Cut on dog,

[Shadrach2986]

My sprocker has got a small cut on the inside of his back leg, about the size of my thumb nail, my wife is hassling me saying he has to go vets first thing tomorrow morning to be stitched up, and I said it will probably heal on its own,
Think he may have caught himself on barbed wire, what would you lot do.
Atb Matt

 

[reloader54]

do as the wife suggested, because the vet will know the correct course of action,, that's what he trained for.
and its the best thing for the dog, either of you could be right, the vet will decide.
that's what I would do.

 

[Sampo]

A stitch in time saves nine.

 

[shakey jake]

if its gapping and doesnt scab shut over night take to the vets, if its scabbed over just keep an eye on it

 

[James0586]

Bath In salt water/disinfectant and clean the wound to limit infection. The dog should keep it clean. Up to you if the vet is needed but I would check in the morning and act accordingly.

 

[Alantoo]

I think your wife is right.

6 weeks ago my little springer had a circular hole right through the skin behind her shoulder the size of a 5p piece. I took her to the vets expecting them to clip or stitch it together but they just gave her a jab of anti-biotics and a course of tablets to keep infection at bay and told me to leave it to the air. The vet said she could carry on working as normal. It has healed up by granulation over a few weeks..

I will do the same thing next time and also recommend you do. The cost of a jab and packet of pills is well worth it for the peace of mind.

Alan

 

[Buchan]

If it is just skin, it probably will heal on its own. But without seeing it, I can't tell what damage might be underneath, sorry.

And as this is a husband/wife issue, I'll refer to an independent third party!

 

[John Gryphon]

Dogs are far more resilient than us humans. It might seem bad but to a dog its sfa.
If he can lick it problem solved,if he couldn't get to the cut you would take him to another dog that will lick it for him...nature decrees this action.Antibodies in their saliva heal them.

 

[Richard doran]

I've had dogs with big open wounds and aslong as its kept clean and dry it'll heal in no time. Yes vets are there because they're qualified but not everything needs their attention.

 

[John Gryphon]

've had dogs with big open wounds and aslong as its kept clean and dry it'll heal in no time. Yes vets are there because they're qualified but not everything needs their attention.

Yes exactly. I ran a pack of boar dogs for years,they caught and held any size wild boar and I stuck those pigs with a knife. Those warrior dogs were often ripped,nature heals very well.

 

[Scotty99]

Vets....it's the safest thing to do....don't want to risk infection....... a quick visit, antibiotics and a stitch if needed will be cheaper than the bill for a serious infection.

 

[Shadrach2986]

Just an update, Vets gave it a little clean out and said to keep an eye on it for the next week, Should heal on its own. So result.

 

[foxdropper]

Rule of thumb is take a dog to the vet if you yourself would go to docs for same ailment .Proper clean treatment of minor wounds is mostly all that is needed HOWEVER ,our law states we can no longer treat our working dogs ourselves unless it’s life threatening .
Many a rspca case has been won by proving neglect of an barely injured animal because the owner treated it and never went to a vet .
Proof of veterinary care trumps anything they come up with providing the dog hasn’t been used in illegal activity .

 

[Dan Newcombe]

My general advice to anyone when they ask these questions is - if you don’t know yourself and are having to ask the take to to the vets.

Quite often decent sized wounds will heal up well or you can help them along but you have to be confident that you have made the right call - vets train for a long time and see a lot more injuries than your average dog owner so can stand by their advice a lot better than someone on the internet who hasn’t even seen a picture of the injuries

 

[Howzat]

My cocker suffered a deep cut 5 inches long to his inner groin area, skin in large flaps, six weeks ago, took him to the vets stitched him up took the stitches out 10 days later, wound opened back up, couldn't stitch him again so it had to heal naturaly, now its nearly healed but he still has to keep the lampshade protecter on, all this and several visits cost me £800, I wonder if I should have had a go at stitching it myself, I have seen the Boar dogs have what appear to be terrible injuries a few day later they are back out again

 

[Richard doran]

My cocker suffered a deep cut 5 inches long to his inner groin area, skin in large flaps, six weeks ago, took him to the vets stitched him up took the stitches out 10 days later, wound opened back up, couldn't stitch him again so it had to heal naturaly, now its nearly healed but he still has to keep the lampshade protecter on, all this and several visits cost me £800, I wonder if I should have had a go at stitching it myself, I have seen the Boar dogs have what appear to be terrible injuries a few day later they are back out again

Had similar wounds on dogs and 2 weeks later kept clean and dry they're all but healed up on their own.

 

[jimmy milnes]

My rule is if it was me would I go to the doctors/hospital.. If not I just keep it under observation and in this instance bathe in salt water solution 3x a day

 

[Cawdor118]

The vet gave me Manuka Honey to use as a wound covering a sterile bandages the last time mines cut herself. I cant remember there being any jabs, but there could have been.

 

[evangee]

Clean the cut with salt water as hot as the dog can stand , repeat the process as needed to keep the wound cean until it is healed. If it's a puncture as from a bite then same process and don't let it scab over. Keep it open as a scab will trap any dirt in there, let it heal from the inside. Cleaning with hot salt water is as good as anything. That was information given to me by a vet, many years ago.

 

[Gm81]

Is it a clean cut? I use superglue on myself and the dogs. Loctite and make sure you dont seal it completely so it can let infection out. But it will hold it together for it to heal where it needs to be.
But if you're not sure then go to the vets.