how to stop dog licking sore- Update, finally healed

cocoluvsmummy · 7 June 2008 at 11:06AM

any tips please.
Jess my 5 1/2 year old dog has just had her third op on her knee in 5 months, now she seems to ignore the major wound (i keep it covered and am changing the dressing daily), but will not stop licking the place on her front leg where the IV line was in. Last time she licked it so much she removed a layer of skin, and i think it is going the same way this time,

i have tried putting a sock over it and covering it with a bandage but she pulls them off. I am starting the think i may have to put a plastic head collar on her, but don't want to because shes unhappy enough as it is.

Any suggestions folks of anything that i could do to discourage her

Kimberley · 7 June 2008 at 11:48AM

A lampshade (thats what i call them) or muzzle may be the only solution i'm afraid.

Penny_Watcher · 7 June 2008 at 12:39PM

As Kimberly says, Buster/Elizabethan collars (lampshades :rolleyes:

) are the only way. One of my dogs is recovering from a very nasty wound to the skin covering his ribcage. He wears a buster collar, an old t-shirt on his body and a sock on the back foot nearest the wound to keep him from getting at the stitches (he's taken stitches out before now :eek:). He's looks a right bobby dazzler in all his kit, but he's getting used to it.

Better Jess being a little bit depressed and/or uncomfortable now rather than having to deal with the consequences of an infection if she nibbles her skin off.

PS I wonder what it is about IV sites? The first thing my lad does when I take his collar off to have his food is to have a right good lick at his leg. Then hunger takes over and he eats his food instead

.

Raksha · 7 June 2008 at 3:58PM

How about putting a bandage on the uninjured leg? Diverting the attention to something else. Licking is a way of reducing internal stresses, so a Dog Apeasing Pheramone (DAP) plug in defuser (also available as a spray for bedding or on a bandana around the neck) may also help calm her down.

orlao · 8 June 2008 at 4:43PM

Oh, poor Jess, I remember the thread about her last op......

I've used a product called Nettex Sweet Itch Salve(You'll find it in tackshops, quite expensive at £20+ a tub but it does last forever!) on wounds before, it's a pink thick ointment originally designed for horses. It seems to soothe and help the hair grow back plus dogs don't like the taste of it. BTW, it doesn't stain furniture or clothes either. I used it on my dog after his ligament ops and even though he had two ops on one leg I can't feel the scar.

Personally, if I can ease the irritation so they don't want to lick the wounds rather than leave them itchy and prevent them getting at the itch (IYSWIM!) I think it's easier for all concerned......but I know that's not always possible:D

cocoluvsmummy · 8 June 2008 at 6:08PM

Thank you all, have just given in and put the buster collar on her. I just feel so mean doing it, as shes hopping around on 3 legs, with a bandage on her 4th and is very unsteady already, tends to fall over frequently if we arnt with her.

Orlao i think i will look into the salve you suggested, i actually tried sudocrem but she seems to like that so it didn't help.

Penny_Watcher · 10 June 2008 at 11:02AM

How's Jess doing in her hat cocoluvsmummy? She looks very regal in your avvy.

My nutty boy has had his collar off for an hour or so this morning. He's progressed from wearing a t-shirt to wearing half an old Wonderbra

. It looks very strange, but it does the job of protecting his wound from licking and scratching.

Somehow I don't think I be taking him for a walk looking like that though

:eek:

cocoluvsmummy · 10 June 2008 at 2:07PM

Jess is still wearing the collar, hating it, waking me up every 20 mins in the night so i'm tired and grumpy. Shes been back to the vets again and is on antibiotics now for her back leg as its weaping, but he thinks that will help her front as well so hopefully it will get healing soon.
so strange how she has leaking wound with lots of sutures on back leg, but its the front one where the IV went that she licks the skin off.

LittleTinker · 11 June 2008 at 8:31AM

I would say let her lick when you are with her so you can stop her nibbling the stitches. The lampshades are mainly used to stop dogs from picking their stitches out, not to stop them licking.

A dog licking at wounds helps them to heal quicker and better.

Penny_Watcher · 11 June 2008 at 12:09PM

LittleTinker wrote: »

A dog licking at wounds helps them to heal quicker and better.

I used to believe that Old Wives Tale too until my ginger labX made her injury much worse because I let her lick at a wound (Jack Russell nip) on her flank. It was a tiny puncture wound to start with, which within a couple of days of secret licking had become a real mess. Head collar and being checked by the vet cleared it up nicely.

According to all three vets at my practice animals licking is a sure fire way to introduce infection into an open wound. A dog's mouth, like a human mouth, isn't sterile.

Sorry if I come across a little strongly on this point, I don't mean to

. It's just that what you said is different to my experience and to the opinion of my vets. I've seen first hand the consequences of a dog left to lick at a wound and I wouldn't wish that on anyone's pet.

LittleTinker · 11 June 2008 at 12:44PM

Penny_Watcher wrote: »

I used to believe that Old Wives Tale too until my ginger labX made her injury much worse because I let her lick at a wound (Jack Russell nip) on her flank. It was a tiny puncture wound to start with, which within a couple of days of secret licking had become a real mess. Head collar and being checked by the vet cleared it up nicely.

According to all three vets at my practice animals licking is a sure fire way to introduce infection into an open wound. A dog's mouth, like a human mouth, isn't sterile.

Sorry if I come across a little strongly on this point, I don't mean to . It's just that what you said is different to my experience and to the opinion of my vets. I've seen first hand the consequences of a dog left to lick at a wound and I wouldn't wish that on anyone's pet.

Yes, you are quite right that dogs mouths arent sterile. However, a dog's saliva is antiseptic and is known to kill many harmful bacteria.

A Mother dog, for instance, will continually lick her nipples to destroy bacteria before puppies feed from her.

It is not an old Wives tale and in no way whatsoever will a dog licking its own wounds introduce bacteria.

how to stop dog licking sore- Update, finally healed

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