Preventing wound interference

Re: Preventing wound interference

emerald — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:08:58 GMT

My GSD recently had a lump removed and I was worried she wasnt going to tolerate a bc as she trashed about 5 when she was spayed. But luckily she absolutely loves it!!

Re: Preventing wound interference

Kate Richardson — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:23:28 GMT

Buster neck brace collars- how do you think they would work in a GSD- need to stop her licking her bottom

Re: Preventing wound interference

Gerry Henry — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 22:49:06 GMT

[quote user="Malcolm Ness"]

[quote user="Gerry Henry"]Fit the clients with f*****g mittens[/quote]

...... are they some kind of cold-climate sex aid????

[/quote]

One for each ..... ?

Re: Preventing wound interference

Lorna McHardy — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:53:52 GMT

[quote user="james herriot lied"]

what else can we practically do? At wit's end, so any advice gratefully received.

[/quote]

Hospitalize it.

Re: Preventing wound interference

Malcolm Ness — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:40:22 GMT

[quote user="Gerry Henry"]Fit the clients with f*****g mittens[/quote]

...... are they some kind of cold-climate sex aid????

Re: Preventing wound interference

Gerry Henry — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:16:10 GMT

Fit the clients with f*****g mittens so they can't remove it. Sorted.

Re: Preventing wound interference

Niall Taylor — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:52:17 GMT

[quote user="Gerry Henry"]I don't believe that a collie could get round a properly fitted 40cm collar, I bet you the owners are taking it off. We had one yesterday, pink polished wound, swore they hadn't taken the (pristine) collar off, then told head nurse on way out, 'we only had it off for 10 minutes'. Prats.[/quote]

Yup, cynical as it sounds, I'm with Gerry.

You could try giving a slight Tramadol overdose +/- diazepam to calm him down a bit. Otherwise no suggestions other than those already given.

Niall

Re: Preventing wound interference

Gerry Henry — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:29:20 GMT

I don't believe that a collie could get round a properly fitted 40cm collar, I bet you the owners are taking it off. We had one yesterday, pink polished wound, swore they hadn't taken the (pristine) collar off, then told head nurse on way out, 'we only had it off for 10 minutes'. Prats.

Re: Preventing wound interference

Malcolm Ness — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:12:49 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]He'll probably get it off, swallow it and develop a g.i. obstruction requiring further surgery ..... (ever the optimist).[/quote]

We have used the technique for 15 years and more. Inevitably, some of the pads are chewed off and swallowed - they always pass through without incident.

Re: Preventing wound interference

Anthony Todd — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:41:56 GMT

[quote user="james herriot lied"]what else can we practically do?[/quote]

With distal limb lick granulomas, or bandaged feet, I used to roughly, with a few bit sticking out, bandage the diagonally opposite foot with electrical tape, or even Sellotape.

Told the owner to reapply when the dog had torn it off [whist leaving the lick granuloma to respond to the S/L depomed.]

Dinosaurial I know, but it seemed to work by giving the dog hours of distraction.

Re: Preventing wound interference

Laurence Webb — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 21:48:14 GMT

[quote user="KMurphy"]No, the neck brace collars are made of stiff plastic. They're kind of like what you see people wearing when they've got whiplash. They keep the dog's head upright so they can't turn around to lick wounds. I'll be honest, I've never used them because they don't look terribly comfortable, but it looks as though it would work well. Google "Buster neck brace" to see one. There are other makes. Sorry I can't post links - busy consulting and haven't worked that one out yet![/quote]I've had them in the past and had variable success with them. When they fit well then they work a treat and dogs seem to tolerate them well.

But...they are quite difficult to fit in a dog that is wriggling around and only suit an 'average'' conformation of dog. They are adjustable, but with dogs with thick necks I found them almost impossible to get on. Those with long necks could still reach around or the collar would twist around so the bit to hold the chin up would end up dorsally.

Overall I could use them satisfactorily in under 50% of dogs.

Re: Preventing wound interference

bob lehner — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 21:22:58 GMT

[quote user="james herriot lied"]The rolled gauze sounds like a good idea - although this dog probably would have njoyed the challenge.[/quote]

He'll probably get it off, swallow it and develop a g.i. obstruction requiring further surgery ..... (ever the optimist).

Re: Preventing wound interference

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:08:10 GMT

[quote user="james herriot lied"]as he'd managed to slightly open the surgical wound (skin only) I restitched with s/c, subcutic and skin sutures.[/quote]

I'm not criticising, but....... why not leave it to granulate?

Re: Preventing wound interference

KMurphy — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:31:53 GMT

No, the neck brace collars are made of stiff plastic. They're kind of like what you see people wearing when they've got whiplash. They keep the dog's head upright so they can't turn around to lick wounds. I'll be honest, I've never used them because they don't look terribly comfortable, but it looks as though it would work well. Google "Buster neck brace" to see one. There are other makes. Sorry I can't post links - busy consulting and haven't worked that one out yet!

Inflatable collars aren't likely to be much use in this case, I think. We use them after spays etc, but they're rubbish for distal limbs and even castrate wounds, especially in dogs with longer muzzles.

Hope that helps a bit!

Re: Preventing wound interference

james herriot lied — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:00:12 GMT

The rolled gauze sounds like a good idea - although this dog probably would have njoyed the challenge.

The neck brace collar thing - is that the same as the inflatable collars?

Re: Preventing wound interference

KMurphy — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:49:18 GMT

How about a Buster neck brace collar? They look a bit miserable for the dog but should definitely prevent him reaching his stifle!

Re: Preventing wound interference

Malcolm Ness — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:46:06 GMT

Patella fractures are usually the result of significant direct trauma and consequently there is often quite significant, albeit focal, soft tissue and other tissue damage. Added to that, the surgical wound is "stretched" over the stifle and is, in any case in a very mobile bit of skin. I have not seen many of these cases but your report of hassles with the wound are consistent with my experience. I will close the wound routinely and then suture over the wound a fat "cigar" made from 3 or 4 sterile gauze swabs rolled together. I will still use all the other measures you describe but the sutured on pad not only protects the wound but also gives the dog one more obstacle to breach before he gets to the wound.

Re: Preventing wound interference

james herriot lied — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:37:37 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]

Reassess the pain relief would be my suggestion. Is it aggressive enough?

[/quote]

Yes!

Re: Preventing wound interference

Bob Russell — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:25:13 GMT

Reassess the pain relief would be my suggestion. Is it aggressive enough?