My dog has a deep leg gash. Can liquid bandage work or needs vet?

Ouch - poor pup! This wound looks quite deep, so yes - I would definitely recommend a vet visit. This may need stitches, depending on how long ago it happened, and your pup will certainly need antibiotics to prevent it from becoming infected while it heals.

This wound requires an immediate check up and possibly a stitch up as it seems infected and it is unlikely that will heal without immediate intervention. Proper disinfection and antibiotic treatment is required. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Hello, sorry to hear about Millie. That looks like a large wound which may not be able to be closed with primary closure (stitching it up). I would clean it thoroughly with iodine and bandage the leg for 1-3 weeks. You're going to need to change the bandages every day initially, then every 2-3 days. until its healed. If it doesn't become infected it may close on its own, but there is also a good chance that it may not. Your bandaging material should include a non-adhesive gauze pad, cotton wrap, roll gauze, and CoFlex or Coban wrap. All of which you can pick up at your pharmacy. Make sure the leg is completely dry before applying the bandage. Your bandage should incorporate from the toes to below the knee. Key points, clean the wound prior to bandaging the first time only, make sure the leg is dry prior to bandage, keep the bandage clean and dry, change the bandage every 2-3 days, make sure the bandage is not too tight. You may use some neosporin around the wound edges only. Best of luck, hope this helps.

I am so sorry to hear that Felicia had this wound on her leg. I am sure it is very unsettling for you both. From the pictures you have provided it looks as though the wound may be deeper than appears, and thus may require a trip to the veterinarian. The wound appears to have been caused by a puncture, such as a bite, or perhaps if Felicia got caught In a Fence. These types of puncture wounds are often deeper and have caused more tissue damage then can be visualised from the surface. I bet would start by examining Felicia, and the wound itself. The wound would be cleaned and disenfected, the vet may need to sedate Felicia to debris even the wound, if necrotic or unhealthy tissue is present. The vet may chose to surgically close the wound with sutures or leave it open to drain and heal wiith scar tissue. The vet may also prescribe pain relief, anti-inflammatory medictaions and antibiotics to treat a possible infection, or prevent one. I would advise the seeing the vet within the next 24 hours. In the meantime you can continue keep Felicia as calm and rested as possible, and do not use any over the counter medications without the direct advice from your vet. I hope that this answer was helpful, and more importantly that Felicia feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both.

It's a bit difficult to tell from these pictures, but it does appear deep and wide enough that it will need stitches. It's best to take him to a vet soon, because the wound will heal better the sooner it is cleaned and stitched. For now, you can flush the wound using a syringe or other dispensing device with warm water for five minutes. This may not be easy, because dogs tend to hate water getting near their face. I recommend having someone help you with holding Wish to make sure the wound gets flushed well. Infection is the biggest concern with these wounds; so after flushing, it's best to apply an antibacterial cream to the wound. Your vet will be able to advise further treatment after evaluating it. I hope that helps and Wish gets better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I agree with you, this wound does look deep enough that it would require stitches. Further local therapy wound include flushing, debriding and sutures and antibiotics would be recommended as well. I recommend that you have Maverick evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Usually these wounds are treatable and respond well to appropriate management. Your veterinarian would also be able to prescribe medications for pain as he is likely experiencing pain to some extent. Good luck and have a good night!

The best thing to do right now is keep it covered with a clean towel. It can be secured with masking tape. Don't try to clean it since that could cause bleeding to start if it dislodges a clot. Gypsy needs to see the vet in the morning so it can be evaluated and she can get started on antibiotics and appropriate pain medications. Depending on what the vet finds, it may be able to heal on its own (called second intention healing) or it may need surgery to remove dead tissue or cover bones if they are exposed.