Dogs are noted for their energetic, playful and explorative nature. Should a dog owner be surprised at the frequency of injuries sustained by the pet? Various kind of injuries can happen to a dog and punctures are one of them.

Any sharp object that pierces and penetrates the skin will result to a puncture wound. Dogs have the inclination to roam and as they are curious animals, a path littered with debris will not deter a dog from reaching the interesting spot. The dog therefore can sustain puncture wounds from tacks, nail, barbed wire and from other sharp objects. Dog owners aware of the fact that dogs are accident prone animals would dog proof the house but accidents involving the dog and a knife or a pair of scissors will still happen. Keep dogs together for a time and dog fights will ensue. Puncture wounds can be the result of dog fights.

Unlike cuts and lacerations, small puncture wounds would not bleed so much. A dog owner may think that the non-bleeding dog owner is not serious thus the injury of the dog will be ignored. Due to the small skin opening, most puncture wounds would heal at once trapping bacteria inside the skin. Large puncture wounds can bleed freely and apart from the need to control bleeding, the dog owner has to realize that with this kind of injury, internal bleeding is possible.

Any kind of wound needs treatment but a dog owner may not be aware of the injury of the pet not only because the wound would not bleed but also because it is covered with the dog’s fur. A puncture wound on the foot or leg would make the pet limp. Serious puncture wounds would cause the dog pain and dogs in pain will have noticeable changes in behavior.

Large and serious puncture wounds would need professional medical attention. Hospitalization is very necessary so that the dog can be properly diagnosed and treated. Minor or superficial puncture wounds can be handled at home especially if the owner is competent in administering first aid treatments. First aid treatment for this kind of injury is to see if there are foreign objects on the wound. Dirt and foreign objects must be removed with tweezers and the wound thoroughly flushed with water. Gently pressing the skin around the wound will induce bleeding. This purpose of which is to flush out any germs with the blood flow. Puncture wounds are not bandaged or closed to allow the wound to drain and to lessen the risk of infection.

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Filed under: Dog Info

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