Can i put tcp on my dog

Germolene If small cuts are bleeding a little then gentle but firm pressure can often stop this with clean cotton wool or a fresh baby's nappy held against the wound for ten minutes If in any doubt and at any time, contact us for advice and peace of mind.

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Your dog will lick and nibble at the area causing more damage and making the situation worse. If the hot spot is small — no bigger than a fifty pence piece then the following first aid measures are appropriate.

Take care. These spots are painful. Your pet may not want you to carry out first aid. In these cases make an appointment with your regular vet. Use scissors to clip away any matted or long fur that surrounds the area until you have a margin of healthy, pale, fur-trimmed skin around the hot spot. This will allow air to get to the skin and help it to dry out, making conditions less favourable for the bacteria.

Clean the area with salty water and then blot dry with a clean dry towel. Apply some manuka honey or aloe vera gel to the sore area. These both have antibacterial properties. Take steps to prevent your dog from licking the area. Overnight your dog will be able to do a lot of damage. Do not apply any other antiseptics to the sore area — No TCP, Dettol, zinc oxide cream sudocream or anything else suggested on the internet.

These will cause your dog a lot of pain and further damage the skin. Their only defence is to bite, howl or retreat, especially if trying to help causes more pain and distress. Many first aid procedures are similar to that practised on humans so a good first aid box, with some adjustment for our own dogs, practice and an ability to stay calm have always helped. The objective of any first aid is to preserve life by preventing further injury, relieve pain and recognise level of discomfort, to reduce the risk of infection, to promote recovery and to transport to a veterinary surgeon as soon as possible if required.

A high or altered breathing rate is a good indicator that something is amiss. Poisons, fevers, seizures, stress and pain can all increase or decrease the normal rate, which should be between 10 and 15 per minute, depending on the condition of the dog. To check the inhalation rate, place hands on ribcage and count for 20 seconds then multiply by 3 to get a rate per minute. The rate should be constant and even with no holding of breath or episodes of panting.

If it is not even, then there are problems elsewhere and further checks are required. By knowing what the dogs pulse rate at rest is then any abnormality is noticeable. The average pulse rate is 60 to heartbeats per minute, depending on the condition of the dog. The easiest place to check the pulse is under the armpit or at the bottom of the ear canal. Count for 20 seconds and multiply by 3 to get the rate per minute. A rate that is not fluent and even signifies a blood pressure problem and will need checking every 3 minutes whilst carrying out any other procedure or during transport to a veterinary surgeon; who will require the information before treatment can commence.

Low blood pressure can be monitored by testing the response of the capillary refill reflex; this is done by gently pressing the gums, which will pale, and seeing how quickly they return to a healthy pink when removing pressure. Temperature fluctuation can be a result of the dog going into or being in shock, usually a low reading, fever, influenza or other infectious disease, acute pain or an increase in toxicity levels, usually a high reading.

The temperature is taken by inserting a sterilized, greased rectal thermometer into the anus for 2 minutes. A normal temperature is between Water or ice should not be given unless dehydration is suspected, as the dog may have to undergo anaesthesia. These usually occur on the feet from running over broken glass or nails, on the head by hitting on a branch or fence bottom or are the result of a fight.

Clean the wound with fresh water or a diluted disinfectant such as T. In addition, apply an antiseptic ointment. Cuts to the pads often bleed profusely, if this is the case apply a pressure bandage to the whole foot, cling film is good for this, ensuring that the blood supply is not cut off.

As these wound are usually contaminated check regularly for infection or visit the veterinary surgeon who may prescribe antibiotics. If the bleeding has not stopped in 4 hours then stitches may be required. In extreme emergency, when away from the first aid box, I have used moss and dock leaves to stem the bleeding.

A boost to the immune system will help the wound to heal rapidly: I use Selenium and Vitamin E. As the cut heals, I bathe it with extract of Fennel, which relieves irritation, and helps stop the dog chewing at it.

Remove sting and if possible determine what type it is. Bee stings and ant bites are acidic and should be bathed with bicarbonate of soda, wasps and jellyfish stings are alkali and should be bathed with vinegar. The most common place is in or on the mouth and the first signs are howls followed by frantic rubbing and rapid swelling of the site. If the swelling is severe and around the nose, muzzle, tongue or throat it can cause breathing difficulties and airways will need to be kept as open as possible until a veterinary surgeon can be seen.

If there is no obstruction to the breathing, keep the dog calm, bathe with the above if the type of sting is known, or ice cold water if not. A severe none weight bearing lameness is usually a fracture. Chlorhexidine is cheap, extremely effective, and readily available.

Povidone-iodine solution is another good option. Apply an antibacterial ointment to the wound. Triple antibiotic ointments containing bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin B are widely available. AVOID any product that contains a corticosteroid like hydrocortisone. Prevent your dog from licking or wiping the ointment off for at least 10 minutes; longer is even better.

You can apply a light, loose bandage over the area to prevent licking, but it will need to be monitored and changed frequently. Clean the wound with the antiseptic solution two or three times a day, and apply the antibiotic ointment until the skin is healed. If the wound worsens at any time or fails to resolve within a week, consult a veterinarian.

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