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philologus
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What do you use on your dogs when they get cuts and scrapes?

Obviously they need the vet's attention if they are bad cuts but Archie decided to take a short-cut through a barbed wire fence and got a couple of scratches on his legs. I usually just bathe them with slightly salted water and watch for a few days for soreness etc.

Do you have anything that you usually do in these circumstances? Home made remedies?

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Guest PrairieFire

Minor scrapes and such, not requiring sutures, staples, or glue just get a good washing out - scrub with a soft brush and betadine if they've been in the feedlot - and just keep an eye on them...

 

Deeper wounds I may use an antibiotic ointment, and the surgical glue...I've yet to staple a dog or suture them, but I've got the stuff in the vet kit to use if I had to, but the glue is wonderful for the longer barbed wire cuts...

 

 

 

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Bill Gary

Kensmuir, Working Stockdog Center

River Falls, WI

715.426.9877

www.kensmuir.com

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I do wish I knew the criterion for closing a wound. One time, Scamper and Fergus were at opposite ends of a shallow tunnel with a big ol' groundhog between them. Given the choice between Fergus (a mighty fierce beast for a russell) and lil Scamper this hog made the intelligent choice and bit Scamp's nose leather in half and put a deep gash in the top of her nose.

 

I took her to a vet near the place I was hunting because I was worried about the nose leather. I figured it was mostly cartilege and wouldn't hurt to stitch it. I also thought if it wasn't set right she might have problems. Well the vet stitched it and the gash closed. I was concerned about stitching the gash and sure enough it developed gangrene.

 

A week of hot packing, meds and my own vets blistering lecture regarding the fact that I should have known better (he was right darn it), and I have been very reluctant to stitch or staple anything. I'm guessing that anything closed has to be accompanied by internal antibiotics.

 

Bites, punctures or deep scratches can be washed out with soap and hot water. I like to follow up with alchohol or peroxide (to kill germs and encourage bleeding). Then I put on panalog or neosporin. For a few days I clean it out twice or thrice a day. Once I don't see redness or swelling or feel any heat, I let it finish on its own.

 

Sign me:

Margaret who couldn't go watch Bill F run at Bloomfield cuz she's still waiting for the darn pups who grow larger and larger as we speak.

 

 

[This message has been edited by Margaret M Wheeler (edited 07-20-2002).]

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Guest PrairieFire

Margaret - the pups are starting to open thier eyes - I hope to get pictures this weekend, but I'm also getting ready for our Jordan MN trial so I ain't promising nothing...

 

They are a bit small to do outruns yet...

 

As far as closing wounds - I do actually give penicillin to any animal with deep gashes - I keep a supply of 25 ga needles for the dogs - and I know that will send some of the vets on the list into a tizzy, but it's still legal here on my own animals and I'm not sure I could afford a vet visit every time somebody got scratched or cut, its happening a lot this summer since I opened up the woods and some old pastures...

 

By the way, Wisconsin still allows me to give all my dogs their vaccinations, including rabies, as well...something I consider a ray of sanity in an otherwise tightly controlled monopoly on healthcare - human or animal...

 

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Bill Gary

Kensmuir, Working Stockdog Center

River Falls, WI

715.426.9877

www.kensmuir.com

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/me puts a long suffering expression on...and says, "No rush with the pictures, Bill."

 

/me heaves a long-suffering sigh....

 

Seriously, everything comes second to Kensmuir dogs going all out to kick some serious butt! Not that I'm competetive or anything... wink.gif

 

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Margaret

retired terrierwoman, border collie wannabe

drumlins@adelphia.net

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What about diahrrea? I've given my dogs 2 ccs of Pepto when they have the scoots. I would usually let it run its course, but in the heat, I'm afraid of dehydration - since both of them don't like their outside water bowl and seem to wait until I get home to drink inside (I've changed their bowl and keep it refilled and fresh with a drip all day. I think they just think the water inside tastes better!) They're 4 and both are well over 35lbs., so I give less than the recommended child's dose.

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Do you have "The Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Book?" It has a poop typology! biggrin.gif

 

You chuckle but I kid you not! That book has paid for itself 1000 times over for me. It just fall open to the reproduction section because from litter to litter I always forget which direction the pup is supposed to face when I "swing" it to clear its lungs. Doh!

 

Basically, I wouldn't even try to guess the answer to you question because you're right: In hot stressful conditions diarrhea could have serious implications.

 

 

 

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Margaret

retired terrierwoman, border collie wannabe

drumlins@adelphia.net

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A neighbors pit bulls used to get together occassionally and tear each other to ribbons. (He is perpetually broke and so would call us to do the vetting.) We just would use penicillin and get him to wash the wounds a few times a day with saline.

 

One of the dogs finally died (combination of old age and some nasty wounds causing loss of a fair bit of blood) so we no longer have to do that trip.

 

When Darcy was tiny and had repeated bouts of diarhea the pepto didn't seem to work. A vet told me to put her on Pedialyte until it cleared up. It took about three days but never came back.

 

[This message has been edited by Shawna (edited 07-22-2002).]

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