# Tips to help wound healing



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I would do what the vet said. If it's not infected, it doesn't need flushing out, it needs to stay dry.

I think you just need to supervise your dog very closely so he doesn't get to the wound, and in just 3-4 days it will be better. The wound is probably itching, which is why your dog wants to get to it so much.

Unfortunately there isn't much to do except leave it alone and let time pass.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Follow the vet's instructions!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flushing a wound is for an infected wound where you need to remove inflammatory material and bacteria. Otherwise it all needs to remain undisturbed to heal (as should have happened from the get go).


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

Ok so flushing is obviously a no no! I'm just frustrated because I've been doing everything I can to help things heal well, but being a typical playful/intelligent poodle he's not helping himself....I've just caught him now with his knee wedged in his cone trying to lick the staples again, but what am I to do when the vets told me to keep the incision uncovered?? I've been like a prisoner in my own home for the past two weeks, keeping a close eye on him, tethering both dogs when they start trying to play or when I go upstairs and can't supervise them, only doing the odd short, gentle walk (just to break the boredom!). He was due to get the staples removed this week until he managed to damage his cone so he could reach his incision, so now we're back to where we started and having to start the healing process all over again! Is there a particular vitamin/oral supplement that helps with healing?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I would ask the vet for what (s)he would consider okay to use since there have been complications with the healing process.

In the mean time you need to do brain games with both of your dogs so they will sleep the sleep of mental tiredness. Teach some tricks that don't involve wild leaping around or put pressure on the area of the wound. Mental work is more fatiguing than physical work.


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

lily cd re said:


> In the mean time you need to do brain games with both of your dogs so they will sleep the sleep of mental tiredness. Teach some tricks that don't involve wild leaping around or put pressure on the area of the wound. Mental work is more fatiguing than physical work.


Certainly can't disagree with that! I'm going to get onto YouTube now and see what new tricks I can teach them. Might also help me with the boredom. 
Now that I've caught him managing to find a way around his cone to get to his leg I'm going to ring the vet and see what she suggests. I can't watch him 24/7 so they need to suggest a better solution otherwise he's going to get himself in a real mess and I'm not happy about giving him yet more antibiotics.


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

Is it possible to put a loose breathable pant on as extra protection against him licking, it might give you a little more time to stop the licking. It's a bad place to heal up for sure.


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

Caddy said:


> Is it possible to put a loose breathable pant on as extra protection against him licking, it might give you a little more time to stop the licking. It's a bad place to heal up for sure.


I've had a look through all the drawers at home but couldn't find anything suitable, human clothes are just too short on the waist for him. I even looked online for dog trousers in desperation but they only seem to exist for miniature breeds, I guess people don't like to dress up big dogs...!
The only thing we can think of is those tubular bandages but I'm worried they'll be too tight and will not allow enough air to the wound.


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

Just wondering if a sleeve from an old shirt or sweat shirt might work, and sew on a couple of ties to keep it in place. Or one leg of a pair of pants cut to fit.


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## Summerhouse (Jun 12, 2015)

I've got a bottle of vetericyn plus hydrogel spray. It's a general wound healing product. Google it for the website info. 

My boy had a skin infection and wanted to get it healed without resorting to antibiotics. I came across the website then read reviews on forums. People had success with healing ulcers and stubborn wounds. It's not toxic if the dog licks it, my boy never even bothered trying to lick it off. It worked too!

Some reviews say it's a rip off for expensive water others call it miracle water. All I know is it worked on his skin, healed quickly and Id use it again.


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

Summerhouse said:


> I've got a bottle of vetericyn plus hydrogel spray. It's a general wound healing product. Google it for the website info.
> 
> My boy had a skin infection and wanted to get it healed without resorting to antibiotics. I came across the website then read reviews on forums. People had success with healing ulcers and stubborn wounds. It's not toxic if the dog licks it, my boy never even bothered trying to lick it off. It worked too!
> 
> Some reviews say it's a rip off for expensive water others call it miracle water. All I know is it worked on his skin, healed quickly and Id use it again.


Thank you for the recommendation. I've had a quick look online and read a few reviews with regards to its use on open wounds and it sounds excellent. I'm going to look into it a bit more and see if I can get some on next day delivery.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

A friend of mine had a hound dog with a very large open cut near his soulder. It was 8" long and gaping open 1" wide. The emergency vet cleaned it and sutured it closed. Two days later the wound margins were rotting and sutures pulling out. 

The vet knocked him out, cut off rotten tissue and filled the wound with Manuka Honey. The vet got it at a local Health food store. It comes from New Zealand and had great antibiotic properties. They put a very light gauze bandage over the wound. 2 times a day for 10 days we changed bandages and watched as the wound closed rapidly. 

In 7 days the remaining open wound was 1 inch long.....in 10 days it was completely closed. To watch this was miraculous.

Our regular vet,kept track of the treatment prescribed by the E vet and was extremely pleased. He has used the Manuka Honey on many patients, including a dog whose feet and face were burned in a forest fire. She healed quickly and beautifully, I saw her progress myself.

We live in a town with a college of Veterinary Medicine and the vet students are 
Encouraged to use some alternative treatment methods, like the Manuka Honey and chiropractic and accupuncture, which is actually taught at the vet school.

Maybe look into the manuka honey, if your vet approves. There is a lot about it on line.

Good luck.


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

Viking Queen that's very interesting, I have heard of Manuka honey and was aware of its healing properties as my mum is very much into alternative medicine/therapies. The thought of putting honey on it does frighten me a bit but it's definitely got me intrigued hearing your story so I'm going to do some reading up about it. In the meantime I have ordered a bottle of the hydragel that summerhouse recommended.


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## Summerhouse (Jun 12, 2015)

Some vets and hospitals stock medical grade manuka honey which is screened I believe to make sure it's safer to use on wounds than shop bought. I too have heard of gaping wounds being healed.

For any honey manuka or normal honey to be beneficial it must be unpasturised. Check the label before buying, if it's pasturised then your just buying flavored sugar no health benefits. 

I have heard of people with hayfever eating locally produced honey as it reduces the symptoms but only if it's raw unpasteurized.


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

Thank you summerhouse. I'm reading up on it now and have seen some of the medical grade stuff on amazon. So do you think it would be ok to use it over the staples? I presume I'd need to put a dressing over it too?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Ummm - if the problem is him licking at the wound and the staples, I would have thought adding any kind of honey would just make it even more attractive! I would follow your vet's advice on this one...


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

Fjm I see what you're saying but I'd be putting a dressing on it and holding it on with a tubygrip stocking, to keep his tongue at bay, otherwise you're right, it'd be like a big walking lollipop for him!! Having looked into it it turns out a lot of vets actually prescribe Manuka honey so I feel confident trying it. I'm go back to the vets on Monday any way so will discuss it with them.


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

What work is boys swim trunks with hole cut out for tail and safety pin the waist. I had to add a Doggy tank top to keep the shorts up, ( pin them together). 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

ItzaClip said:


> What work is boys swim trunks with hole cut out for tail and safety pin the waist. I had to add a Doggy tank top to keep the shorts up, ( pin them together).
> 
> Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


Great idea!!!!


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

This is what we've ended up doing - a tubygrip bandage with a hole cut out for his tail/bum, held up using his lead/harness to stop it slipping down his legs. I've been putting some manuka honey on the wound a few times a day and covering with a dressing (you can see some seeping through the tubygrip on the photo). So far his wounds looking good - nice and pink/clean plus the skin seems to be coming together already.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

I am so glad you have come up with a solution to the bandage issue and while he looks mighty unhappy I am sure he won't hold a gruge against you.

Happy to hear the wound looks good with the applications of Manuka Honey. I have witnessed those healing properties first hand.

Keep us posted on his healing progress.

(((Hugs)))

Cathy and Poppy


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

Viking Queen said:


> I am so glad you have come up with a solution to the bandage issue and while he looks mighty unhappy I am sure he won't hold a gruge against you.
> 
> Happy to hear the wound looks good with the applications of Manuka Honey. I have witnessed those healing properties first hand.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your recommendation on the honey, I have to say my husband and I are amazed at the results on his wound. It's been a week since he had it restapled and this morning the long and very deep incision (we could see muscle underneath!) has completely healed at each end and almost completely closed up in the centre (a week ago the staples were straining to keep the edges of the open wound together) and the skin looks lovely and pink (apparently a sign that his skin is healing). The honey has kept the wound looking lovely and clean throughout and completely infection free during the healing process. In all the times he's been restapled this is the first time there's actually been some progress with healing, all the other times there was pus and the staples were popping out and the edges of the incision just weren't coming together. The incision would scab over, then he'd lick it a couple of times and immediately we were back to square one with a gaping, infected looking wound. Even though we haven't managed to completely stop him having access to his wound, I'm guessing that the honeys antibacterial properties have helped stop the damage caused by any licking. I also think there's a lot to be said for moist wound healing, apparently it encourages cell growth and inhibits scarring.
Any way, all I can say is WOW! Thank you! I shall definitely be keeping a jar in my medical cupboard from now on!


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

I am happy for you all.

It has been a very long ordeal for your little boy. Glad to hear it is nearly over. 
We found that once the healing began it progressed very rapidly. 

Moose had full hair growth over the area and you would never know his wound happened.

I wished, after the fact, that we had taken daily pictures of the healing process, it was so dramatic.

Continued good wishes. Cathy and Poppy


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## West U (Jul 30, 2014)

Viking Queen also recommended Manuka Honey for some skin problems with my Corgi. It worked wonders and it is really yummy too.


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