How to Take Care of an Injured Dog
- 1
Dog Cone/Elizabethan Collar
Purchase an Elizabethan collar (cone) for your dog if he's had surgery. The cone fits around a dog's neck and keeps him from licking or biting the stitches. Cones also work for dogs that have cut themselves but don't require stitches. Your dog can eat and drink with the cone but can't reach areas to lick or bite. The cone also keeps a dog from scratching a head injury. If your dog isn't prone to licking or biting the injured site and you just want to keep the site clean, an old sock or T-shirt works well to cover the site. - 2). Purchase a helper harness for a dog with an injured limb. The helper harness allows you to help the dog walk or get up and down stairs if she's injured a limb and can't put pressure on it. A popular harness for handicapped dogs is the Ruff Wear harness (see Resources).
- 3). Keep the injured dog quiet. If your dog has had surgery (spay/neuter) or has injured himself, in order for the injury or incision to heal, you must keep him quiet. Don't take your dog anywhere off leash (i.e., dog parks). Your dog should be leashed at all times while outside, and walks should be kept just short enough for your dog to do his business.
- 4). Keep your dog crated while inside if she has a tendency to romp around in the house. While not crated, your dog should be lying calmly. If your dog is naturally a "couch potato," there's usually no reason to crate her. If, however, you have a very active puppy, sometimes the only way to keep her quiet is to crate her. The crate should be just big enough for your dog to turn around and lie down.
- 5). Follow the veterinarian's recommendations for keeping your dog quiet. Even if your dog seems to be better after a few days, if the vet recommended keeping the dog quiet for a month, keep him quiet for that long to allow the injury to fully heal. Allowing your dog to romp and play prior to the recommended time may possibly re-injure your dog.
Source...