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Honey โ the tasty treat we all love. People have been using honey
to treat wounds for centuries. Today, many veterinary doctors are
experimenting with the medicinal value of honey to see if it
offers similar results in animals. Many veterinary medications
tend to be extremely heavy on the pockets and doctors believe
that honey can be used as an alternative form of medicine.
The medicinal benefits of honey
The most important advantage of honey is that it is
anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. This means that the likelihood of
infections developing on open wounds and sores is very less. This
is what makes honey so popular among veterinary doctors and pet
owners alike.The antioxidants and flavonoids in honey have been
found to be beneficial for a variety of problems such as ulcers,
heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders and more. Additionally,
honey can also be used as a solution for common cold.Finally,
because of the multiple nutrients that it contains, honey has
been found to boost immunity. With multiple benefits such as
these, itโs easy to see why honey is used as medicine.
An alternative to veterinary medication
Honey has anti-microbial properties. This makes it the ideal
solution to treat open wounds and sores. When your pet has hurt
itself and has developed an open wound, it is imperative to treat
it at the earliest to avoid infection. If too much time is spent
in taking your pet to the veterinary clinic, the wound may become
infected. This can be very dangerous to your pet. In this case,
honey can be used as an immediate form of treatment.Apart from
reducing the risk of infection, honey also reduces the chances of
a wound developing edema. It speeds up the shedding of necrotic
tissues, which will in turn reduce the risk of gangrene. Due to
its viscous nature, honey can be used to cover the wound until
further treatment. It also provides the protein needed to help
heal the wound.A vital property of honey is its high osmolarity.
It helps absorb and concentrate nutrients and enzymes which are
vital to the healing process and which will accelerate the
process of tissue regeneration.In addition to these benefits,
honey is economically viable. Various brands are available in
almost every store and some of them are less expensive than the
others. This means more people can now purchase packets of this
product. It is also available in containers of various sizes and
pet owners can easily carry them on their person at all times.Now
that you know the magical properties of this golden goodness why
not use it on your petโs wounds?
Treating Bite Wounds in Your Dog
Bite wounds are the most common cause of trauma in dogs and
usually result from altercations with cats, other dogs and
wildlife. They are puncture wounds and although they may appear
small, they can spell a lot of trouble for your dog. The
deceptive nature of bite marks lies in the fact that while the
outer wound can be small, but deep, extending all the way through
the skin and into the subcutaneous tissue and muscle. The risk of
infection is pretty high, considering the amount of bacteria in
an animalโs mouth. Since the surface wound is small, it heals
fast, leaving the bacteria trapped in the deep wound. This
creates the perfect atmosphere for them to grow and develop into
an abscess.Cat bites usually develop abscesses since their teeth
are long and thin. Dog bites are shallower and the outer wounds
are larger than a cat bite. Thus, the rate of abscess formation
is lower but it is still high. Here are a few steps you can take
to reduce the complications if your dog is bit:
Control your dog bleeding from
a bite wound
You can control bleeding by applying a washcloth or a clean towel
to the wound along with some firm pressure. Dog bites bleed more
than at bites and the location of the bite wound is a major
factor. Highly vascular areas like the nose and ear bleed a lot
while the trunk and legs might not bleed that much.
Take your dog to the
vet
Seek immediate attention of the vet to evaluate the injury.
He/she will see how deep the wound is, estimate the dead space
involved and recommend appropriate treatment. Dead space is
formed when skin is pulled away from the subcutaneous tissue
creating an air pocket between the skin and underlying tissue. If
the space is big, it creates enough room for the bacteria to
thrive and create an abscess. Your vet will either clean up the
wound and prescribe some antibiotics or go for a surgical drain
if the wound is deep.
How to clean a minor
wound
If the wound is minor, apply some KY jelly on it and clip the fur
around the affected area. The jelly will keep the fur away from
the wound, which can be wiped with a washcloth afterwards.
Clipping the fur will make it easy to clean up the wound and
prevents the bacteria on the fur from infecting the wound
further. Once you are done clipping, clean the wound with
a
topical spray.
Home care
This involves cleaning the wound with gauze moistened with
hydrogen peroxide 3 to 4 times a day and applying a
triple antibiotic like Neosporin to the wound. Ensure
that you monitor the wound for any signs of infection: swelling,
excessive redness or purulent discharge. If you notice any of
these signs, you need to check in with your vet.
