1. Lacerations/bite wounds: Heneghan says, check around the house and watch the areas where you walk your pet.
"We once had an overzealous Labrador patient who lacerated a huge area of her trunk on the outdoor spigot as she ran toward the gate to greet a friend," Heneghan said. "She ran too close to the house and tore an 8-by-10-inch flap of skin loose. Of course, she was wagging her tail when she came in."
If your pet suffers a laceration or bite wound, try to stop any fresh bleeding with cold compresses or a pressure bandage. If you need to bandage a leg wound, Heneghan advised, always start toward the toes and work your way up. If the animal will permit it, try to clean or flush the area. Small wounds may benefit from an antibacterial ointment; large wounds should be bandaged and kept clean.
2. Torn nail. Much of the time a torn nail can be a non-emergency emergency, according to veterinarian Jay Whittle of Mill Creek Animal Clinic in Palos Park.
"It becomes an emergency because it's painful and very often it's bloody, which are two combinations that make everyone run to the emergency room," he said.
Depending on the severity, some can be trimmed up and a light bandage can be applied to stop the bleeding. Others need the nail cut back to healthy tissue to ensure that the nail grows back healthy.
The immediate action, Whittle says, is to put a bandage on the injury if the animal will allow it and go to your vet. But if there is a lot of blood, a visit to the emergency room is the safest bet.
3. Insect bites/stings: An injection of cortisone or an antihistamine within an hour can bring the swelling down. If left untreated, the dog's breathing could become affected. This injury is less common with cats because most of them are indoors and not exposed, though it can happen.
4. Abrasions: Treatment is similar to a laceration, Heneghan said, but mild abrasions can often be treated at home.
"Cleaning the wound and protecting the lesion with either topical antibiotics or a covering are good places to start," she said. "But a sore spot could cause your pet to lick or scratch excessively, which may lead to infection. So always call your veterinarian to get advice. Your pet could benefit from pain relief and may even need to wear the dreaded Elizabethan collar to keep its mouth off the lesion."
5. Eye trauma: The most common injury is a corneal abrasion, which causes the animal to be light sensitive and blink frequently. Medication is usually all that's needed, according to veterinarian Tony Kremer, from the Hinsdale Animal Hospital. Untreated, it could eventually need expensive surgery to repair.
6. Punctures: "A lot of punctures will just need to be cleaned out real well," Whittle said. "We don't suture punctures. Depending on the severity, they may need antibiotics. Of course, every injury, every wound is different, which is why it requires a veterinarian to assess each injury for its own merit."
7. Foreign objects in skin: Whittle sees fish hooks or pieces of a stick being the main culprits. A fish hook means an immediate trip to the ER; a splinter depends on how painful it is to the animal.
8. Foreign objects in ear: If your pet has something in the ear, he's likely to shake his head and scratch, trying to dislodge the object. If your pet will allow it, examine the ear for signs of redness, swelling or odor. Don't try to remove the object at home unless it is very superficial in the ear, Heneghan warns.
"Oftentimes, we do need to sedate the animal to fully remove the item, as pets have an L-shaped ear canal. It's very easy for something to not quite make it around the bend. Remember, ear cleaning at home is a great idea, but stick to the ear flush solution and cotton balls."
9. Foreign object in foot: If you see your dog limping, examine the foot and try to remove the object. If there's bleeding, apply a pressure wrap of some kind. From a veterinarian's standpoint, there are two scenarios: "They either need to be stitched, or people don't realize it's a foreign object," Kremer said. "There's a sliver in the pad or it's between the toes and camouflaged by their hair. Sometimes we're required to sedate them, clip the hair and find the entry wound so we can retrieve the object."
Antibiotics are applied to prevent infection.
10. Snake bite: Keep your pet as immobilized as possible to prevent the rapid spread of the venom. And get to a vet.
via Chicago Tribune
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