Continued

Last week, we discussed the emergency control of haemorrhaging due to cuts and assorted wounds on the extremities (legs, tails), etc.

Whatever the cause of the lesion (wound), there is great likelihood that germs (bacteria, spores, etc) would have entered the broken surface of the skin.  Our objective, therefore, must always be to clean the dirt and debris out of the wound, without introducing more germs.  For this reason, the materials/instruments we use must themselves be clean.  In fact, if you boil the cotton wool and the scissors, etc, before intervention, that would be best. Your hands should also be washed clean, preferably with germicidal soap.

Cleansing of fresh wounds
You should firstly clear away the clotted blood and dirt from around the wound (not yet from the wound itself).  Use a sharp pair of scissors to clip away the hair surrounding the wound.  If the animal is in a state of shock and will allow you to touch the wounded area, you may wish to use a safety razor to shave away the hair surrounding the wound. You may now begin to cleanse the edge of the wound (gently) using a Q-tip (match stick with sterile cotton wool on the tip) or a sterile damp gauze/pad. Now wash away the hair (from the clipping) and the general dirt from the wound properly. …..