All active dogs sustain will sustain an injury or wound during their lifetime. Wounds may be as minor as cut from glass or debris or as severe as an animal bite. No matter which type of wound or injury your dog may have, the two most important goals in treating them are to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. With the help of a few simple restraining methods and triple antibiotic ointment for dogs, your pet will be well on his way to healing and heading back out to the dog park.
Steps to take before Administering Triple Antibiotic Ointment
If the wound or injury is painful, be prepared to restrain and muzzle your pet before administering first aid such as triple antibiotic ointment. But first, if bleeding is present, you must control it. Do not pour hydrogen peroxide on a fresh wound and if the wound has clotted (stopped bleeding) do not wipe it. This will dislodge the clot. You can use one of two methods to control bleeding before applying ointment including pressure dressing or tourniquet. The most preferred method is the pressure dressing. The tourniquet is used only if pressure dressing does not work. Simply put, the tourniquet method is a last resort. A tourniquet is large band that must be tightened and looped around the extremities twice to control arterial bleeding.
To pressure dress the wound you must:
- Using some sterile gauze squares, completely cover the wound. If you do not have gauze squares use a thick clean cloth.
- Apply direct pressure for five to ten minutes.
- Leave the dressing in place and bandage snugly.
- Monitor for signs of swelling. If you notice swelling, loosen the dressing.
This method should stop the bleeding. Once the bleeding stops, you can prepare to apply triple antibiotic ointment to the wound.
Applying Triple Antibiotic Ointment
After you have removed the pressure dressing, cleanse the area around the wound with a surgical scrub solution such as Betadine or Nolvasan. Because both solutions are very irritating to tissues, please do not allow the solution to get into the wound. You must dilute the Betadine solution to a weak tea color and the Nolvasan should be diluted to a pale blue color. You should also clip the hairs around the wound to prevent them from sticking to it after the antibiotic has been administered. The best triple antibiotic to use is the topical antibiotic ointment called “triple antibiotic.”
According to product manufacturers, Triple Antibiotic Ointment (generic name B.N.P Triple Antibiotic Ointment) is a combination of three antibiotic medicines including Bacitracin, neomycin and polymyxin B. It is used to treat bacterial infections caused by cuts as well as scrapes and burns on the skin of cats and dogs. Other common antibiotics for wounds on dogs include a mixture of chlorhexidine and Betadine, Furacin (topical cream and 0.2 percent solution) and 1 percent Silvadene cream.
After you have applied the triple antibiotic ointment or other antibiotic, you may leave the wound open or bandaged depending on the location and other factors. Head and upper body wounds are typically left open to help facilitate treatment. These wounds are tougher to bandage as well, so they do not benefit greatly from being covered. Wounds of the extremities are typically covered to protect them from dirt and contaminants. Covering wounds of the extremities also:
- Restricts movement
- Eliminates pockets of serum
- Prevents the dog from biting and licking
- Compresses skin flaps
- Keeps the edges of the wound from pulling apart
Nearly all leg and foot wounds can benefit from a bandage. Triple antibiotic ointment is available for purchase online, directly from your vet or at pet store pharmacies.