Well our beloved dog and amputee, is not doing well. Murphy is the most patient,loving,140 pound lap dog you can imagine. Everything we present to him he just accepts, more pills OKAY, i have to wear a tee shirt ALL the time OKAY, back to the Vet OKAY, I have to have a gauze pad hanging out of this ugly shirt OKAY. I mean there is no protest no matter what is happening. He is just so happy and good natured all the time.
Murphy’s incision site still has about an inch and half that just won’t heal. When he lays down the open part is right on the floor so when he moves it just keeps comming open. It will be just about closed and then it opens again.
The flesh surrounding the open spot is pink and healthy, you can see where the scabs are trying to form but it just won’t seal up. Our vet did a culture, and at that time put him on antibiotics that would take care of the type of infection he has. The culture didn’t show anything dramatic.
We have tried every kind of bandage we can think of to try to keep it clean, from bandaging for horses to puppy pads under his shirt. It seems to me we need something that will pull the incision TOGETHER and hold it shut so it can knit closed. It is at such an awkward angle everything we try slips off of the wound. We need something that would stay tight around him.
Anyone have any suggestions. We are out of ideas for things to try.
Murphy’s loving family
9 comments so far
7:58 pm - 3-13-2016
Has your vet considered Steri-Strips or maybe even Superglue? I don’t know for certain that either of these are used for dogs, but I know when I have had the strips used after a procedure, they stayed absolutely in place for about ten days. The docs used a Superglue type of glue on one of my grandsons.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel…and the Labradork
8:27 pm - 3-13-2016
Thank you so much for your suggestions. I will be calling the vet first thing tomorrow.
8:51 pm - 3-13-2016
This could be a totally crazy idea, but could they do a skin graft? They could take a piece from his belly where he has excess and use it to “patch” the wound. Another thought would be have a consult at a teaching hospital, somewhere they see the more challenging cases. Good luck! I’d be worried sick and I’m sure you are too.
10:04 pm - 3-13-2016
Murphy is an incredibly gentle, good natured Soul. I know you are so proud of him. He’s quite a teacher for us all…quite the roll model for how to handle any challenge with a wagging tail and a smile!
I know I mentioned this before, but please consider posting a synopsis of what’s going on under “Ask A vet” in the forums, and also seek a second opinion who can provide a plan of action…or several!
Hang in there! A solution HAS to be available!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
4:35 am - 3-14-2016
Oh no thats always frustrating when the last little bit wont heal.. I didnt see a pic of where it was… so Im just guessing.. im sure they have tried vet wrap, but youd have to go all the way around the body most likely?..like the bandage stuff they use on the legs for a catheter then gauze underneath so its somewhat padded and pressure too.. also used on horses…or what about silver mesh wound pads as well,used with human wounds that are infected and not healing.
5:30 am - 3-14-2016
I have not heard about the silver wound pads. I have gotten so many ideas in such a short time I am wondering why the vet hasn’t suggested any of them. I am calling in the morning and the mesh pads are on my list to ask about.
Thank you for the ideas,something HAS to work.
5:09 am - 3-14-2016
Did Murphy ever have surgical staples? Our dog is just a little over a week out from her amputation and has a lot of those in place and they appear to be really holding the wound together. We actually decided to keep the sutures in a bit longer as our vet said she recommends a full 2 or even 3 weeks of sutures in amputees to avoid tearing afterward. I am not sure how they would apply to a dog that is not unconscious but they really seem to do the job. Also the vet stressed trying to ensure that our dog does not do any jumping or stair climbing or anything that might tear the skin open. I have also been wondering if an undershirt might not be more comfortable for them than a T-shirt so that there is not all that excess fabric and its not so loose. I hope that you find something that will work.
5:24 am - 3-14-2016
Thank you so much for all your great ideas. Instead of a tee shirt we are using tight under armour so it doesn’t move around, if in a pinch and we use a tee we tie a knot on top so it is tight. I will ask about staples in the morning.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help us.
11:05 pm - 3-20-2016
Dang, sorry to hear it’s still not healing. BUT I did think of you today when we were interviewing Dr. Nixdorf of Farabloc. He really educated us about why the absence of EMFs can speed up wound healing, there’s a lot of science behind its use for human amputee wound care (and phantom pain as well). Listen to Tripawd Talk and hear why this EMF shield blanket is fantastic for wound healing:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/tripawds/2016/03/20/electro-magnetic-frequencies-and-phantom-limb-pain-in-pets
If you have any questions Dr. Nixdorf is always happy to answer them, as are we. I really think it’s worth a try for Murphy.