My dog's paw has an open wound, bone exposed. What should I do?

Such a deep wound with the bones and tendons exposed requires surgical attention from a vet. Contact your nearest clinic or animal welfare charities for a full assessment as soon as possible. Severe infection of the bones could lead to loss of the leg if not treated appropriately

Thank you for asking about this poor dog. I think there's enough evidence to say that the dog needs to go to a vet immediately. If the owners are unavailable, or are neglecting to take the dog to a vet, then please call animal control. They will ensure the dog gets veterinary treatment and will deal with the owners. I don't recommend taking the dog yourself, or confronting the owners yourself unless you know them well and think they will be amendable to taking the dog to an emergency vet. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pinal+County+Animal+Control/@32.8691312,-112.1282886,9z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sAnimal+control+85634+!3m4!1s0x872a6bd703b884d1:0x68a2426c0bf93c5c!8m2!3d32.8691312!4d-111.5679859 I hope that helps and the dog gets better soon.

I am sorry to hear that your pet has an injury to his leg and paw. Unfortunately, how to treat injuries like this depends entirely on the extent of the injury itself. This would require a more in depth conversation so that an appropriate wound management plan can be devised for your pet and this is not easy to do at home without any medical treatment (pain mediation, antibiotics if needed, or anti-inflammatories). Not to mention it could be a very painful and prolonged situation for your pet. Generally if there are broken bones then a fixture device such as a splint or cast are best used to help keep the bones stable for long enough (typically 4-6 weeks) until they are healed. However this would require splint/cast changes every 1-2 weeks depending on how fast the pet grows. Also the fracture must not be an open fracture (through the skin). If there are no fractures (sometimes can only be ruled out with an x-ray of the leg), then proper shaving of the hair and cleansing of the external wounds using chlorhexidine solution 3% or iodine (diluted 50:50 with warm water) is needed. The hair itself carries a lot of bacteria so clipping it is essential. Then depending on the extent of the skin damage bandaging this area may be needed and changed every 2-7 days. Then once the wounds are seen to be healing well and the top layer of skin is intact the bandages can finally be removed. As I mentioned before typically if there is extensive damage then your pet should get proper medications to a) prevent infection and b)ease discomfort and pain. I just don't see how any of this can be achieved without getting a professional involved unless you are knowledgeable about managing wounds in pets. I do have a couple of financial resources that you can try if the wounds seem too severe and your pet is in need of professional help and guidance so that this is treated appropriately for your pets overall care and well being. Here they are: www.carecredit.com redrover.org www.youcaring.com GiveForward  God's Creatures Ministry Harley’s Hope Foundation Hopefully some of this will be helpful for you to make the best decision for your pets care.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It depends on the location and severity of the cut as to how it would best be treated. Sometimes they can be closed, other times bandaging may be best. Ideally wounds should be addressed as quickly as possible to allow for optimal healing. Waiting another day may make closing the wound impossible if it's an option. Make sure that Moose cannot lick the wound, this may require an e-collar (lampshade cone of shame). If it is painful or continuing to bleed he should be seen tonight.

Hi there, That's a fairly deep wound and I would recommend it be repaired. I would take her to a veterinarian so they can sedate and suture the wound closed. She also may need antibiotics and pain medications. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If the bone is exposed, Ronny needs to be seen by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER tonight. He is at risk of serious infection if left untreated. Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent licking. Keep the wound clean until he sees the vet. This cannot be treated at home.

I would have Brownie examined by a vet. There looks like signs of infection, and it needs to be treated aggressively. Wounds in this area are often hard to heal since there is constant movement from the joint. There could also be something under the skin or a problem with bone causing delayed healing.