Help Needed- Dog Attack

Whisperwindkat · #1 05/06/12, 02:54 AM

My neighbor's dog attacked one of her goats yesterday. She got there quick enough to save the goat, but she has some wounds on her face. I went over and helped clean her up and treat the wounds. She called and left a message for the vet, but of course no response as of yet. With today being Sunday I highly doubt she will get a response today. My concern is the doe's bottom eyelid was torn. I really think a few stitches would help keep it from tearing further. The rest of the wounds aren't too terribly bad and none are really in need of stitches. They cleaned up really well and look like they will heal just fine. If she can't get a vet to stitch that eyelid today do you think with it being kept moist with medication that it will be able to be stitched Monday morning. I am really concerned that it will tear even further. Also, since this was a dog attack should we give her some antibiotics and if so is penicillin ok or should we use LA200. Thanks, Kat

Rockytopsis · #2 05/06/12, 05:21 AM

Without seeing a picture of the wounds it is hard to say. I do hope someone will check in and give you more advice.
Nancy

prairiedog · #3 05/06/12, 07:10 AM

I would go ahead and do a round of antibiotics. Don't thin it would be a good idea to stictch after 24 hours.

Minelson · #4 05/06/12, 08:01 AM

It depends. The vet will have to see if there is enough healthy tissue to close it up after removing dead tissue and/or making clean edges to sew.
It sounds like they have no choice but to wait.
At the vet clinic where I work we get in lots of days old lacerations that we are able to stitch up. All depends on the location and how much skin there is to work with. Too bad the vet she is calling doesn't have an emergency number for her to call

I would try to find another vet today. And FOR SURE antibiotcs ... I'm not sure which is best though but I would get that on board asap.

Sherry in Iowa · #5 05/06/12, 08:08 AM

If it were mine, I'd clean up the wounds, use hydrogen peroxide, then tea tree oil (not close to the eye) and if the bottom lid is torn..would those bandaids that act like stitches help in this case?

If I had an antibiotic .. I'd probably give it a shot.

Any chance of a pic?

Chaty · #6 05/06/12, 08:24 AM

Personally I wouldnt use the Peroxide as it destroys healthy tissue. I would give a shot of Banamine for the pain and try to tape the wound shut if its clean enough. I had another goat rip a goat open, hence no horns here anymore. We have a suture kit here and I did stitch her back up. You have to be really careful around the eye and have the goat very secured before you do it. I would try steri-strips or bandage it and cover with vet-wrap and yes a round of antibiotics.

Whisperwindkat · #7 05/06/12, 08:31 AM

Bandages wouldn't help as they wouldn't stand up to the blinking and there isn't really enough of the eyeball side of the lid to place the bandage on. Really it is a miracle that he only tore the lid instead of puncturing the eyeball itself. Can't get a pic right now, but picture this using your own bottom lid. In the very outside corner the tear starts and run just barely under the eyelashes for about 1/2 an inch. You can watch her eyeball move through the tear. What concerns me is that the little tiny piece holding it together in the corner is so small. If that gave way then I foresee her losing that little piece of her eyelid. My friend called this morning and said that the eye is swollen and that she flushed it with saline again and cleaned with betadine and treated with neosporin. It's tricky because anything you put in that area will get in her eye. I am taking her some penicillin later this morning. Thanks, Kat

Whisperwindkat · #8 05/06/12, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chaty

Personally I wouldnt use the Peroxide as it destroys healthy tissue. I would give a shot of Banamine for the pain and try to tape the wound shut if its clean enough. I had another goat rip a goat open, hence no horns here anymore. We have a suture kit here and I did stitch her back up. You have to be really careful around the eye and have the goat very secured before you do it. I would try steri-strips or bandage it and cover with vet-wrap and yes a round of antibiotics.

I don't like horns either, but oddly enough I think her horns are what saved her from worse injuries. The dog had her head and was viciously attacking her head, but couldn't seem to get enough of a bite because she kept turning her horns into the attack. The puncture wounds are very small and barely deep enough to be called puncture wounds from his canines. So in this case we were thankful for her little horns. Steri strips won't work because there isn't enough room on the eyeball side of the lid to hold. I have suture materials and have done loads of sutures but not comfortable enough being that close to the eyeball especially with no real good way to secure her other than hold her down. Hopefully the vet will call back, but I doubt he will. Thanks all blessings, Kat

CarolT · #9 05/06/12, 08:53 AM

I luckily have a vet who would answer his home phone for me

You saw what he did for Rosie after her dog attack.

However, if this was me, and I am not a vet, so this is just what I would do myself if I was scared she would lose that eyelid part and couldn't get a vet and since there is no way I'd be comfortable with a needle around an eye, would be to get someone to hold her still, see if they couldn't hold the eye closed on the other side from the rip and put one teeny drop of superglue on the rip and close it. Then I'd give antibiotics and check with a vet when he opened tomorrow... Like I said. Just me.

CJBegins · #10 05/06/12, 09:22 AM

I second CarolT. I just used superglue on a teat wound and it worked great! Get someone to help really restrain her and put a drop of superglue on it.
BTW, the saline flush and the neosporin won't hurt her eye but I wouldn't put betadine anywhere close.

Ford Zoo · #11 05/06/12, 09:41 AM

I've used superglue to close wounds too. Try not to get any in the wound itself, but glue the hairs together, if there is enough hair there? That should hold the edges together.

thaiblue12 · #12 05/06/12, 11:02 AM

I would hesitate to use super glue on an eye wound. It sounds too close to the eye to take the chance. I might super glue the butterfly strips, just a tiny dot to keep them holding the wound together.
The PenG, flushing and etc is doing is good.

That vet sounds like a real winner. Mine will call me on the weekend, if he is busy he will refer me to another vet or the vet college up North.

copperpennykids · #13 05/06/12, 02:18 PM

Leave the wound by the eye alone!

Clean it up and then just leave it. If there is a large tab of skin hanging, trim off what you can and then leave it alone. Any other skin will likely die and then you can cut off the dead tissue later. Dog bites need to be left open to drain, never stitch them up or close them off.

Penicillin is the antibiotic you need for wounds/bites. 4.5cc/100 2X/day. (Sometimes we just give 9cc/100 lbs. once a day - fewer shots.) Sub Q

Also banamine/flunixamine at 1cc/100 lb for swelling and pain. IM

Supportive care: 3-4 ccs of Fortified B-complex once a day, sub Q
Some type of probiotic once a day.
Extra pampering, browse, nice straw-bedded pen.
make sure she is eating and drinking and prepare to drench if necessary.