Know how to react to a wound or a burn.
The wounds or burns, frequently encountered, can lead to immediate danger (hemorrhages, circulatory and/or respiratory distress, as well as later complications: infections, tetanus).
Definition:- lesions to the skin resulting from a cut, a scratch, or a sting that could damage adjacent tissues.
Description:
1 - Superficial wounds: superficial cut or a lightly bleeding scratch, not near an orifice.
- Action to be taken: cut the fur around the wound;
- clean with a disinfectant soap and water;
- protect the wound with a simple bandage.
- observation: any redness, heat, and/or swelling will necessitate a visit to a specialist.
Tetanus: serious disease that can be fatal, manifested by a general muscular rigidity and a characteristic stiffness of the ears. In developed cases, convulsions, hypersalivation, etc... an urgent consultation to a veterinarian is essential.
2 - Serious wounds: any non-superficial wound or serious scratch such as: wound with hemorrhaging (bite or intrusion of foreign body), in the eye or situated near an orifice.
- Action to be taken:
assess the extent of the bleeding, alert the appropriate services, observe the vital functions.
- Note: never remove a foreign body from a wound (nail, splinter of wood, glass...). Leave this to the veterinarian.
Definition:- skin lesions, lesions of the air passages or digestive tracts, caused by heat, chemical substances, electricity, radiation or rubbing.
Description
1 - Superficial burns:redness affecting a limited area of the skin.
cool the burned area as soon as possible using cold water for a good 5 minutes without applying pressure. Cover with a fatty ointment and protect with a simple bandage.
2 - Serious burns:extreme redness, deep penetration, particular locations (head, orifices, joints).
cool the burned area as soon as possible using cold water for a good 5 minutes without applying pressure. Cut the fur around the burn, call for a specialist and check the vital functions.
- Possible complications:
infection, circulatory distress, eventual respiratory distress.
3 - Particular cases:- burns produced by chemicals: rinse abundantly with running water as soon as possible;- electrical burns: (these are always serious cases), observe the dog carefully;- internal burns received through inhalation: observe the respiratory function;- burns incurred through ingestion: do not cause the animal to vomit, do not give drinking water and keep a close watch on the animal.
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