The Basics of Animal Wound Dressing
To manage any animal wound successfully, you need to make a detailed assessment of the wound and choose the right materials carefully. Unlike humans, animal patients can’t tell us what happened or how they feel. So it’s even more essential that vets pay close attention to their wounds when dressing them.
Let’s take a look at the basics of animal wound dressing.
How to Select the Right Animal Wound Dressing
Choosing the correct wound dressing for veterinary care is the vital first step to managing a wound effectively.
Type of Dressings for Animal Care
1. Adherent Dressings
Sometimes called a debridement dressing, this type of dressing is used to debride wounds of infected or necrotic tissue. An adherent dressing can be used to create wet-to-dry or dry-to-dry dressings. (most commonly, gauze swabs are used for this) The main purpose of an adherent dressing is the manual removal of tissue from the wound bed.
The dressing sticks to the wound bed and dries out. When removed, the top layer of debris and bacteria are removed with it. When removing a dressing like this, the patient will likely need sedation or analgesia for pain management.
2. Non-Adherent Wound Dressings
Unlike the former, non-adherent wound dressings do not remove tissue when they are changed. Instead, they create a hygienic environment for the wound bed that is conducive to new cell growth. These dressings are not painful to remove and, in modern times, are generally favoured over adherent dressings.
Non-adherent dressings are not only less distressing to the patient when removed but do not open the body to potential infection risks and do not elongate the healing process in the way adherent dressings do. Here are some examples of non-adherent dressings.
- Perforated polyurethane dressings: these are often used to cover post-operative wounds where wound closures or sutures need to be protected in the early stages of the wound healing process.
- Gauze dressings soaked in a solution such as Vaseline or lotion: this creates a barrier that prevents the dressing or the wound from drying out. These should be used as a primary layer with an absorbent layer on top to soak up any exudate.
- Vapour permeable film dressings: water resistant dressings that allow water vapour to permeate, allowing the skin to breathe. Only suitable for superficial or minor injuries.
- Absorbent wound dressings: used to soak up larger volumes of exudate and cushion the wound area while maintaining an optimal healing environment.
3. Active Wound Dressings
Active dressings contain an active ingredient that aids in debridement, creating a moist environment for the wound, and promoting natural healing processes in the body. Here are some of the most commonly used active dressings.
- Hydrocolloid dressings: these dressings draw out exudate and hold it within the gel layer of the dressing pad.
- Hydrogel dressings: usually, a hydrogel is applied as a gel layer with a dressing over the top. Hydrogels have been known to be as effective at wound debriding as the wet-to-dry method without the associated pain.
- Antimicrobial dressings: dressings that use medical honey, silver, and iodine work by either releasing antimicrobial agents into the wound to tackle bacteria growth or draw out bacteria and eliminate it. Find out more about dealing with an infected wound in our article Troubleshooting Wound Dressing: What to Do When Something Goes Wrong.
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The Process of Wound Healing
Once the correct wound dressing has been applied, the wound should be monitored regularly, and the dressing changed whenever needed. Being able to spot the signs that a dressing needs to be changed is vital, such as:
- The dressing has become wet or significantly dirtied on the outside.
- Exudate has seeped through the outer layer of the dressing.
- A bad smell is coming from the dressing.
Additionally, the dressing will need regular changes regardless of the above. These changes will be more frequent in the early stages of the healing process and could be necessary several times a day. If using a debridement dressing, these changes will be frequent in the early stages to remove exudate and dead skin. For minor injuries or in later stages, changes may be between once a day and once a week until the wound has healed.
The stages through which a healing wound goes are as follows.
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Inflammatory Phase | From day 1 to day 5 on average |
| Proliferative Phase | From approximately 3 days to 2-3 weeks |
| Remodelling Phase | From 2-3 weeks to up to 2 years |
Advice to Give Pet Owners
In accordance with the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 no untrained person can perform a surgical operation, give a pet prescription medicine, or make a diagnosis. But the three aims of animal first aid tell us to preserve life, prevent suffering, and stop the situation from getting worse. So in emergency situations with animals, it’s important for pet owners to know what they can and should do.
Here is some basic guidance on how to handle pet injuries to give to pet owners.
Find more details about what pet owners can and can’t do in an animal emergency in our article The 3 Aims of First Aid in Animals and The Law
How to Dress a Cat Wound
When a cat is injured, the most important thing is to take them for an examination by your vet. You need to use your own initiative to determine whether an injury needs to be seen immediately or if you need to book a non-urgent appointment.
Your cat's injury could be urgent if:
- The cat is not conscious.
- The wound does not close.
- The wound does not stop bleeding.
- The wound is very large or appears to be deep.
- The cat is showing distressed or unusual behaviour.
- There is something stuck in the wound (never try to remove a stuck object yourself).
Things you can do for your cat’s wound:
- Inspect the wound for debris and dirt. Clean the wound with a clean, damp towel, piece of gauze, or clean cloth.
- Apply an absorbent dressing like a sterile gauze swab to the wound (you can find one in our cat first aid kit). Use a piece of bandage to hold the dressing in place. Alternatively, use your clean towel or cloth and apply firm, constant pressure to the wound while you make your way to the vet.
- Hold the wounded area above the heart level if possible and if it doesn’t distress your cat.
Find out more about cat first aid in our blog.
How to Dress a Dog Wound
Out and about, dogs can get injured, and if you’re walking in the countryside, you might need to improvise until you can see a vet. That’s why we recommend carrying a dog first aid kit with you. They’re pocket-sized, and contain several first aid essentials that can be used in a variety of common emergency situations.
It’s always best to take your dog to the vet if it has been injured. If the injury is minor or superficial, you may only need to book an appointment. If the injury is severe, you’ll likely need to see a vet straight away. In an emergency, you can take your dog to any veterinary practice.
Signs a dog has a wound that needs urgent care:
- If the wound won’t close.
- There is an object embedded in the wound.
- The wound is very large or looks to be deep.
- The dog is not conscious and can’t be woken up.
- The dog is acting in a distressed or unusual way.
- The wound is bleeding heavily or does not stop bleeding after pressure is applied for a few minutes.
Things you can do for your dog’s wound:
- Inspect the wound to check for dirt or debris, and gently clean the area with a clean, damp towel or cloth. You could also use a piece of gauze.
- Remove any debris around the wound but never insert anything into a wound to extract something.
- Place an absorbent dressing on the wound, or if you do not have one use a clean towel or cloth. You can find supplies in our dog first aid kit for this.
- Apply firm, consistent pressure.
- Bandage over the dressing or have someone hold it in place while you travel to the vet’s. You could also ask them to hold the wounded area above the dog’s heart level if possible.
When dressing a wound on a dog, take care not to bandage or squeeze too tight. You run the risk of cutting off circulation, and if your dog is already distressed, you might not notice you’re doing this.
For more information about dressings, take a look at our complete guide to wound dressing. We also stock lots of popular wound dressing types used in veterinary clinics as well as hospitals, including ambulance dressings, adhesive dressings, and eye pad dressings.
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