How to Bandage Your Dog's Leg

Oh no! Your dog went and cut
himself on the fence again! Don’t worry! You can treat minor injuries at home on your own for almost nothing! Just follow these simple steps.

The first thing you need to do is assess how deep the injury is. NOTICE: if the injury looks really deep, then take your dog the vet. This is for minor cuts that bleed a small amount. If your dog is being uncooperative, then hold the dog in lateral recumbency. This is a position in which the dog is lain on his side while placing your elbow over his neck and holding the closest leg to the table or floor. Apply as little pressure as possible as to not hurt the dog.

Secondly, you will need supplies; some vet wrap, gauze, and iodine solution, if you don’t already have some, will do. This can be found at any store with medical supplies. If your dog seems to be bothered by the wound, you might need an Elizabethan collar (aka a cone) as well. Measure around your dog’s neck, and that will be the size you need. They are usually adjustable, so don’t panic if it doesn’t fit right the first time.

After you have gotten the supplies ready and your dog is in the right position, then you may start. Clean the wound with the iodine solution. If you don’t clean it properly, then the wound might get infected. Double check that there are no foreign objects in the injury. Try not to cause the dog too much pain.

Once the injury is cleaned, put some gauze over the wound. It may go around the leg at least once. Then, wrap some vet wrap over the gauze. CAUTION: do not wrap the gauze or the vet wrap too tight or too loose. If the wrap is too tight, it might cut off the circulation of the leg. If it the wrap is too loose, then it might fall off.

Finally, once everything is clean and wrapped up, then you are done. If the dog starts biting or licking the area you wrapped, then you might need to put the Elizabethan collar on. Don’t worry, the collar won’t hurt the dog, it is only there to make sure the dog’s injury heals right.