Non-healing Wounds

I was asked this question by Faye about her dog;

Question

My dog Harvey plays with our cat and gets scratched a lot. Then he forms scabs where the cat has scratched him ( usually on the legs and ankles). He then tends to eat the scabs and not let them heal so there are a few open wounds, what can do?

Answer
Hi Faye,

I am amazed your dog lets the cats get away with such behaviour! He must be very laid back indeed!

Many people think that when an animal licks their wounds, they are helping them to heal. In fact, the opposite is true, by licking the wound they introduce lots of bacteria and infection which can actually slow down the healing.

The first thing to do is to stop him getting to the wounds. Try covering up his legs with socks. Attach the sock to the leg by using plaster or sellotape, make sure it is not too tight and never use an elastic band which could cut of the circulation. This work well in some dogs, for whom out of sight is out of mind! However, some will find the socks even more of an irritation and will chew at them until the come off.

The second method to try is getting a ´Buster collar´ from the vets. These lamp-shade collars go around the neck and stop the dog from being able to reach the wounds to lick them. Some dogs dislike these very much and make a huge fuss when the are put on, but do persevere as they generally settle and then they work well.

Also, try to encourage the wounds to heal by applying cream. Sudocrem can work very well on superficial wounds to help them to heal, also salt water bathing twice daily can be beneficial. If the injuries still will not mend, or you are concerned, visit your vet who will be able to provide stronger creams and pain relief and anti-biotics if they are required.

I hope this helps

Cat