to cover a wound or not? - Page 2

What is swelling when its that quick. can not be enough time for an infection?

It is enough time for infection, and it is the body filling surrounding tissue with fluid to fight off infection. Also, the tusk being thrust into the body is causing more than just the lasceration...bruising occurs from the impact and so will cause surrounding tissue to leak fluid. The body resorbs that quickly, plus draining, which your other dogs were likely cleaning up.
The tusk of a hog is probably as filthy as an elephant tusk, and a bull's horns, so infection will ensue almost immediately.

I did a lot of wound care when I was a nurse. Moist wound healing is the goal, but if the wound is kept sopping wet, the tissue macerates (becomes too soft due to the excess moisture) and dies. (Think of how your fingers turn white and wrinkly when you've been in the bath too long.) That's why a dog has to be stopped from licking a wound sometimes.

So, not sure the other dogs licking the wound is such a good idea. It depends on how much/how often. And if there are any poop eaters in your pack, they will introduce infection with the licking.

Covering the wound with an absorbent dressing may be the way to go, but make sure air can still circulate. A waterproof dressing is not what you want, if the wound is draining heavily. You want it to be moist, not wet.

SS, a wound created by a tusk or horn needs to stay open to the air to prevent gangreen, no dreesing...the vet left it open. Dogs licking will heal unless it is constant licking, which can cause a lick granuloma to form. But that is not likely to happen from another dog. If the injured dog can get to the wound and is constantly licking it, then an Elizebethan collar should be used. Open air for tusk, tooth, horn wounds.

Reminds me of Old Yellar,

Travis, I think it's Hydrophoby..get yer gun Travis.

Yes, but Travis got hooked by the peccary, not the dog.
vk's dog got hooked by a wild hog, no peccary in Oz.

Always keep Amoxcillian and Ketoconazole and  Cephalexin on hand and use according to the illness.   Ketoconazoe and Amox are used on skin and wounds usually,.They will keep the infection from getting out of control and if your dog is only wounded slightly will do the job.. I have used for years   Bag Balm on many cuts and teeth wounds on the dogs and myself but we are all very healthy and have no other health issues.

What you do is conditional on the surrounding area the dog is in..I would keep her in a controlled patio and wash her with good soapy water and make sure she is eating good and even give her some Omega fatty acid supplements for dogs..Never hurts in time of stress to boast the immune system.

Dogs heal amazingly well.. I have seen people even use  super glue to put ears back and they healed.   THERE is a natural glue used on horses that I am sure Jenn can advise you if you can get it thru a mail order if in yiour area it is not available...Tractor supply here has the natural adhesive for wounds  Osto-Bond,  Clotisol, Vetbond and a natural Coligen paste that will all do justice to wounds like you describe..First make sure wound has cleaned itself and is open for a period of several hours before applying..

 

YR

I've found most punctures/deep wounds heal from outside in, which sucks. I've had to open them up again to clean them to avoid a big pus pocket which will last quite a while, if it doesn't abscess and cause bigger problems. LEAVE A PUNCTURE OPEN. NO DRESSING is my experience for best healing.

I have posted that chest pic many times on here as my Vetericyn testimony, but it should be stated that while it was not only a deep but also wide wound, it was vertical and was draining naturally. We cleaned it well (irrigated it thoroughly w/saline spray under a bit of pressure) and let it drain about 24 hours before putting the Vetericyn on it. 

For more of a straight puncture, I'd use peroxide to make sure any real nasty stuff was out, using a syringe if I had to, depending on depth, and then rinse it w/saline and I'd leave it alone if it appeared clean. DO NOT keep using peroxide, as it destroys good tissue as well, but it's super for bubbling nasty stuff to the surface that otherwise could not be reached. 

Thanks Jenn    I have had good luck doing as you posted for 22 years and I have had some deep torn teeth wounds on me and dogs both..All handled like you say and in good repair. Even dogs wounded by outside sources with rust etc and as bad as HOGS   tusks and my vet is always a call away if I have one question. HE knows I do not run to his office everytime I had a deep open wound or I would have to declared bankruptcy many years ago,,

My father in law had cattle ,bulls , donkeys who always had wounds and a doctor was never heard of on 333 acres of land in Oklahoma..He taught me tricks to use what we have in the natural state from  Witch Hazel to vinegar to pine tar.

Sulfur , and camphor, and even the mustard for your hot dog, are tthings we never use to day in the raw..Many natural plants heal also like Aloe Vera if we would just use them   Pour that Bourbon or whiskey, you drink on the wound and clean it up first ,,..lol

YR

 

 

Joan, covering it with a light dressing is not going to cause it to close over or prevent drainage. If that's really a concern, it should be packed with saline soaked gauze, anyway, to keep it open. The important thing is it's not stitched...that would have been a real mistake!

In human medicine, treatment for a wound like this would be to cover with an absorbent dressing to keep it clean, and keep the moisture from soiling the patient's clothes, and irrigate with a syringe of normal saline (right into the depths of the wound) once a day. If really deep, it would be packed with saline-soaked ribbon gauze to keep it open and draining. And of course, the dressing would be changed daily or even twice a day, if the wound was draining so much that the dressing was soaked.

Anyway, dogs don't wear clothes, so no need to protect it unless there's excessive licking going on....