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 Dooley update and absolute frustration!
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| Author | Topic: Dooley update and absolute frustration! |
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Maisey Member  Posts: 1387 |
posted 11-22-2003 11:57 AM
 
As some of you know, Dooley lacerated his leg to the bone 12 days ago, the laceration runs from the carpal pad(the one on the backside of his wrist, not the dewclaw) to where his paw pads begin. It happened on a Sunday so we ended up taking him into the emergency clinic. $400 later we have had nothing but trouble. The E collar doesn't stop him from getting to it, he actually uses the collar to pick at it. Witt will help rip the bandage off or the E collar if I look away long enough. Just about the time the laceration really started to seal and look good...he jumped up and came down on Shawns leg and tore the carpal pad nearly halfway off. It wasn't healing very fast because we couldn't leave it unwrapped, it wasn't being left open to the air. I tried adding a human C collar with the E collar and although it did make it harder for him to get to it, he was still able to get at it. I have kept him with me non-stop..to work and all just to watch him. After all that frustration I took him in yesterday to my regular vet who said it looked good and took the stitches out, I was told to be careful for another week, keeping him on low activity because the carpal pad still wasn't healed very well. WELL>>>> tonight the laceration popped back open, the carpal pad looks like it is still holding, but the laceration is opened up about half of what it originally was. I cleaned it, put a gauze pad on it and wrapped it with vet wrap. It was not bleeding much at all, very slightly in fact. My question is....how long after a wound is created can it still be stitched up? Is there like a cut off...where it's been too long to stitch it? Should I just keep it wrapped and not worry about getting it re-stitched? He just finished a course of Clavamox antibiotic, should I put him on another round because it opened up again? I will be calling my vet in Monday morning, but frankly I would really like to hear your opinions. I'm so frustrated! I talked to some Catahoula breeders this morning who said if it were their dog they would use liquid bandage or super glue, I have some, but I know it stings. The internal stitches seemed to have healed up well, I think this is just the external part of the cut. IP: Logged |
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Nik Member Posts: 115 |
posted 11-22-2003 01:48 PM
Hi, I'm so sorry to hear about poor Dooley  The only bit I can help you with is about the length of time they can re-stitch a wound in. Where ever possible they try not to stitch wounds on animals as they actually heal much better if left open, my vet told me this was because any infection seeps out and the anibiotics clear away any more their body doesn't heal on it's own. My first dog had a badly cut leg where she had to have 20 stitches down it. I was on my own with her and after 3 days of watching her like a hawk I fell asleep. It must have been a half hour but she'd managed to nibble all but 3 stitches out. I took her straight to the vets when they opened but he said 3 day old wounds wouldn't be re-stitched as the risk of infection was way too high. As it was already starting to heal from the outside it'd be like sealing any infection inside. I've since had a cat who had a slash on his side that he'd got from playing outside, the vet said as it was at least 2 days old he wouldn't stitch it. I'm not sure about the super glue, but I'd just try to keep it clean and get more antibiotics... which I'm sure your vet will perscribe anyway. Hope he gets well soon IP: Logged |
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goob Member Posts: 552 |
posted 11-22-2003 06:58 PM
Most places won't do stitches after 24 hrs or so (human and dog), but I guess it depends on the wound. Annie sliced her foot open to the bone last summer when she dove in the shallow water/mud after an apple one of my nephews tossed over (you bet they got a good "talk" about that one, I was not pleased). It was on her back foot, right by the "knuckles", and went all the way up the side and part of the top. I took her up, cleaned it out with peroxide, and called the vets to see what they had to say. The vet said that because of where it was, her moving around would likely loosen up stitches anyway, if she didn't yank them herself, so just to watch it and see how it did. By the next morning it had stretched a bit more, and was about 1 1/2" long and close to 1/4" deep, gaping quite a bit, but no signs of infection, so I left it alone. I did wrap it when I took her out for her walks, especially when it was raining, because I didn't want any dirt getting in, but other then that, I just let her take care of it. She licked at it a lot, and the other dogs did their share of "preening", I just watched and tried to keep her from getting it all scummy. It was completly healed within two weeks, and no one who doesn't know where the cut was can find the scar, that's how small it is. Sooo... I guess the short version of that would be that unless it's a really deep cut still, I'd just watch it and keep it clean until you call the vet on Monday. it probably wouldn't hurt to let him clean it, but that's just personal choice, no big deal. I've never used super glue on the dogs, but have used/seen it used on a few people. If you decide to go that route, make sure you leave a hole at at least one end, so any fluid or other yuck can drain out, and keep them/it open, or it could abcess. IP: Logged |
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Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 11-22-2003 10:26 PM
Thank you Goob and Nik I appreciate it...I haven't done the liquid bandage or super glue thing yet, I'm just watching it. The only hesitation I have in using the glue is that I know the liquid bandage stings and burns like the devil, I know I won't be able to restrain him by myself and apply it and I have my doubts about my husband being much help. I've honestly never seen him like this, he just wants me to take him to the vet, take him to the vet, take him to the vet! He is just not used to dealing with animals and anything medical, or maybe it's just because it's his dog and he's so bonded to him. I'm glad he handles our children being hurt or ill better than this! IP: Logged |
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susan_cude@hotmail.com Member Posts: 813 |
posted 11-24-2003 12:10 AM
I was also going to suggest liquid bandage. Hope Dooley does better soon. Cute pics of your dogs by the way.....Susan IP: Logged |
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honeybear Member Posts: 926 |
posted 11-24-2003 10:41 AM
Poor Dooley! In my only dont take the dog to the vet incident Wylie cut her pad pretty much in half (what was I thinking) well after a week of me trying to fix it. I took her in and the said she really needed stitches but cuts need to be stitched right within a few hours so they cleaned it up and put a bandage that she had to wear for 2 weeks. it probably justs need to be wrapped like your did > let us know what the vtet says. Honeybear IP: Logged |
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