Wrapping Wounds on Dogs and Cats

Hello and Good morning fellow animal advocates- it's a snowy March 1 here in Nelson BC Canada..

Apparently winter is here for a while longer...

----------------------------------
First Aid
----------------------------------

Emergencies- whether they are a wound, or as serious as choking, happen- and usually when we least expect it.

If you are prepared- great.

If not I advise that you get a copy of my book on Dog and Cat First Aid

This is a small section from my book...

---------------------
Bandaging
---------------------

In some instances, wounds and injuries need to be bandaged. However, as a rule, most are better off NOT bandaged. The problem arises when your pet decides to excessively lick the injury, causing further irritation. Using an Elizabethan Collar or covering the area up with a bandage can prevent this.

Materials

White Tape: This can be used as a first layer to prevent slipping, and as a final layer of bandaging. The tape can be purchased at any pharmacy.

Sterile Non-Stick Pads: Telfa Pads are ideal. IF this is an emergency bandage, then use a small piece of cloth, but apply K-Y jelly first so the cloth doesn't stick.

Cotton padding: For injuries that need support, such as ligament injuries or fractures, I apply cotton padding as well. You can purchase large cotton rolls at any pharmacy. An emergency padding can easily be a small towel that is wrapped around the leg.

Gauze: Roll gauze is the clingy material that stretches and has holes in it. It can be purchased at any pharmacy. In an emergency, you can use Panty Hose.

Tape: The last layer on a bandage is the adhesive that secures the pad and gauze in place. I usually use a product called Vet-Wrap; it stretches and sticks to the gauze. In an emergency, you can use Duct Tape, Saran Wrap, anything that will stick and hold the bandage material in place.

The key to applying a bandage is to make the bandage tight enough that it won't slip, but NOT too tight so that it cuts off circulation. If the bandage is TOO tight, you will see the digits swell (the area below the bandage). I always try and leave a few toes exposed so I can check this. If the bandage is too tight, then the toes swell and spread apart.

The other important part of bandage care is keeping the bandage dry. If it gets wet it will cause serious skin irritation and infection. If it gets wet, then You MUST change it. Keep the bandage covered with a plastic bag; ask your local veterinarian for an empty IV Fluid Bags- they are made of heavy-duty plastic and work great.

Leg Bandage

The most common area to bandage is the leg.

Clean the wound properly.
Apply 2 strips of white "hospital" tape to the inside and outside of the leg.
Apply the non-stick Telfa pad to the wound.
Wrap the leg with gauze, beginning at the toes, but leave the toes exposed. Overlap the gauze as you wrap up the leg. Make the gauze wrap firm to keep the Pad in place, extend up to the next joint. If your dog has a wound on his paw, I would wrap to above the wrist.
Cover the gauze with Vet Wrap or Tape. Once again make it firm, but not too firm. Keep the toes exposed to check for swelling.

Head Bandage


The head is another area that may need to be bandaged, especially in the case of an injured ear that won't stop bleeding.

This is best accomplished by folding the earflaps on top of the head, then wrapping gauze and tape around the head covering the ears.

Another option is to use pantyhose; I find it remains in place much better.

Keep the bandage in front of the eyes, and ensure that you can stick one finger underneath the bandage at the neck.

Body Bandage

In the event that you need to cover a wound on the chest or abdomen, there are a couple of ways.

T-shirt technique: Put your dog's front legs through the armholes, and cover the rest of his body with the shirt. You can then apply Tape to secure the back of the T-shirt.
Panty Hose: A second method is to cover your pet's chest or abdomen with pantyhose. Pull it over your pet's head and cover the affected area.

P.S. Pet First Aid Secrets covers CPR, to How to Stop Your Pet Bleeding.

A Complete Resource that you really should have, and be prepared to use.



Click on the image to order



Visit www.vetsecrets.info for more info
also www.happytalespets.com
and www.FlintRiverRanchStore.com

Cancer Treatments for Pets

Cancer in our pets is the most feared diagnosis among pet owners. I myself worry about lumps on my pets, or the days when they seem more tired than normal.

----------------------------
Natural Options
----------------------------

Veterinary Secrets Revealed contains a COMPLETE selection of ALL the natural cancer solutions.

What works, What Dose, and HOW to give it.

Get your copy: http:/www.vetsecrets.info
-------------------------------------
Metronomic Chemotherapy
-------------------------------------

Conventional treatment is often the only option when you are dealing with a serious, advancing type of cancer.

Cancers such as spleen tumors ( hemangiosarcoma), lymphatic tumors ( lymphosarcoma), or those linked with vaccine injections, fibrosarcoma.

Conventional treatment usually means high doses of very toxic drugs, chemotherapy.

But in certain situations, chemotherapy can be given at much lower doses, more frequently, and free of the more serious side effects.

Most chemotherapy drugs kill ALL fast-growing cells in the body, including white blood cells, hair and intestinal cells.

Metronomic chemotherapy works differently in that the drugs remove the blood supply to the tumor, leaving healthy cells untouched, but stopping the cancer from growing.

It may not eliminate the tumor, and in fact traditional chemotherapy seldom does that with our pets, but it puts the cancer into a remission giving your pet a quality of life.

Big advantages of this type of chemotherapy is that is us less expensive, easier to give in practice, and comes with little to no side effects.

Here is some more specific information from veterinarycancer.com

--------------------------------------
Veterinary Studies
--------------------------------------

In veterinary medicine, there have been several studies published that give promise to the principle of metronomic or anti-angiogenic therapy. In dogs with incompletely resected soft tissue sarcomas, Elmslie, et al. [J Vet Intern Med 2008;22(6):1373-9)]showed that the use of low dose daily cyclophosphamide (cytoxan) and piroxicam (feldene) extended the time to recurrence over patients treated with surgery alone. In addition, Lana, et al. [J Vet Intern Med 2007;21(4):764-9]showed that in patients with hemangiosarcoma, the use of metronomic chemotherapy was associated with survival times equal to that of MTD chemotherapy.

Dr. Robert Kerbel (Toronto, Ontario) is one of the leaders in anti-angiogenic and metronomic therapy. He has recently suggested that the clinical benefit and impact could be greater if the therapy were initiated at earlier stages of malignancy. Therefore, at the Animal Cancer and Imaging Center, we recommend standard MTD chemotherapy combined with low dose metronomic therapy for many tumor types such as osteosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma. For other tumor types, metronomic chemotherapy may be the primary modality of therapy or will start after standard therapy has ended. We will discuss with you in detail what is the optimum use of this therapy for your pet as your pet’s individual condition and general health other than the cancer may have a impact on the schedule of treatment we utilize. It must be kept in mind that the laboratory and clinical research with metronomic chemotherapy administration is ongoing but extremely promising.

P.S. Discuss this with your veterinarian if your pet is diagnosed with cancer. I was not aware of it while in practice, but I would have considered it for many patients.

P.P.S. My book contains elaborate information on holistic cancer options. A great resource to have, and it costs less than most veterinary exams.

http:/www.vetsecrets.info

Heal Your Pets At Home!
Best Wishes,
Dr Andrew Jones

DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. Dr Andrew Jones resigned from the College of Veterinarians of B.C. effective December 1 2010, meaning he cannot answer specific questions about your pet's medical issues or make specific medical recommendations for your pet.