Works for me Wednesday is upside down today; I have to post my dilemma and you have to give your advice. Here goes:
Last night Lambchop, possibly the dumbest dog in all Creation, got in her usual dinnertime fight-through-the-fence with Bit, the neighbor dog. These 2 have been exchanging nips, barks and growls for ages, so I generally ignore the ruckus unless it's really loud. Last night it was loud. After I hauled Lambie in I noticed a nasty puncture wound in her neck; Bit has obviously lived up to his name.
The question is: do I need to take her to the vet over this? Husband and I cleaned the wound out with peroxide and it's not bleeding openly. It's just deep. I thought I'd keep cleaning it every day and that would be enough, but is it? How on Earth will I tell if the dog has an internal infection? Don't even tell me I have to take her temperature ...
Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'd love to avoid a trip to the vet but I'll go if I absolutely have to.
Thanks all.
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8 comments:
Ah, I'd take her to the vet. Plus, did you ask your neighbor if sweet little Bit is current on vaccinations?
Oh don't make me think of that! that dog is a menace!
I would take the dog to the vet. Puncture wounds are notorious for developing into abscesses and once that happens it is a whole lot more expensive to treat. I worked at a vet clinic and some of the nasty abscesses that I have seen would make you want to puke.
Before I became a SAHM, I was a vet, so here's my 2 cents:
Taking her to the vet is the best way to make sure she won't develop an infection. A vet would most likely put her on antibiotics and maybe even clean & suture the wound if it's really deep.
Now, if you're keeping the wound really clean, antibiotics may not be necessary. I'd skip the peroxide and use a dilute solution of iodine (you can pick that up at a drug store).
Keep an eye out for any gooey discharge, redness, or swelling. The wound should look better every day. If Lambchop seems listless, doesn't want to eat, or just isn't herself, pack her up & go to the vet.
(This is just my opinion based on what you've said; I can't really know for sure without seeing your doggie!)
Oh, and for clarification - is the wound fairly open, or is it deep but kind of closed? I was assuming open, but if it's closed I do second Awesome Mom's recommendation - you don't want to deal with an abscess!
It was very open last night, but it had some stuff partially covering it this AM - dried blood mostly that I think I can wash off tonight.
Go to the vet just to be sure. Deep puncture wounds sometimes need antibiotics and maybe a good cleaning if it's really deep.
Do the neighbors know about the bite? You might also want to talk to animal control anonymously to see if it must be reported (most likely not). It should be brought up because it can escalate into biting people. My parents had a rescued dog who was beaten by a previous owner, so we know how the bites can get more serious over time. Fortunately, my Mom got intense training and moved him with family to a rural area. My parents were very aware but some dog owners get so defensive and can't see that you can't put neighbors, especially children in harms way. I feel for you if you decide to talk to them and I hope it doesn't turn ugly!
Yes. And talk to your vet about the best way to handle the situation with your neighbor.
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