If your pet is being sent home with a cast or bandage, these simple steps will help you keep it as clean as possible. Bandage care is very important to ensure efficient healing for your pet. Lack of appropriate bandage care can lead to complications including delayed healing, infection, sores and ulcers.
ALWAYS make sure the bandage stays clean and dry.
- Place a waterproof plastic bag/bandage cover over the bandage when taking your pet outside. Even if it’s not raining, you want to make sure that the bandage is safe from dirt and debris, keeping it as clean and dry as possible.
- This bandage cover should never stay on for longer than 30 minutes because it can trap condensation/moisture.
Monitor the bandage closely.
- Check the bandage several times a day to make sure it stays in the same place. If your pet is active, the bandage/cast can often times slip out of place.
- Check your pet’s limb above and below the bandage (if toes are exposed) frequently. If you notice any swelling, call us!
- Feel your pet’s toes! If a bandage is too tight, gets wet, or slips it can cut off circulation, causing their toes to be cold. This is a very important step. Your pet’s toes should always be warm to the touch.
Keep the bandage safe!
- We highly recommend keeping an Elizabethan Collar on your pet to prevent them from chewing the bandage off.
- Elevate food and water bowls so your pet does not accidentally step into or knock the bowl over, getting the bandage wet. Bandages are not waterproof, and if they become wet this can lead to infection!
Never leave a bandage on for too long.
- Your veterinarian will tell you how often your pet’s bandage should be changed or when the bandage can be removed. You should never leave a bandage on longer than the doctor recommends.
- NEVER take the bandage off at home unless specifically instructed to do so by your veterinarian. If your pet takes the bandage off on their own, contact us immediately to schedule a recheck appointment.
Restrict exercise!
- Exercise restriction is incredibly important for healing, whether it is a broken bone/fracture or a wound that is being covered. Motion can cause the bandage to slip, but it can also cause irritation to a wound if the bandage continues to rub against it. We recommend keeping your pet confined to a crate or a small bedroom/bathroom during the recovery period.
Following these simple steps will help healing significantly. We hope for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery for your pet!
