dog ear cut how to treat

In the time spent with dogs, every intimate touch and joyful play is filled with warmth and love. However, accidents always happen unintentionally. When the dog's ear is cut, the shocking wound instantly tightens the owner's heart. A dog's usually agile ears, now drooping and oozing blood, how can this not make people feel heartbroken? As the closest guardian of dogs, understanding the correct way to handle ear cuts has become our top priority at this moment.

At the moment when a dog's ear is found to be cut, a preliminary assessment of the wound should be conducted. Carefully examine the cut on the ear, paying attention to the size, depth, and amount of bleeding. If the wound is small, with only superficial abrasions and less bleeding, we can try simple treatment at home. But if the wound is large, with obvious cracking, heavy bleeding, and even exposed ear cartilage, this serious situation must immediately take the dog to a pet hospital and seek professional veterinary help.

If the wound condition allows for home treatment, stopping bleeding is the first step. Prepare a clean cotton or gauze cloth and gently press it onto the wound on the dog's ear. When pressing, the force should be moderate. If it is too light, it cannot effectively stop bleeding, and if it is too heavy, it may cause pain to the dog. Press continuously for several minutes until the bleeding significantly decreases or stops. During this process, always pay attention to the dog's reaction. If it shows increased pain, adjust the pressure and position appropriately. If there is a pet specific hemostatic powder at home, after pressing for a few minutes, it can be evenly spread on the wound, which can accelerate coagulation and enhance hemostatic effect. However, it should be noted that the use of hemostatic powder should strictly follow the instructions to avoid excessive use.

Cleaning the wound is crucial after stopping bleeding. Slowly rinse the wound with physiological saline, allowing the water flow to gently remove any blood stains, dirt, and potential foreign objects from the surface of the wound. When rinsing, ensure that all parts of the wound are thoroughly cleaned, especially deep within the wound. If hair is found covering the wound, in order to prevent hair from entering the wound and causing infection, clean scissors or a shaver should be used to carefully trim off the hair around the wound. Be careful and cautious during the operation to avoid cutting the dog's skin and causing secondary injury. If there are obvious foreign objects inside the wound, such as small stones, broken glass, etc., do not forcefully use your hands to pick them, as this may cause the foreign objects to sink deeper, exacerbating bleeding and pain. At this point, the foreign object should be carefully removed using sterilized tweezers. If the foreign object is deeply embedded and difficult to remove, do not force it and immediately take the dog to the hospital for veterinary treatment.

After the wound is cleaned, the next step is disinfection. Choose pet specific disinfectant, such as iodine, dip a clean cotton swab into an appropriate amount of disinfectant, and gently apply it to the wound and surrounding skin. When applying, the action should be gentle to ensure that the disinfectant evenly covers the wound, effectively killing residual bacteria and reducing the risk of infection. Be careful not to use highly irritating disinfectants such as iodine and alcohol, as they can cause strong irritation to the dog's wounds, causing unbearable pain and potentially damaging the surrounding tissues, affecting wound healing. If the wound is deep, in addition to local disinfection, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian in a timely manner whether tetanus vaccination is needed to prevent tetanus infection.

After disinfection, bandage the wound and provide a relatively clean and safe healing environment for the injured ear. Spread pet specific anti-inflammatory powder evenly on the wound to completely cover it, promote wound healing, and prevent infection. Then, wrap the ear with sterile gauze. When bandaging, it is important to pay attention to moderate tightness. Tightness can affect blood circulation in the ear, leading to swelling and bruising; If the gauze is too loose, it is easy for it to fall off and cannot protect the wound. You can first gently wrap a circle around the base of the ear, fix the starting end of the gauze, and then carefully wrap it layer by layer along the contour of the ear until the wound is completely covered. If you find it difficult to bandage with gauze, you can also choose a pet specific wound protection patch with good breathability, which can provide effective protection for the wound and facilitate the dog's movement.

During the healing period of a dog's ear wound, daily care work is directly related to the recovery of the wound. Regularly check the wound every day to see if there are signs of infection such as increased redness, swelling, increased exudate, and odor. If any abnormalities are found in the wound, it should be immediately cleaned, disinfected, and replaced with new gauze or protective patches. Keeping the wound dry is the key to promoting healing, and it is important to avoid exposing the dog's wound to water, whether it is bath water, rainwater, or other liquids. If a dog needs to clean its body, it can use a wet towel to wipe the uninjured area, avoiding the ear wound area. To prevent dogs from scratching or licking wounds due to curiosity or itching, wearing an Elizabeth ring is an effective method. Dogs' paws and saliva contain various bacteria, and scratching and licking wounds can easily cause infections and prolong wound healing time. At the same time, it is necessary to restrict the dog's activities and avoid vigorous movements such as running, jumping, and playing, in order to prevent the wound from reopening due to ear shaking or collisions. Try to let the dog rest in a quiet and comfortable environment to create good conditions for wound healing.

A dog's ear is cut, although it is heartbreaking, as long as we master the correct treatment methods and give the dog careful care and love, most wounds can heal smoothly. However, if the wound condition does not improve during the treatment process and instead shows a worsening trend, such as continuous bleeding, suppuration of the wound, fever, loss of appetite, mental fatigue and other systemic symptoms in the dog, it is necessary to immediately take the dog to a pet hospital without hesitation.