If applied incorrectly, bandages can actually cause harm to your pet. Here are our team’s top tips on how to apply a safe and effective dressing.

When might a bandage be required for your pet?

In general, it’s best to bring your pet to the clinic for a prompt veterinary assessment of any significant injuries, rather than trying to manage them yourself. This is especially necessary if your pet has any steady bleeding, appears to have a broken limb, or is showing symptoms of pain or lethargy.

However, if your pet has a wound but otherwise seems OK and you can’t bring them in to see us for more than a couple of hours, applying a light protective dressing can help prevent wound contamination.

What supplies might you need?

If you want to prepare a home bandaging kit for your pet, we’d recommend purchasing the following supplies from a human pharmacy:

• Sterile, non-stick, absorptive wound pads (such as Allevyn)
• A few rolls of crepe bandage (for gentle to moderate compression)
• A few rolls of conforming bandage (for stronger support of high-motion areas)
• Adhesive bandage tape
• Bottles of sterile saline
• Sterile cotton swabs

How should a bandage be applied?

Firstly, if your pet will let you, gently flush wounds clean with sterile saline, pat the area around the wound and dry with a sterile cotton swab.

Then place a sterile wound pad against the site and apply an appropriate bandage over the top for extra support, with tape to secure it. Here is a video demonstrating the application of a paw bandage (using alternate materials).

What are some common bandaging mistakes to avoid?

Avoid:

• Applying bandages too tightly – you should be able to fit at least one finger underneath limb bandages
• Allowing bandages to get wet or dirty, which can trigger infection of the wound or surrounding skin

For more tips on bandaging like a boss, consult our first aid proficient team.