Worried...open wound...vet tonight?

rubiesarered

Found a sore patch on dog's leg yesterday. Just washed with warm salt water and thick white pus came out. Now she has a hole in her shoulder/leg. Should I get her to an after hours vet?

Hooked

If it were me... I'd keep it clean, and get to a vet tomorrow morning. You'll probably need an antibiotic to prevent/fight infection and something at the site itself I'd imagine.

I wouldn't fret tonight, personally. But I'd be in the vets at 9am.

maringo

Doesn't look too bad so I'd bring her to vets tomorrow as it looks a bit infected.

rubiesarered

Thanks. I've trimmed the hair away so it won't matt. I'll wash it again in the morning and then go to the vets. She cant reach it with her paws or mouth so shouldn't be able to scratch/bite the area tonight.

Hooked

pawsandheels wrote: »

Thanks. I've trimmed the hair away so it won't matt. I'll wash it again in the morning and then go to the vets. She cant reach it with her paws or mouth so shouldn't be able to scratch/bite the area tonight.

Let us know how you go... Dogs are hardy creatures. What looks nasty to us - is not half as bad to a dog. I've had to patch up my share of bites, split pads (glass) and cuts or sores. Try not to worry tonight.

rubiesarered

Thanks for the reassurances. She snored the whole night while I tossed and turned in case she needed me!!

The wound was dry this morning and there was no crust on it so I think I must have gotten out all the pus when I cleaned it after it burst. I bathed it again with warm salty water just to keep it clean. I have a vet appointment this evening and someone will be checking in on her during the day.

I've still no idea what/how/when the wound happened. She was groomed three weeks ago and her hair cut very short so I/the groomer would have noticed if there was a lump/abscess back then. She loves having her chest rubbed too so I don't think it can be more than 3 or 4 days old.

spur

pawsandheels wrote: »

Thanks for the reassurances. She snored the whole night while I tossed and turned in case she needed me!!

The wound was dry this morning and there was no crust on it so I think I must have gotten out all the pus when I cleaned it after it burst. I bathed it again with warm salty water just to keep it clean. I have a vet appointment this evening and someone will be checking in on her during the day.

I've still no idea what/how/when the wound happened. She was groomed three weeks ago and her hair cut very short so I/the groomer would have noticed if there was a lump/abscess back then. She loves having her chest rubbed too so I don't think it can be more than 3 or 4 days old.

This reminds me of a similar night with one of mine. He's very hairy and he was doing "roly-poly" and I noticed this wound - horrible thing, like a big hole on his side. I bathed it and planned on taking him to vet the next day. I barely slept that night, convinced he'd die during the night. I realised that night that he has a habit of panting for a few seconds after cleaning himself - I had never noticed before and every time he'd do it, I was out of bed to him. The vet sprayed it with something, gave him an injection, gave him a course of antibiotics and steroids and reassured me it was a very recent wound! We think he got it on one of his Houdini attempts through the hedge/wire. He was perfectly fine - in truth both before the vet and after the vet!!!

And I'd go through the same night of worry again if it happened again! Between the 2 of them I've lost weeks of sleep - and neither of them have ever had more than a cut!

borderlinemeath

I have a doggy first aid box, for nights like these, when you're worried about cuts and wounds but think you might be overreacting and don't want to contact the vet out of hours.

Basics like hibiscrub, an antibacterial solution that you dilute to clean out cuts.
Blood stopper, a waxy type of solution that coats the cut and stops the blood flow, particularly good for areas like ear and tail tips that if your dog shakes their head or wags their tail then your kitchen gets arcs of blood up the walls!
Tea tree skin cream, aloe vera
Eye drops, ear cleaner and drops.
Dressings and bandages
Tweezers for removing splinters/glass
A spare buster collar to prevent wound tampering
A thermometer to monitor the dogs temperature
And a muzzle in case your dog nips at you while tending to his injury.

It really does help to have a few bits together because it's murphys law that if your dog injures himself, it's normally on Christmas/New Years Eve/Saturday night of a bank holiday weekend! Always see a vet if the would looks more than you could deal with and be careful using human creams and ointments as some can be harmful to pets, particularly if they can ingest it by licking it off the wound.

Hope she's doing OK this morning OP.