Problem Dressing

Re: Problem Dressing

bongo — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:58:07 GMT

how about some surgifix over the leg although it would have to be a small size to not fall down.

Re: Problem Dressing

Wispa — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:42:34 GMT

placing loops of suture material around the wound will allow the dressing to be tied over you can get good contact if you use alleyvn as you can put the suture material through the alleyvn pad. tried it with a granulating wound under a dogs chin and it worked well. will try the drip line idea as well.

Re: Problem Dressing

dinny_06 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:39:23 GMT

Hi Gemma, Hope I am not repeating what someone else has said

If things are getting bad here is an idea, Do a full limb dressing but include all 3 layers up over the lower dorsal area and under the abdomen! That generally keeps them in place but regular check to ensure that the dressing is not digging into the abdomen is vital.

good luck

Re: Problem Dressing

Gemma Burden RVN — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:33:48 GMT

Just to let you all know, the tie over dressing worked well and proved a lot less problematic that the other dressings we had tried. However, as predicted, the owners complience has proved an issue. She didn't take her to have her foot dressing changed over Christmas for a start, and nearly every time we see the dog the foot dressing was very wet. She came in on friday for her dressings to be changed and her wounds were looking great, but when I discharged the dog and tried to make sure that her owner had enough dressing at home to change the ttie over dressing she told me that she thought changing it daily was too much, so I suspect that she probably didn't do too much to it over the weekend. Today when the dog was in for her dressings to be changed her wounds looked awful, full of discharge and stinking. Her foot dressing was so wet that even the cotton wool between her toes was wet, and she had developed pressure sores on several places, not helped by her owner refusing to keep her quiet. The vet has had to have a long talk with her owner this evening, and as she doesn't want to go ahead with chemo the decission has been made that it is unfair to keep putting her through dressing changes, esp as the owner just isn't doing as she is asked. Therefore she is coming in tomorrow to be put to sleep, which is such as shame as she is only four and a half.
Thanks everyone for your help, hopefully next time we have something like this the outcome will be better.

Re: Problem Dressing

Nick Shackleton — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 18:42:53 GMT

Silver dressings are also really good for infected wounds

Re: Problem Dressing

Phrin Vernon RVN — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:52:00 GMT

I was going to suggest using sutures to secure the dressing too.

Have you tried manuka honey on the wound? Fabulous stuff! One of our vets had a pooch with mammary tumours - just would not heal until he tried manuka - fantastic stuff!

Re: Problem Dressing

Gemma Burden RVN — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:40:53 GMT

[quote user="Julie-Anne Harrison"]

Can you post a picture of the giving set suturing thing? I'm trying to picture it and coming up with some weird images in my head, lol

[/quote]

I didn't think to take a picture unfortunately. Basically the dripline sutured to the dog forms loops with bandage is tied to. These are placed at the corners of the wounds. The dressing is then put in place, then in the case of the dog i was talking about, an exlap swab was placed ontop. The wow bandage then passes over the top of the swab and is tied to the wow bandage on the other side to hold the dressings in place.

Re: Problem Dressing

Gemma Burden RVN — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:36:03 GMT

I thought about doing an Ehmer sling, but the thing that stopped us doing one is that she had two MCT's removed just below her hock on her other hind leg. Neither wound could be closed without leaving some of the tumour behind, but the wounds are healing really nicely so we are worried about putting more strain on that leg and undoing the good progress it has made so far. I am really hopeful that this dressing will work. Its a shame she has such unco-operative owner as I think she is going to end up being put to sleep as they just don't seem to take it seriously She's is only 4, so fingers crossed this works.

Re: Problem Dressing

BengalcatRVN — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:40:58 GMT

not the best pic but this was 4-5yrs ago. but you tie the dressing to the drip pipes

Re: Problem Dressing

BengalcatRVN — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:39:42 GMT

Re: Problem Dressing

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:21:19 GMT

Tie over dressing are really handy for awkward places

Re: Problem Dressing

Julie-Anne Wilson — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 20:54:05 GMT

Can you post a picture of the giving set suturing thing? I'm trying to picture it and coming up with some weird images in my head, lol

Re: Problem Dressing

BengalcatRVN — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 20:27:56 GMT

[quote user="Vicky RVN"]

I was going to suggest what you've now tried, using suture material to make loops through which you can use bandage material to tie over dressing. We used this method on a dog with a leg lump removal and it worked

[/quote]

We sutured the drip line to the dog sutured the dressing to the drip line, was amazing and worked at shinking the wound down! Can't remember what we used (other than def melolin over the top!" I'd check but i'm not at work till next week.

Re: Problem Dressing

Vicky RVN — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 20:21:47 GMT

Re: Problem Dressing

Julie-Anne Wilson — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:15:24 GMT

How about a sort of modified Ehmer sling?

It's one of those tricky areas that I think you'll always struggle with, especially if it's an active dog.