Treating and Preventing Hunting Dog Injuries By Geoffrey English At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

What could be better than a weekend hunting trip with your favorite scent hound? Your hunting dog is exposed to dangers from prey and other environmental dangers on almost every hunting rip.Although you can't foresee every accident, you can be well prepared. It's important to know how to respond when your dog becomes injured in the field. Being prepared for major emergencies, as well as minor emergencies, is the key.

Hunting dogs can get so focused on the job at hand, that they don't realize it when they are injured. For this reason, you should regularly check his eyes, face, feet, and legs for injuries. You know that you should always take a first aid kit with you whenever you go hunting. Don't forget about your dog. His first aid kit should include:

topical anesthetic
antibacterial treatment or ointment
eye wash solution
vet wrap
bandages and other dressing
a muzzle
tweezers
cotton balls and swabs
scissors
hydrogen peroxide
canine pain relievers
sterilized wash
cold packs and heat packs

For long excursions, it may be wise to pack inject-able penicillin, anti-venom, and leg splints.

Here are some common hunting dog injuries and treatments.

Injuries to the feet and legs are most common. Broken legs must be treated immediately by a professional. A splint can be used, but care should be taken when applying one that you do not get bitten by your dog. Slip a purchased or makeshift muzzle on your dog to prevent any unintentional injury to yourself. A solid field wound care manual is essential to understand how to appropriately apply a splint.

Broken toes are not as bad and usually only require vet prescribed pain medication and kennel rest. You can treat lacerations on your own. First, Clean the injured area with a sterilized wash.You may need to cut away some of your dog's hair to do this thoroughly.

Next, Remove any debris from the wound, rinse with a sterile solution, and apply antibacterial ointment. Dress with a wound pad, and secure with vet wrap. For wounds that require stitches, you can purchase butterfly stitches. Close the wound using the tape, and then dress as you normally would.

Eye injuries are tricky. Branches can cause injury to the eyes as your dog speeds through the brush in search of his prey.. The prey itself may scratch or bite the dogs eyes in an attempt to defend itself. Your dog's eyes have more of a capacity to withstand injuries than a human.

However, it is important to remember that injured eyes are prone to infection. Special attention must be paid to this sort of injury. Clean the area with a sterilized eye wash solution, and apply an antibacterial ointment that is safe for eyes. Follow this treatment twice a day until you can consult your dog's veterinarian. Your dog should see a veterinarian immediately after the hunt.

The skin of your dog's ears is delicate. They can be cut, torn or even ripped off while pursuing prey. Fortunately, his ear is simple to treat. Clean the wounded area thoroughly. Apply an antibacterial ointment. Dressing the wound carefully using sterilized wound pads. Secure them in place with vet wrap.

This will prevent further injury and promote healing. It is OK to gently clean the edges of a cut daily with warm water to soften any crusts but don't scrub the healing cut and don't apply hydrogen peroxide because this chemical, even when diluted, can harm newly produced healing tissues.

The vet wrap can be wrapped around the head for added security. After your trip, you may need to purchase an E-collar to prevent your dog from scratching at the area. Scratching cause the wound to become infected. Keep the bandaged area clean and dry. Dressing should be changed twice each day. Seek immediate veterinary care if you suspect infection.

Injuries to the nose and lips are serious and difficult to treat in the field. Keep the injured areas clean, and seek veterinary care upon your return. These areas a extremely sensitive, and should be treated immediately. If your dogs injuries are severe enough, he may need to be temporarily relieved of his hunting duties for emergency treatment. Make sure your dog sees a vet as soon as you return home.

Porcupine quills are very painful. If there are lots of quills, take your dog to the vet immediately. You will need a general anesthetic,and your dog will probably need antibiotics afterwards to prevent infection. If there are only a few quills, try covering the dog's eyes so he doesn't see you coming toward the quill with a pliers or strong forceps. Attempt to grasp the quill near the dog's skin. (The quill is NOT under pressure so "cutting open" the quill is unnecessary). Be prepared for the dog to jerk back as soon as you grasp the quill. Keep a good grip on the pliers, since your dog will probably jerk backwards. This should remove the quill. If not, grasp the quill closer to the skin and give a good jerk. Quills left in the body can cause an abscess and will emerge a few weeks later.

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