When is a cut vet worthy?

Alright, my brother's a moron and I told him not to let Java out into our back room while I was making up the food. But...he did and Java got my mix in the face. I got them apart real quick, but Dunkin has a cut in his muzzle right at the line where his nose is, any further over and it would have been his nose. It looks pretty deep but doesn't look like anything is damaged in there...it took a few minutes before it even bled. I've never really had an incident previously, and generally they got along fine unless it's around food and even then they've never really got at each other just a few growls. I obviosly still take precautions and they're not allowed together when it's feeding time/I'm preparing food, and they're always kenneled if I'm not in the room with them (just for the record ).

Being that I don't have much experience with cuts (other than scrapes) what should I do in this case? What's the best way to keep it clean and for it to heal properly? I'm guessing it's not needing of vet care, but I could be wrong. Maybe I'll take a pic and post it and see what you guys think. I'd prefer not have to go to the vet and spend $100+ on something that I don't need to.

 

IMO anytime you dont know how to care for a wound its a vet visit - infection is your worst enemy! Post a picture, and if its minor i can let you know how to keep it clean and care for it till it heals.

 

i would say with bites, inparticular, especially since the mouth can harbor such nasty bacteria, it might not be a bad idea to get it looked at, simply for the fact that the vet/techs can flush it and properly clean it up.
and
perhaps administer you a round of antibiotics, if need be.
i had this situation on monday: two of mine went at it and one took 4 stitches to the head, much in the same area as yours. i brought her up to work, she was put under, flushed, cleaned, stitched, etc, and she still got an infection. she was back to work with me yesterday to be recleaned, (as it had abscessed) and a stronger antibiotics was then administered, (and will be for the next 10 days or so).
yeah, even tho we did everything "right" again, with bites, hence, puncture wounds, they need to be cleaned REALLY well, and allowed to heal from the inside out. since mine had to be stitched, (tho it sounds like yours does not) bacteria was trapped inside, and then the wound ruptured when a pup hit her head, and by that i mean bumped into her. (she probably felt a lot better tho, having that pressure released.)
as far as keeping yours clean, allow it to drain, so make sure it doesn't scab over. watch for signs of infection: swelling, redness, oozing, elevated body temp, ...and if you see any of these symptoms bring that dog in.
me personally, i don't wait, but that's mostly because it's what i do for a living, plus, my "fees" are free! so $'s never an issue for me.
if in doubt error on the side of caution....~which is probably the best advice i can give you...

 

I am not a vet,but this is what "I" would do if I were in your shoes...

Go get a bottle of betadine(approx. $7) and a bottle of Hydrogin Peroxide (approx.$1)..In a syringe (without the needle) mix it 50/50 and flush out the cut 2x a day until its healed..

Some people(such as myself) dont have money to throw around everytime one of there animals gets a cut so it is better to learn basic first aid and have the appropiate meds in case a problem like this should arise..

I am in no way insinuating that people should not take their animals to vet,but for minor situations like the one mentioned "I" wouldnt waist the money..

 

Thank you for your input everybody! It's greatly appreciated. Normally I would have already been at the vet as soon as it happened, but cash is extremely tight. I just dished out my entire savings on my car just 2 days ago...and I'm far from having a decent job :rolleyes:.

I'm going to go ahead and flush it myself and keep an extremely close eye on him. I did try to get a picture but I can't really get it so you can see it right...it just looks like a scrape in the pictures. I gave him some Arnica for the soreness as usual, it tends to work miracles on him (was a life saver when he was first diagnosed with lyme disease when he was a baby). My poor pansy dog

 

the thing with this method is this:
hydrogen peroxide should be a "one shot deal" reason being, it kills both good AND bad tissues. it should be used only initially because using it more than once can actually do more harm than good. the more you allow it to "bubble away" it's actually killing the good tissue, and the longer it's gunna take for that cut to heal. so i politely disagree that it should be used 2x a day til it's healed. i question how many vets will tell you to do this, as it will compromise the tissue that is still healthy.
i understand about the money issue, but if you're gunna do the home remedy thing, i would suggest going to a store and purchasing some saline (Normal Saline~it's steralized) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saline_(medicine)
and using that to clean/flush it. then apply a lil triple antibiotic creme (don't smother the cut, as again, it NEEDS to "breathe" and heal, again, from the inside out.) and don't cover it
watch for signs of any infection due to the invasion of bacteria.

 

As I stated "Im not a vet" ..After readin Suki's last two post its appearant that he or she is a vet tech(or something similar) so I would definetly listen to the advise he or she has given..

The betadine/peroxide combo that I mentioned had worked for me in a similar situation,except the dog received a gash on her nose from the bottom of a chain link fence that was exposed just underneath the privacy fence..I flushed the wound 2x a day for 3 consecutive days and it healed completly without any complications whatsoever..

Suki,would you advise giving antibiotics for a simple cut on the nose?.

 

One of the best investments ANY dog owner can make is to
a) take a first aid class for pets

b) invest in a first aid kit for your pets.

I am not 100% sure but I think the American Red Cross offers pet first aid? These type of classes are extremely good especially if you have more than one dog. Or if your dog is prone to injuries. Just a thought.

 

a "simple cut on the nose"? no....just be sure to clean it out, good.

but a wound from a bite falls into a different category, imo.
(ironically, as i was reading this thread, a cat came into the clinic, due to bite wounds, from an unknown origin, which immediately means quarrantine, so as we're cleaning up the cat, i asked the medical director that i was working with, "hey Blake, when would you seek the assistance of a vet, due to a cut from a bite"?
his immediate answer was "everytime, due to bacteria".)
so
there you have it from the mouth of a Medical Director. take it or leave this advice, as you all see fit, the timing was just strange...

and TRUST me, i know! working with animals is a VERY low paying job, so NONE of us do it for the $, but again, since my care is free, this thankfully is not an issue for me. yet it would be for me, as well, if i did not work where i work, so i understand the concern regarding $, as vet bills can certainly be costly.

hope this helps.

 

Well, I'll leave him be for tonight...I cleaned it out with peroxide. And I'll give my vet a call in the AM and try to get him in tomorrow early afternoon. Thanks for everything from everybody. He seems ok, his muzzle is a little swollen, it doesn't look like it's really cut related as it is from the whole ordeal if that makes sense? He's had swelling just like it in the snout from running into a wall one time (am I the only one with dumb dogs? lol). If it gets worse I'll just call out of work and bring him in the morning.

 

just a side note to what everyone else has said. you can easily and legally purchase antibiotics for dogs over the internet. not in all states, but almost all. and with a little guidance from someone, you can learn how to do it pretty easily. i would just make sure if you decide to go that route, make sure someone who is properly certified instruct you.

 

A while back, while walking one of my dogs, two off leash pit bulls rushed him and the male got a couple punctures on him. One puncture was along the ribs and the other was where the back leg meets the torso. I took care of it completely from home. I flushed it with peroxide first, and used alcohol afterwards for daily flushing. Also used Tri-Care's 3-way wound treatment for horses and dogs. The main thing I worried about was closing and causing an abcess, so I had to to cut it back open twice. When I cut it open, I flushed with peroxide. It healed back pretty quickly, and there are no scars and all. No infection during the healing process, either.

Just sharing a personal experience that worked out for me.

If I redid the same situation, I would use saline solution rather than the alcohol.

 

Main thing is too keep the wound clean with some kind of antiseptic solution. Infection occurs when wound is not cleaned properly or gets contaminated during healing. If infection sets in the next step will be to use some kind of antibiotics. You can buy antibiotics from any petshop labeled under fish antibiotics like Pen and Amox or you can go to a feed store and get some PenG or other antibiotics. Every responsible dog owner should know or learn the basic medical care needs for your pets especially for this type of breed.

 

Alright, so the swelling's almost completely gone today. I do think it was just from the impact of it all. I got saline solution and have been making sure any scabbing is taken off as soon as I spot it. I flushed it out with the saline twice today and put a small amount of antibiotic cream on the wound. I did call the vet but they don't have any room for him until Tuesday unless I pay a $100 emergency fee ontop of everything else. I think I'm going to give it a shot myself. I was actually at a feed store and a petshop today trying to see if I could see anything that was an antibiotic but had no luck. I'm going to take a peek tomorrow now that somebody actually mentioned it being available, I have to go buy one of those stupid plastic cones anyway (attempted switching to kibble for convenience after feeding raw and he had a reaction to it and won't stop biting at himself...need him to stop so it will heal up). Poor dog's falling apart :rolleyes:

Thank you again to everybody that has offered their guidance. I really appreciate it. I love this site

 

He is probably allergic to a certain ingredient in the kibble you are feeding. Try and find a good kibble with no wheat,soy,Dairy,corn or corn gluten as he could be allergic to one of those ingredients. You might have to spend more money for better quality kibble but its worth it to keep your pet happy and healthy.

 

Flush with water and then betadine twice a day. Watch her close and if you're worried about infection you can give her some amoxicillin. If it looks bad just take her in. Thats pretty much the drill my vet went through with my dogs when I had to bring them in, and since then, I pretty much do that if they get a cut. I told my vet that's what I do and he said that it was the right thing. Now puncture wounds are a whole different ball game and require more attention, but if the gash is a minor as you make it sound it shouldn't be a big deal. Hope she gets better.

 

Oh the dog food is definitely free of wheat, corn, etc because he has had allergic reactions in the past. I got him at 6 weeks and they thought he had mange his skin was so bad from the dog food (puppy chow or something similar). I use to feed canidae, and then went to a raw diet. Due to time constraints I figured I'd go to another good kibble (Oracle). No luck. I found a natural store that actually will buy the meat in bulk and separate it for less money that it is for me to buy it myself. So we're back on raw. It's just that he has the tail chewed so now it's naturally itchy. Bitter Apple is working to keep him from it (although I have to reapply almost hourly) and I have anti-itch stuff on it.

 

WOW 2 Vet opinions for a cut...lol you fella's need your head checked, wash the damn thing up with some chlorohexidine soap, and keep it clean, it ain't rocket science. Im all for Vet care, Im a tech, but come on ppl, read a book and do something for yourself.

 

Naturally itchy??? Nothing as itchy natural for that long.... sound like a food allergy might be barking up the wrong tree, what about contact allegy, or phycogenetic..??

 

neosporin, CAMPHOPHINEK/babyoil
dog and humans can use just about the same things except tylanol
so if its not that bad and dosnt need stiches go to the store and get some cut ointment and clean cut daily as you would your self