Superglue?

[Allie Oop]

A neighbor just came over with her dog for a little advice. Her dog had recently had some minor surgery (with stitches) on its back, although it is about a 4 inch wound. It was healing nicely and the stitches had been removed a day or so ago. Unfortunately, another neighbor's dog came over and started to play with Dog 1 and opened up the wound area a little. It looks clean and isn't bleeding, but still a little raw. The owner of Dog 1 doesn't really want to have to go back for more stitches.

 

Anybody here ever use a small amount of superglue (or Dermabond) in a couple of strategic spots to close a wound? I've used it on my son before and it worked very well.

[bcnewe2]

If it was a place where there was stiches I'd use dermabond but not superglue, as it was surgery so wasn't just a fleshwound (or maybe it was).

 

I'd probably leave it alone unless it looked infected or started weeping ro getting worse. Yes it won't be as pretty of a scar but once hair grows over it you won't see it anyways.

I'd be sure to keep the dog still or quiet so he doesn't open it up anymore. BUt I figure you or your neighbor already knows this.

 

I've used super glue on my fingers when I have small cuts as my old job had me sticking my hands in salty water and bandaides would muck up my work. I've also seen it used on pad cuts or other small cuts that need holding together. But I don't think I'd be trying it on anything deeper than flesh wounds.

 

Now I would use dermabond on deeper wounds but I also would leave a spot open so that if there was drainage I wasn't sealing it all the way up.

 

I'm not a nurse or vet but have done lots of doctoring in my past, please take my advise with the warning I'm not a professional of anykind.

[BCjetta]

I'd just leave it to heal by second intention. Will take a bit longer, but should heal fine. At the clinic I work at, we don't often resuture things that have come open a bit unless the whole thing is gaping wide open. We will give people the option of another anesthetic and restitching, or just letting it heal on its own. In Canada anyways, there are a couple different sprays you can get from a vet clinic (that are technically over the counter) to help promote wound healing if it doesn't look real good. One is called Cothivet and the other is Dermicare.

If it were my dog, I'd just leave it and make sure the dog couldn't get it to lick at it.

[IPSY]

IMO , I wouldnt do anything but keep it clean and monitor it for signs of infection, and dont let the dog get at it .

 

Opened wounds that have been stitched or stapled arent normally redone by vets unless its gaping , because of serious infection . If he does go back to the vet, the dog may have to be put under if its really bad and or painful , so the wound can be properly cleaned and re stitched , and even then there is a risk of infection. And , last but not least , there is the old favorite e- collar.

But there are plenty of great alternatives to avoid using one of those horrible things.

[Alaska]

Not reclosing the partly healed wound is the advice I've gotten from vets too. At this point you want to make sure the wound heals from the inside out - it's best to leave it open so you can make sure that's happening.

[burdock]

I used the sterile butterfly strips on our lab when she pulled some staples out after her leg operation had to put them on a couple times because she would pull them off or they are called butterfly strips worked great in this instance.

[Allie Oop]

Thanks, all. The wound aparently continued to pull apart as the evening wore on and the neighbor opted to use a drop of Dermabond (which I keep handy because Allie is a hazard) in a couple of strategic places, but not the entire length of the wound. She took the pup to the vet this a.m. and had it looked at and the vet thought that her course of action was a good choice. Hopefully, my neighbor will be able to keep her dog away from rough housing for the next week or so.

 

I had thought about butterfly bandages, but thought that it might have difficulty adhering to the fur.

[burdock]

Our Lab was shaved so in her case worked well until she licked them off. Glad it worked out for her.