Mary Allen
Hemostasis
Keep calm!
Fixate the dog tightly so that it cannot move!
Apply direct pressure to the edges of the wound with a swab or clean cloth
Light bleeding
Bleeding that does not involve major vessel damage (abrasions and superficial lacerations where the wound does not gape) is best stopped with constant pressure for several minutes. A sterile swab or a clean piece of cloth that is pressed onto the edges of the wound is suitable for this.
If the bleeding does not stop after a few minutes, you can cool the wound with an ice pack or ice pack from the freezer. Do not press the ice pack directly onto the wound (risk of frostbite), but place some gauze between the wound and the cold pack.
Do not clean the wound until the bleeding has stopped
Avoid rubbing or dabbing the wound
Heavy bleeding
If the bleeding cannot be controlled with simple pressure, you must apply a pressure bandage and contact a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Very heavy bleeding
If bleeding from the limbs or tail (tail) cannot be controlled with a pressure bandage, the relevant limb may be tied off above the injury. The animal should be presented to a vet immediately.
Never leave the tourniquet on for more than 10 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop after that, put the tourniquet back on.
Wound cleaning and disinfection
The wound should only be cleaned if the bleeding has stopped, otherwise dabbing and rubbing can make the bleeding worse.
Removing the fur
Cutaway the fur around the wound with curved scissors. Put some gauze over the wound as you do this to keep hair or dirt from getting on the injury.
It is enough if you remove about 1-2 cm of fur around the wound. In the case of long-haired breeds, a larger part of the hair coat may have to be trimmed.
Cleaning and disinfection
Use non-alcoholic liquids that do not sting to clean wounds.
Mild iodine solutions or diluted hydrogen peroxide solutions (3% solution, available in pharmacies) are suitable for cleaning and simultaneous disinfection.
If the wound gapes and you cannot control the bleeding or if there are foreign bodies in the wound, you should take your animal to a veterinarian to avoid infections (e.g. tetanus).