Question:

When does a wound need to be seen by a veterinarian?

Answer:

Wounds that obviously will require stitches or that continue to bleed or leak serum require veterinary attention after getting the initial bleeding under control with direct pressure. If the wound is small and/or very superficial, home nursing care may suffice, but consult with your veterinarian.

Wounds on pets are different than those that occur on humans. It is typically much more difficult to keep a wound on a pet adequately cleaned, disinfected and bandaged. Do not apply hydrogen peroxide to wounds as it can damage exposed tissue or cause a clotted wound to begin bleeding again.

Always be cautious when providing first aid to a wound on a pet, as it may be painful and the natural response is for the pet to bite. A nylon muzzle is a good idea to have in your pets’ first aid kit for this reason. The pet will want to lick the wound, bathing it in a constant source of bacteria from the mouth.

You may or may not know what caused the wound. I would often wish I could be like Dr. Doolittle and talk to the animals. I am almost there, but haven’t quite figured it entirely out yet. It would be quite helpful if our pet could tell us how it got a new wound (if we didn’t see it occur). What if a wound on one of our pets was caused by a snake bite, particularly a poisonous snake? (25% of poisonous snake bites lack venom and will not necessarily produce a reaction at the site!!) Of course this situation would require immediate veterinary attention. A similar situation can result in a cat fight bite wound. Here again we often see very little of an initial local reaction, however the normal bacteria that every healthy cat harbors in its’ mouth (usually Pasteurella multocida) has been introduced into the bite wound and within a few days will result in a pus-filled swelling accompanied by a high fever as the body tries to fight the infection. If you have ever experienced a cat bite wound, you know what I am talking about. Early in my veterinary career, I ended up hospitalized, on intravenous antibiotics for a week subsequent to being bit on my thumb by one of my feline patients.

To specifically answer your question: in general and if ever in doubt, see your family veterinarian to examine most wounds. This may save your pet the likelihood of a subsequent infection and the pain and discomfort associated with a slow healing wound. If the wound is superficial and does not look inflamed (red, swollen, warm to the touch) or infected (discharging pus), keep it clean and monitor it.

Dr. Revoir’s veterinary opinion should only be used as an educational guide and in no way should be substituted for licensed veterinary care. Your veterinarian should be consulted in all health matters involving your pet.