My dog keeps reopening his wound. How to clean and protect it?

Hello. Poor baby. You can use an Elizabethan cone to keep her from reaching the area. There are the rigid plastic ones which might stress her out, so I would find one of the soft, flexible ones, or one that blows up like a soft neck collar. They also make body suits for dogs that can be used after surgeries & to protect wounds. You can ask your vet for a recommendation but here is one you can buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Suitical-Recovery-Suit-Dogs-medium/dp/B00W2EHJWE. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Poor Panda! Unfortunately the safest and most effective thing in this case is going to be the E-collar. Ask your vet for tips on sizing and securing it to Panda. In some cases, a little anti-anxiety medication or sedation for a day or two can really help him keep that cone on. If it is truly a small graze, it is likely to heal in the next couple days as long as he keeps away from it. I also recommend keeping him inside if at all possible for the next couple days.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You should clean the wound twice daily with cotton buds and ideally 4% chlorxhexidine or iodine solution (available over the counter at pharmacies). If you are not able to get these antiseptic products, you should use just boiled, warm water. Also, please make sure that Ponyo is not licking or scratching the wound. Putting a head cone may be necessary. Dressing wounds in dogs is often cumbersome. If the puncture is on the chest or the abdomen you can put a small t-shirt on Ponyo to cover it up..

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If at all possible I recommend a vet visit to see if this wound could be closed. Suturing it closed may allow much faster healing than leaving it open. Otherwise be sure to keep it clean and dry. You can use an antiseptic like betadine or chlorhexidine once to clean it. Be sure to dilute cleaner then rinse well. Use just today or if the wound gets extremely dirty. Using daily can actually slow healing. Keep the area clean and dry. I recommend Ares stay primarily indoors until it is closed as he could get a maggot infestation of flies lay eggs on the wound. Using hydrotherapy or gentle water from a hose is a good way to keep it clean. If there is swelling, discharge or pain, Ares needs to see a vet for medications. I hope he heals quickly.

I'm glad you are taking Loki into the vet in the morning! Yes, cover it tonight with a bandage to protect it. Put a cone on him to keep him from licking the area. If you don't have one already, I will put a link below on how to make one at home. I hope this helps! https://www.rover.com/blog/how-to-make-a-diy-cone-of-shame-for-a-comfier-happier-dog/

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You should clean the wound with cotton buds and warm, boiled water 2-3 times a day until you see your vet. Putting a cone back on is an excellent idea too. Your vet will likely prescribe Apollyon an antibiotic cream and maybe will put a stitch or two to close the small opening in the wound.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Wound dehiscence is probably one of the most frustrating things to treat for that same reason of sometimes taking longer to heal than typical. However, it is indicated to continue treating this through a veterinarian as there are really no at home treatments for something like this. Having said that, it is important to continue to use an e-collar to avoid self-trauma and one thing you can do is limit her activity as much as possible as often times it is the continued motion what affects healing the most. Good luck and have a great day!