Dogs can catch, puncture, gash, or tear their skin on something when running around e.g. brambles, sharp sticks or barbed wire, or get bitten by another animal or insect. Carpal and paw pad injuries can be common, particularly in urban areas where there may be lots of broken glass or sharp metal lying around. Dogs can also develop a hot spot because their skin has rubbed and chafed on something and these can turn nasty if not treated properly.

Or it may be the case that your dog wound won’t heal after stitches - the area isn’t healing well - it looks red, angry, and inflamed and it’s oozing.

In any of these situations, this is where a basic knowledge of first aid for dog wounds can come in very handy.

Giving your dog’s wound swift attention is essential to promote healing, avoid infection, prevent any worsening of the wound, and -  if there’s bleeding - to stop or control blood loss. At the same time you can also reassure and comfort your dog. Use a soft voice, and keep your dog calm and still. If they are panicking or thrashing around, put them on their lead so they don’t run off.

Here’s what to do:

1. Wash your hands 
2. Assess the wound -  can you see what caused it? This will give you information about how best to treat it.
3. Clean the wound - you’re probably asking yourself what’s the best way to clean a dog’s wound? To begin with, it’s recommended to trim the fur around the affected area with nail scissors or clippers so you can see what’s happening but that also makes it easier to clean and maintain.

4. Rinse and flush the area - Do this very gently, using warm water. If your dog isn’t bleeding or only very lightly, go to Step 6.

5. STOP or control heavy bleeding - If your dog is bleeding heavily you will need to try and stop the bleeding, or at least control it so you can get your dog to the vet. Get clean, absorbent material (gauze , a clean towel, or cloth - even kitchen towel if you can’t find anything else) and, using the material, apply gentle pressure to the wound. Do this for 5 minutes, maintaining firm steady pressure. Don’t lift up the material during this time. If blood soaks through the initial material, just add more material to it rather than removing it to put new material. This is so you don’t disrupt clot formation. You can lift the leg above the heart if you are sure it’s not causing your dog pain and that there’s no fracture. Lifting the limb above the heart reduces blood flow and will help you control the bleeding. This is how to stop a dog wound bleeding.  Once a clot has formed and bleeding controlled, proceed to step 5.

6. Apply a dog appropriate diluted disinfectant. Diluted Chlorhexidine (0.05% solution) or iodine solution (diluted to colour of weak tea) are the best. Soak a clean gauze pad with the solution. Dab and clean the wound. Don’t scrub as this can set bleeding off again or worsen the wound. Can I use human antiseptic on my dog? NO! Don’t use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide as these are too harsh for dogs. Let the disinfectant air dry slightly.

7. Dress and bandage the wound - DON’T USE HUMAN ADHESIVE BANDAGES.  You will need:

• A non stick sterile gauze pad
• A bandage, ideally, cohesive (learn more about cohesive bandages further down) or self adhesive bandage like Vet Wrap. Otherwise use a material bandage from a human first aid kit, which can be fixed into place with a safety pin or a knot.

Put the gauze pad over the wound. Then wrap it into place with the bandage to keep the pad secure and in place. It should be firm but not tight. It’s very important to ensure that you’re not cutting off the circulation.

The frequency with which bandages should be changed depends on certain factors:

• Clean wounds that are healing well - change the bandage once every 1 or 2 days. This lets you monitor healing, check no infection is developing, and clean the wound. If the wound continues healing well, your vet may recommend changing with less frequency
• Infected wounds, or wounds with discharge - change the bandage once or twice daily at least, or more if the bandage soaks through with the discharge or gets soiled. This helps prevent the growth and spread of bacteria
• Post surgery - your vet will instruct you. Likely you will be advised, initially, to change the bandage every 1-3 days. This will depend on drainage and procedure

Wet / Dirty Bandages - Change immediately. Dirty, wet bandages are ripe environments for bacteria, which accelerates infection.

Take your dog to the vet as a matter of urgency under these circumstances:

• If the wound is large and deep
• If there’s significant bleeding. Still take your dog to the vet, even if you’ve been successful at stopping the bleeding.
• If the wound is a bite injury
• Your dog is showing any signs of shock - pale gums, rapid breathing, lethargy or a weak pulse are all symptoms of shock and mean your dog needs urgent medical attention
• If the dog wound won’t heal after stitches, or the dog wound keeps reopening. Your vet will have given you an idea of when the wound should start making visible progress. If that’s not happening or you’re seeing signs of infection, take your dog back to the vet’s.

Dog wound infection signs are actually really obvious. If you are thinking to yourself: “My dog’s wound is red and inflamed” or “my dog’s wound is swollen” then it might be infected.

If your instincts are telling you that a dog wound’s infected, that means it probably is! If a wound is infected, it needs vet attention as it’s essential from stopping the infection entering the blood stream. 

These are the signs:

• The dog wound smells bad - foul or rotting. Wounds that are healing well don’t smell. Infection and bacterial growth makes wounds smell awful and means there’s a bad infection.
• You can see yellow, green or white pus - particularly if it’s thick (yellow or green)
• Other kinds of discharge

Brown or red, which might indicate pus and blood mixed

Cloudy liquid which is evidence of bacterial activity)

Thick or sticky discharge - normal wound discharge is pinky and clear.  Infection produces thick, sticky discharge

Excessive discharge to the point of leaking through bandages. This is a sign of infection

• The wound is swollen, red, or hot to the touch
• Moist, deteriorating tissue around the wound - it looks like it’s getting worse, not better
• The wound is sensitive to the touch. Touching it causes your dog pain.
• Fever. Your dog has hot ears, is lethargic, and off their food
• You notice your dog worrying at the wound - chewing, licking or nudging it.

Keeping a hot spot dry, clean, and (in most cases) exposed to the air will help it to heal. Here’s how to deal with a hot spot:

1. Wash your hands
2. Assess - hot spots are generally caused because of moisture being trapped against the skin and then friction.  The moisture could be because of the dog licking itself, allergies, or something irritating the skin
3. Clean the hot spot as you would for a wound, as above
4. Dry the hot spot by patting it with a soft, clean cloth or non-stick gauze. As the hot spot was caused by moisture, thus it’s extremely important to keep the hot spot dry.
5. Apply a vet-applied topical spray or cream (i.e. antibacterial sprays, or if you prefer home remedies for dog wounds then aloe vera gel). This will soothe itching and reduce inflammation.
6. Typically hot spots AREN’T bandaged. This is to keep them in contact with airflow which promotes the drying and healing of the hot spot. A bandage can also trap moisture, making the problem of a hot spot worse.
7. However, exceptions when you may need to bandage the hot spot include:
8. Your dog insists on licking it. If that’s the case, use a light, breathable dressing or a dog wound medical protection cover or elizabeth collar
9. The hot spot is oozing or large. Consult your vet - it may be best to cover it with a non-stick dressing and treat it with topical medications prescribed by your vet
10. The hot spot has turned into an actual wound or is infected. Again speak to your vet for their advice and they may suggest bandaging it to protect it while it heals
11. Keep monitoring the hot spot for any changes and to keep check on its healing progress
12. If you see signs of infection (heat, red, pus or other discharge, or bad smell - contact your vet).

Cohesive bandages are bandages that stick to themselves, rather than stick using glue or adhesive. This also means that they don’t stick to the dog’s fur, wound or skin. The bandages stick to themselves because the material of which they’re made is porous and elastic, and has been given a cohesive coating. 

They are water-resistant, breathable,  lightweight, and has elasticity and stretch for a snug, flexible fit. The cohesiveness means that they’re easy to apply and secure, and won’t hurt your dog when you’re taking it off (unlike self-adhesive bandages that can stick to the fur and skin if applied directly).

It’s important to use breathable dog bandages as it means that the wound won’t overheat or get damper than necessary, which can cause bacteria to breed and cause infection, or irrititation.

Fionia Cartoon Bandages are cohesive but have the added bonus of being impregnated with a substance that tastes bitter and disgusting to dogs to stop them licking! They are also very cheerful, in bright colours and cartoon prints.