King County Search Dogs - K9 Cuts and Scrapes

Cuts and Scrapes on Dogs

By Jon Wieringa, B.S., RVT
February 1999

Probably the most common injuries our dogs come up against are lacerations and abrasions. These can be environmental (scraped pads on concrete, cuts from barbed wire, thorns in a paw), self inflicted (hot spots), or can sometime result from interactions with other dogs (I won't mention any names here). As with people, some parts of a dogs body are more vascular than others and will bleed more. Some wounds which bleed profusely, such as those on ears, are generally fairly minor injuries, while a deep puncture may bleed very little, but be very serious.

First aid for abrasions is fairly simple. First, if possible, clip the hair away from the wound. If you use scissors, be extremely careful. Don't pull the hair up and trim, or you can pull skin into the scissors and cut it, which will then require suturing (ask me how I know this from personal experience). Keep the scissors parallel to the skin. A good set of clippers is a must for your home K9 first aid kit. Flush the abrasion with copious quantities warm saline solution (you can make your own with one tablespoon of salt added to one gallon of warm water). Gauze sponges can be used to gently remove debris, but if you have to scrub too hard, it's generally better to have your vet do it. Don't use any kind of soap to clean the abrasion, as this will tend to dry out the skin and may irritate it. Topical antibiotics, such as neosporin, may be used to make the handler feel better, but the dog will probably lick it off anyway. Worse, it may encourage the dog to lick the area, slowing healing. If the scrape is on your dogs pad, frequently caused by playing ball on cement or asphalt, use of a bootie, with or without padding, may help our partner get around more comfortably. Hot spots are a self-inflicted abrasion in which the dog has licked or scratched some irritation (such as a flea bite) until it is raw and red. Often dogs will keep working at hot spots long after the original irritant is gone. Treatment for these is similar to that for normal abrasions, but if the hot spot covers a large area or is deep, oral antibiotics are probably needed. Secondary bacterial infections are common in this type of wound. Keep in mind that there may be an underlying condition, like fleas, that needs to be taken care of as well. In either case, if the K9 licks the area frequently, use of an Elizabethan collar ("lampshade") may be indicated.

Lacerations can be more serious than abrasions. As with any injury, always check your dogs ABC's first and treat for shock if appropriate. Treatment depends on the degree of severity of the lacerations, but the first step is to stop the bleeding. As with people, direct pressure is the key. Place a 4x4 gauze pad, clean cloth, or other soft material directly over the wound and apply firm pressure. If the pad soaks through, don't remove it, but place another on top of it and continue to apply pressure. Smaller lacerations will stop bleeding quickly, and lacerations on the trunk may not bleed significantly at all. If you're unable to stop the bleeding with direct pressure, apply a pressure bandage by wrapping the wound with padded gauze, then tape or vetrap (if you'd like a demo, come find me at training sometime). Wrap just tight enough to stop the bleeding while you're on your way to the vets. Check your K9's toes frequently to see if they are warm. If the toes are cold, your bandage is too tight and can cause permanent damage if left on for too long. Finally, stay calm and keep your head. You'd be amazed how much even a small dog can bleed and still be fine.

If the wound is caused by a bite, the chances for infection are high and prompt medical attention is important. This can go for any laceration that is deep or extensive. Local signs of infection are heat, swelling, redness, and discharge. Systemic signs include loss of appetite, lethargy, depression and fever. If your K9 has had a laceration more than 24 hours old and is showing any of these signs, he/she needs to be seen at your vet right away.

Again, as with any injury or illness, if you're worried, call your vet. The phone call's free, even if the office call isn't. -