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Every chinny owner will, at some
point, come across a wound on their pet – these can range in severity
from superficial wound such as a scratch, or a cut lip/nose, to the more
serious nipped toe (some chins have had their toes nipped clean off by another
chinny) to bumblefoot, or surgical wounds, tumours, and abcesses.
The correct care of such wounds
is essential to minimise/prevent the risk of infection and to provide the
optimum environment for healing.
Research into wound healing has
taken place for many years – the following is based on such research
and my personal experience as a wound care specialist and as a chinny owner.
However, please bear in mind that wound care is a very complex process and it
is not possible to go into all the connotations of wound management/healing
in this article.
Wounds: A wound can be defined
as – a cut or break in the continuity of any tissue caused by injury or
operation.
There are many different types of wounds. The most common found in chinchilla
keeping will be:
Surgical Wounds
Traumatic – amputations (e.g. toes), bites, abrasions, bruising
Burns
Abcess
Chronic Ulcers (such as bumblefoot)
It is important to assess the
wound first and foremost to try to establish the underlying cause (so further
occurrences may be prevented where possible) and to formulate a treatment
plan.
Assessment of the wound should
include:
General condition of the animal, clinical signs of infection which include
the surrounding skin condition (red, hot, fluctuant [squishy]), pus, lost
fur, the wound itself (including colour of the wound, depth, size), any
bleeding or fluid loss, position of the wound, and underlying cause.
Once the assessment has been
made it should be possible to formulate a treatment plan. Please note that
referral to a qualified veterinarian is essential if infection is suspected
or the owner does not have the experience and confidence to deal with the
wound.
Signs of Infection:
It is imperative that wounds are inspected daily for signs of infection which
are:
Localised (around the wound site) redness, swelling.
Localised heat, pain. (difficult to gauge in a chin because they are good at
hiding pain).
Increased exudate (fluid coming from the wound)
Friable wound (delicate wound tissue – bleeds easily)
Odour – wound smells bad
General increase in body temperature (difficult to judge with a chinny)
Treatment:
Wound management works on the
same principles for animals as humans – research has found that the
optimum environment for wound healing is one which is moist and warm.
However, this is also the optimum environment for bacterial reproduction
– so always check for signs of infection when treating any wound.
Never use cotton wool to clean
wounds – the fibres which get left behind in the wound can slow down
the wound healing and lead to increased risk of infection (fur should also be
clipped away from the edges of wounds and the wound cleaned with saline for
the same reason). It is also very painful to remove cotton wool fibres from a
wound - Use a lint free gauze swab.
All wounds should be monitored
for changes in appearance, unusual bleeding, or infection - Veterinary advice
must be sought if this is noticed.
It is not possible to go into
all the variations of wounds and the care which can be given but some suggestions
of wounds and treatment regimes are as follows:
Superficial, small wounds: (eg. Scrapes, minor cuts, minor
bites)
Cleanse with normal saline (salt water 1 tablespoon in a cup of boiled,
cooled water)
If the wound is very superficial and is small then it can be left to heal
without any treatment.
The wound should be monitored daily for signs of infection (as above).
Superficial, large wounds: (eg. extensive scrapes, bites,
unexplained skin lesions)
Cleanse with sterile water (cooled, boiled water)
Clip the fur away from the edge of the wound (to prevent it getting stuck to
the wound bed).
Apply a cream to keep the surface of the wound moist (reduces pain and allows
the wound to heal faster). An example of a suitable cream is green cream
(bunnymail),
Monitor for infection and refer to vet if concerned.
Apply ointment/creams as prescribed by your vet.
Simple amputations (eg. Bitten through toes)
Check wound for signs of bone protruding from the wound (will be creamy
coloured and hard). If bone is present in the wound bed then a veterinary
opinion is essential.
Cleanse wound with saline
Monitor daily for signs of infection
Allow to self heal or use ointments/creams as prescribed by your vet.
Surgical Wounds: (eg. After abdominal surgery,
castration, removal of tumour)
Monitor wounds for signs of infection.
Monitor for signs of the chinny removing the stitches.
Monitor for signs of wound edges opening.
Veterinary opinion if required.
Bumblefoot:
Provide soft areas in the cage for pressure relief.
Check for signs of infection.
Spray areas with Purple Spray if required.
Veterinary intervention is necessary if the wounds continue to break open,
bleed, or become infected.
Use creams as prescribed by your vet.
Cavity wounds/abcess:
(cavity wound is a deep hole)
Always require veterinary intervention however the basic principles are as
follows:
Fur should be clipped away from the wound edges (to prevent the fur from
becoming stuck to the wound )
Flush wound with saline/irrigation fluid supplied by vet, ensuring that all
the fluid comes back out of the cavity. This may require a syringe technique
which your vet should teach you.
If the wound is open, use a suitable gel such as IntraSite (or veterinary
prescribed treatment) to keep the wound bed moist.
Keep the wound entrance open – this will prevent fluid from building up
in the wound, causing pain, infection and further abcess.
Monitor the wound for signs of infection.
Please note ALL bite wounds should be referred for veterinary intervention.
Bite wounds may look superficial at the surface but may be fatal if left
untreated - there is a serious risk of abcessation, deep tissue trauma,
infection, and rapid deterioration and death due to severe shock. ALL chins
with bite injuries must be treated for shock and taken for immediate
veterinary advice
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