My pet's surgery wound is bleeding. Should I clean it or wait for vet?

You can clean the area with warm water and mild soap. If the area does not close within a day, continues to bleed, has a discharge, an odor or is increasing in size Bugsy needs to be seen by a veterinarian. He should also stay indoors until the area is healed.

Poor guy. Bite wounds often are left open in small areas to allow the infection to drain out before it then heals over by 2nd intention healing. I would only suggest covering this with a loose t-shirt for now. As long as there are no signs of infection (yellow or purulent discharge with a foul odor) and no large gaping openings (typically >2 cm), then it should be ok to wait until Monday to get him checked again by your vet. Based on the picture I don't see any majorly open wounds there. You can safely flush this area with sterile saline from your local pharmacy to help keep infection at bay since the wounds are slightly open. But again, dog bite woulds can be left often for the first few days to allow draining to occur before things heal up on their own with granulation tissue that the body will make itself. I do hope that Aussie's wounds heal up well soon! Best of luck moving forward and take care.

Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further trauma. Have him examined by your veterinarian to diagnose infection or injury. Yoda may need both antibiotics and medication for pain or inflammation. If you can't take him just yet, clean the area with diluted betadine or chlorhexidine and place an e-collar on him. You can buy them in most pet stores. Monitor for resolution, but if gets worse or if he becomes lethargic or stops eating, get him to your vet.

This presentation could be due to a trauma (bite wound) and/ or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be continued at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths (twice daily). I would recommend to shave fur around the wound (clippers are best as if you do it with scissors you may injury him) to be able to clean the area best as possible. After cleaning you can dry it up and apply any cream containing zinc oxide (like sudocream). Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. 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.

If the wound is deep, ideally, your dog should be physically examined by a veterinarian. Sutures (stitches) may be needed to close the cut. If it is superficial, you may be able to manage it at home. I suggest carefully trimming (use clippers, not scissors) the hair away and cleaning the area gently with a diluted Betadine, chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) or similar [antibacterial solution](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-wound-and-skin-care-for-dogs). Dry thoroughly afterwards. A dab of a triple antibiotic ointment can be applied to a minor wound. Place an [e-collar](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/well-and-good-e-collar) (cone) on your dog to prevent licking. If the wound shows no signs of healing after a few days, consider an exam with your veterinarian. Monitor for lethargy,[ fever](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-signs-your-pet-has-a-fever), [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/vomiting-1/), [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/diarrhea-1/) or loss of appetite. Check the wound daily for redness, swelling, bleeding or discharge. These are all symptoms that warrant a visit to the veterinary clinic. In the future, it is always best and safest to have an [experienced groomer](https://www.petcoach.co/article/heres-why-you-need-a-professional-groomer) or your veterinarian remove any burs or matting from your dog.

Unfortunately your picture of Spec's wound is a little blurry, but it looks bigger than a simple scratch to me. It also looks quite red, and it appears that there may be some discharge coming from it. If this wound is on his surgical incision, I would be concerned especially if he was bitten. Cat bites typically become infected and abscess. Gently clean the area with warm water and antiseptic soap, and I would have this wound examined and treated by a vet today. Best of luck!

It's best to just leave it for now. The wound will be small, but deep, so if you try to wipe away all the blood right now, it will likely make it bleed. It's best to wait 10 days before doing that. For now, you can gently blot away the blood with a cotton ball soaked in warm water. Blot around the wound and try to avoid the center.