Dog Vs. Dog -- Canine Bite Wounds

Even play time can get out of hand. Remember, play time should
be bouncy and loose. If any of the dogs playing becomes
stiff/rigid, you should intervene before a fight begins.

As an emergency veterinarian I see bite wounds in dogs almost on a daily basis. The severity of these wounds can vary from just small lacerations to serious life threatening injuries. Frequently they involve a larger dog biting a smaller dog and/or multiple dogs attacking another dog. The scenarios where bite wounds occur are a myriad, but frequently occur at dog parks or other areas where people bring their pets to walk or run off leash. They can occur while out walking your dog on the street or even in your own yard. They can also occur among your own dogs. What is important is to know what to do in case your pet is bitten by another dog. There are many factors that affect what the best course of action is, but having your pet examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible after the bite is probably the most important.

If dogs are currently fighting do not try and grab or otherwise touch the fighting dogs as this can escalate things and you may be bitten as well. You can try to distract them with a loud noise such as banging pots or garbage can lids together, spraying with a hose, or try to get in between them by opening a large umbrella or folding chair. Once the fight is over, assess the dog(s) and begin first aid.

If the dog is small, it may be best to wrap them up in a towel or use a muzzle to safely restrain them as to prevent them from biting you; when an animal is in pain, they are more likely to bite in response to being touched. If you do not have a muzzle, one may be fastened with some gauze--a leash could work for a larger dog. If there are any bleeding wounds, direct pressure on the wound is the best to stop the bleeding. Avoid the urge to put anything on or in the wound as most over the counter topical medications such as hydrogen peroxide are not meant to go in open wounds and can cause more harm than good.

Remember, what is on the surface is not the entire
injury. Most often, bite wounds are worse than they
appear from the bacteria and crushing force of the bite.

As stated earlier, the best thing to do is to get your dog to your regular veterinarian or veterinary emergency facility as soon as possible. After your dog has been examined, in many cases, wound exploration under sedation or general anesthesia will be recommended by your veterinarian. I am often asked why we are unable to just clean the wound and put some sutures in it. The answer is that what you see on the surface is just the "tip of the iceberg". Bite wounds, by nature, cause crushing injury to the skin and tissue below. They carry hair, debris, skin bacteria, and bacteria from the biting dog's mouth--embedding them into the tissue. These wounds need to be surgically explored to remove damaged and contaminated tissue and flushed with sterile saline to remove bacteria and debris. Many of these bites will cause large pockets under the skin and may need to have drains placed to prevent fluid accumulation after the wound is closed. Antibiotics and pain medications will likely be prescribed and follow up exams will be rquired to remove drains, monitor healing and remove sutures or staples. Some wounds may dehisce (break down) because some crushing injuries damage the blood supply to the skin and this may not be apparent at the time of the initial injury. Repeated surgery and/or open wound management and skin grafts may be required for more severe wounds.

In summary, bite wounds in dogs are one of the more common injuries seen in veterinary practice. They can happen in almost any scenario imagined, have a wide range of severity and often need to be surgically explored to asses/treat the damaged tissue under the skin. Examination by a veterinarian is recommended in almost every case and frequent follow up to monitor healing.

Written by Joseph Wilder, DVM, DABVP

Hydrating Your Pet This Summer -- Mia's Story

We all enjoy spending time outdoors in the summer with our dogs, but it is important to keep them hydrated and cool to lessen the risk of heat-related illness. Our four-legged companions, unlike us, don't sweat to cool themselves and while we see them panting we may not realize the amount of water they are losing. They lose water and dissipate heat through a process called evaporation, which is the endothermic process of a fluid changing to a vapor.

By panting, dogs bring large quantities of air in contact with the mucosal surfaces of the nose and mouth. This allows them to dissipate heat, provided the air is cooler than the surface it is moving over. Your dog's ability to cool himself through this method effectively decreases as humidity increases; therefore, it is important to consider the heat index. The heat index combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature. So, while we are sweating away and realize we are becoming dehydrated, we don't realize that "Fido" is dehydrated. Once dehydrated, dogs are less able to cool themselves through evaporative cooling--much like a car without water in the radiator. They will rapidly overheat and suffer from heat stroke.

There are several things that can be done to help maintain adequate hydration and avoid heat stroke. First, make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water before, during and after being outside. If you are planning on taking your dog out for an extended period of time, bring along water and offer it every 15-30 minutes. Plenty of pet-friendly water bottles with dishes are available online or in your local pet and sporting goods stores.

Watch your dog for symptoms of dehydration. These include a tacky feeling when the gums are touched and the skin becoming slow to return to its natural position when pulled up. Other signs include excessive panting and a rapid heart rate. It is a good idea to evaluate your dog prior to going out so you have an idea of what his normal hydration is like. This being said, most veterinarians find it difficult to determine when a dog is less than five percent dehydrated; therefore, if you feel your pet is dehydrated it is better to err on the side of caution and stop your activity. If you suspect your dog may be dehydrated, you should offer him water and find a cool place in the shade for recovery.

To avoid dehydration in the summer sun, avoid activity in the middle of the day and allow your dog time to get used to warm temperatures. In other words, don't take him for a long walk on the first warm day of the year. Consider, also, your dog's health and breed. Dogs with heavy coats, pre-existing respiratory conditions (whether acquired or congenital) or who are overweight are at considerably more risk for having trouble as temperatures and humidity increase.

Finally, remember to never leave your dog in the car. The temperature inside your car can rapidly rise over forty degrees in an hour. The majority of the increase in temperature occurs in the first half hour. Studies have shown that having the windows "cracked" does not sufficiently decrease the temperature rise and there is virtually no difference in the temperature after one hour. So, when transporting your four-legged companions to your favorite outdoor activity, do not leave them in the car for any length of time.

This summer while you and your pup are out enjoying the weather, remember to keep his hydration and the forecast in mind. Pay careful attention to cues your dog may give that he is over-exerting himself in the heat. It is better to underestimate your dog's fitness and overestimate his dehydration than to take a chance with heatstroke.

Written by Tom Linnenbrink, DVM

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Heat stroke has been one of the major ailments we have been treating at VSES in the last few weeks. Dogs have been coming in after being left in cars on some of the hottest days, or even left outside without water or shade. The latter is the case for Mia. Mia was found by neighbors who spotted her outside and unresponsive, without proper shelter or hydration. They were instructed by Operation Gypsy Inc.-- a local volunteer group who is dedicated to located and recovering lost, missing, stray, abused and neglected pets--to call the authorities. The neighbors then began measures to cool the pup while authorities were on the way. The police instructed the owners to send this pup to our hospital for treatment and when they didn't consent to proper care, she was seized by animal control and brought to VSES.

We treated Mia for the symptoms of heat stroke and in a few days she was ready to go into foster care with a local rescue group, Rescued Treasures. Operation Gypsy Inc. is raising donations to fund the costs of this little pup's treatments at VSES. Because of the quick response of her rescuers, Mia is now able to run and play with her new foster family with her second shot of life.

The summer is at its hottest now and this week temperatures will climb into the low nineties. Please contact your veterinarian if you are unsure of what you can do to keep your pets cool or if you think your pet may be suffering from heat related ailments.

Mia's foster family sent us this wonderful video of Mia loving life and getting the chance to be a young, happy pup!

Happy Tails - Maggie

Maggie is all smiles during her most recent visit.

Meet Maggie. Maggie is a ten year old female, spayed mix breed who came into VSES at the end of April. Maggie had been out in the field enjoying the break in the cool weather when an unknown dog came up and attacked her.

The bite wounds were severe and quite contaminated, risking infection. She had some bone exposure on her right front leg coupled with muscle damage while her left leg had a large absence of skin in the elbow, which prevented the wound from closing, exposing severe muscle damage underneath. Poor Maggie also had wounds covering her head and her neck.

This terrifying night is what began Maggie's stay with us at VSES. She began daily debridement of the wound to her elbow--treatments that would remove any dead or dying tissue to help prevent infection. Her other leg was repaired and began to heal slowly; the drains that were placed during the repair (to help stave off infection) were removed after a few days. Maggie was not herself during this time. She was refusing to eat or drink, but we saw so much hope every time her dedicated owners came to visit, she perked up just a little.

A fancy bandage for such a sweet dog. Courtesy
of one of our animal care assistants.

Our staff really began to bond with Maggie and they were happy to see her go home only a few days after her admission to VSES, but were also happy to see her daily after she left for bandage changes.

Silly Maggie!

Her owners reported that she was continually improving -- walking well and even starting to eat some (roast beef was a favorite!) Every time our staff saw her, her condition (and spirits) improved and our staff really looked forward to seeing her progress.

This whole experience can be very traumatic for any dog and dog owner to go through, but both Maggie and her family did not let this faze them. While Maggie may be a bit slower than she was prior to the attack, she is still smiling and just as sweet as she always was.

Maggie in her fancy cone (to help keep her wounds
safe from that happy tongue!)

Maggie's family is one of the most dedicated families we have ever seen. They never missed a bandage change, and they are doing an amazing job keeping her safe and happy at home.

Maggie's family is so thankful that their sweet girl is on the mend and back to her normal self, and so are we!

A big thank you to Maggie and her family for the thank you cakes!
(Our staff really loves cake!)

Keep smiling, Maggie!