Dog urethrostomy healing: wound care, bathing, and licking concerns?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the photo, it looks like Milo has sutures under the skin, which you cannot see. There does seem to be a mild amount of swelling and redness of the incision, and a very slightly opened area. Swelling and redness, especially if accompanied by discharge, are signs of infection. Milo should definitely be wearing his E-collar at all times. Licking and chewing can cause the sutures to loosen and the incision to open. You can apply a warm compress the the area several times a day to reduce swelling and promote healing. If you notice that incision opens more, there is any bleeding or discharge, or the area feels hot to the touch, Milo should be seen by his vet as soon as possible. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It really appears to be healing well on its own though it is hard to tell. If it continues to heal, it may not need any therapy at all. If at any point it starts bleeding or releasing a discharge or becomes bloody or painful, have him evaluated by your veterinarian at that point for further assessment. Otherwise, this is possibly going to heal on its own. Good luck and have a great day!

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.

I would recommend getting a larger ecollar and let your veterinarian know that this has occurred. He probably is trying to get to the sutures and this is the only area he can reach. This will get worse if he keeps licking. Your vet may just extend his antibiotics or just tell you to keep it clean. His incision looks great! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Kona. Poor girl. I would gently clean her wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. To keep her from licking at it, you can put an Ecollar on her. You can get one at a pet store or make one at home. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The safest thing to use to clean it would be using a dry towel to dry the area carefully of course to avoid irritating the incision. I assume you mean that he had a PU surgery recently. You may then use a wet towel to get the urine smell off. I recommend that you check with your veterinarian to have the incision reevaluated as urine can irritate the incision and also he should not be urinating like that. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think that area should have had stitches, so I’m assuming Buddy licked them out. It only takes a few seconds for a dog to remove them. He should be wearing an E-collar or a donut at all times. He shouldn’t lick that open area either. Clean it well with soap and water and apply a triple antibiotic ointment. It likely will heal on its own as long as he doesn’t continue to lick. I wish Buddy a speedy recovery!