Skip to Content

Pet Wound Care: How to Help Your Pet Heal From a Laceration

Pets aren’t just animals you own. They are members of your family, and you want to take care of them just as much as any adult or child.

Then again, pets aren’t actually people, and they will get themselves injured from time to time because they just don’t know any better.

If you need to help your pet heal from a laceration, then knowing what to do helps you help them.

Pet Wound Care: How to Help Your Pet Heal From a Laceration

Consult Your Vet

Certain lacerations and open wounds may need veterinarian attention and not just first aid or at-home care.

Let your vet treat wounds that penetrate the skin fully, involve big areas of your pet’s body or sensitive areas, and injuries with red, puffy skin or visible pus.

White gauze covering wound on dog's hind leg

Deal With All Wounds Promptly

Even a minor wound that might not require vet attention still needs to be responded to quickly.

Never let infection set in if you can help it.

Otherwise, an infection can happen and spread.

Then, you would need your bet for antibiotics to try and stop the spread even further.

OTC Pet Wound Care

When it comes to over-the-counter pet wound care, you need to make sure you have several things on hand at home.

A water-based lubricant is useful, such as KY Jelly, but don’t use Vaseline.

Also have an antimicrobial ointment available, as well as an antiseptic solution, such as 2% chlorhexidine.

You’ll also likely need warm water and clean towels, be they cloth or paper.

Electric clippers might be necessary, but scissors or even a disposable razor might work if you handle them carefully.

Muzzle on a small white dog

Treating the Wound

Use a muzzle or second person to restrain your pet while you clip hair from around the area if there is any.

Spread your lubricant over the wound and its surrounding tissue to decontaminate the wound and make hair removal easier.

Wipe it off when done.

Wash the wound with warm water until you no longer see visible debris, and then pat dry.

Apply antiseptic and then antibacterial ointment.

Yellow bandage with blue bones on a small white dog's leg

Further Treatment

Don’t let your pet lick or wipe off the ointment for the first 10 minutes, and longer is better.

Light and loose bandages help, but you need to change them frequently.

Keep cleaning the wound with antiseptic several times a day and changing the bandages.

Wounds that get worse over time or don’t heal within a week are occasions to consult your veterinarian for more pet care.

Willow

Saturday 12th of March 2022

This is such a helpful post!

Sarah L

Friday 11th of March 2022

Good things to keep in mind when pets have owies.

Terri Quick

Thursday 10th of March 2022

Thank you for sharing this

Marisela Zuniga

Thursday 10th of March 2022

This is great information, thanks for sharing

Sara

Thursday 10th of March 2022

Look at this poor dog

Love these woofs?

Help spread our waggie tales. You're pawesome for doing it!