuff?

[Jennifer and Jack]

I agree about infection, Jack had a tiny little abrasion that I almost didn't bring to the vet but decided to just to be safe, I swear it was nothing, turns out it was staph infection. He is on two weeks antibiotics!!!! good luck hope he feels better!!!

[Lynn D.]

Keep it clean and dry and watch for signs and symptoms of infection- redness, swelling, heat, oozing, pain or drainage.

 

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I'd rather be safe than sorry (infection) Good luck and hope it gets better fast!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Maybe you could private message F Parker to see what she thinks about the need to go to the Vet.  It sounds like you did all the right things.  Poor Darwin.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

F will say what Lynn said -  watchful waiting.

[F, Calla & Luca]

So right. I didn't see this til now. As to tetanus, I don't know much about it in dogs but I would check with the vet just in case. In people it is of most concern with deeper wounds since tetanus needs anaerobic, no oxygen, conditions to grow. I wouldn't worry about antibiotic ointment or creams applied to wounds either. They might help and the small amount a dog might ingest should be no problem. I guess a lot of ointment on a deep wound might prevent oxygen from getting in but that seems farfetched, si I don't know why vets don't use ointments much. I don't have much vet experience since I only have gone on one occasion for the doods other than for regular  visits.

[Ginny Nightingale]

The vet may give you antibiotic--that could be really important--but  if it seems to be healing OK, then you could put that off unless you see an issue. My Lyric has two wounds on her back (she runs under a bush all the time and i think she got stabbed a bit) and I have been putting neosporin on for several days and it is healing up fine.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Calla get things like this on her head from trying to get under things like scratchy shrubs. Then I find these scab like things. I almost brought her in last time but I did watchful waiting. It's only a matter of time before she gets another.

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

 

Most of you are mothers to human children.  What would you do if this were your child?  I think you would clean it up and put an antibiotic ointment on it and bandage.  Then if it got worse call the vet.

 

I know that we are overly protective of our little ones but sometimes we have to take a deep breath and not worry so much.

 

I do hope that this heals quickly. 

 

To be safe you may want to call the vet and see what he/she thinks.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

For me, the problem is that a dog has fur and does not have pores, so applying ointment to a dog's skin is a different proposition than applying it to human skin. Kids also don't lick their wounds. I know people do use antibiotic ointments on their dogs, but I have never done that, and I have never had a vet advise me to do it, in 35 years of being responsible for my own dogs.Wound treatment meds from the vet have always been in a powder, liquid, or spray form, as opposed to ointment. So I'm just not comfortable with that. This is just my own personal experience, but I have to think there's a reason why I've never been given an ointment for a dog, except for ear issues.