A common surgery performed in veterinary medicine is laceration repair. A laceration is a wound produced by the tearing of body tissue. Bites, cuts, and punctures often cause severe damage requiring surgical treatment.
If the laceration occurred recently and is large enough to warrant sutures, surgical repair with a veterinarian is recommended. Wounds can have many causes, sizes, and locations. They are usually treated surgically by cleaning and removing the damaged tissue, then closing the wound with sutures. In some cases, drains may be placed in wounds if there is a concern for fluid build-up under the skin.
If you notice any of these signs, you should contact your veterinarian immediately!
Even small cuts can be deep and require sutures or other treatment. You never know what is lurking behind the surface of lacerations or how extensive the injury is. For example, many bite and puncture wounds from a dog fight can’t easily be seen until the fur is shaved to reveal the full scope and depth of the wounds.
For cats who have access to the outdoors, bite-wound abscesses can be quite common. A bite-wound abscess usually manifests as a painful, fluid-filled lump under the skin. You may notice a scab over a puncture wound near the lump, but sometimes it is not noticed until it breaks through the skin and begins oozing.
The longer the time between injury and repair, the more likely the tissues will become infected, and healing will be delayed. Until a veterinarian has assessed your dog or cat, it is best to make sure your pet can’t lick or scratch at the wounded area. This is also a major component during postoperative recovery. As the owner, you will need to be attentive to making sure your pet wears a cone around its collar to prevent aggravating and damaging the healing skin tissue.
If your pet needs a laceration/wound repair or you have any questions,
give us a call today!
Animal Works Veterinary Surgery
Fort Collins
970-694-2625