Does a dog wound heal faster, covered or uncovered?
Laurine Fay
2025-07-30 09:53:35
Count answers
: 15
Wherever possible, a wound will be closed and sutured to speed healing. However, if there is gross contamination or deep infection present, the wound will be left open for topical treatment and to ensure drainage. Your veterinarian may need to anesthetize your dog to remove foreign material and dead tissue from the wound. If the wound cannot be surgically closed, your veterinarian may apply a protective bandage, if possible. Other options, depending on the location of the wound, include covering the wound with a bandage, a stockinette, a dog coat, or a t-shirt. Sometimes, the wound location or the amount of skin loss prevents surgical closure or bandaging. Puncture wounds or other trauma can force bacteria deep into the tissues, and a contaminated wound that is more than a few hours old should never be closed without surgical debridement. In some cases, closing the wound may result in more permanent damage than treating the wound medically and leaving it open to heal.
Read also
- How do you treat a dog's wound at home?
- Should you let a dog's wound air out or keep it bandaged?
- What are the steps in wound healing in dogs?
- Can I use Sudocrem on my dog?
- What is the fastest way to heal an open wound on a dog?
- How to treat crusty scabs on dogs?
- Should I leave my dog's wound open?
- How to tell if a dog's wound is healing or infected?
- Should I let my dog's wound scab over?