Veterinary Wound Healing Association 5th Congress, Hannover, Germany. May 10-12 2001

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TOPICAL BASIC TREATMENT FOR COMPLICATED SKIN WOUNDS IN DOGS AND CATS: SEVEN CASE REPORTS

A. Giovannella 1, G.L. Manara 2
1. DVM, Mogliano Veneto (TV) - Italy
2. DVM, Trento - Italy
Viale dell’Industria, 8, 35030 Rubano (Padova). 
E-mail address: cedis@innovet.it  
FAX number: 0039-049-8987321; 
Telephone number: 0039-049-8987319


Purpose: Wound healing process can be complicated by factors such as contamination, infection or dehiscence, that are often the cause of prolonged healing times or inappropriate wound closure. We present seven cases of complicated skin wounds, with different aetiology and evolution in the dog and cat, treated by a topical basic treatment in order to enhance the healing potential.
Case reports: The reported cases represent examples of wounds affecting different anatomical areas (limb, trunk and neck), with exudative production and evidence of infection and necrosis. Debridement of all necrotic and devitalized tissues with subsequent open wound management was done. All cases were treated with a re-epithelializating gel applied locally twice daily until complete re-epithelialization and wound closure were achieved. The wounds with extensive exudation and loss of soft tissues were managed using the re-epithelializating gel and a glycerine-base hydrogel interactive wound dressing simultaneously. A highly porous elastic bandage was used in combination with the re-epithelilizating gel for the acral wound reported.
Results and conclusions: The good results obtained in terms of restoring the time of wound closure and achieving a satisfactory function and aestethic outcome suggest that the topical basic treatment used in the seven reported cases represents a valuable support to healing of complicated wounds in small animals.
  
References:
 1) Giovannella A. et al., 2000, Proceedings 10th Conference EWMA, P73;
 2) Manara G.L. et al., 2001, Veterinaria 15(1): 97-104;
 3) Swaim S.F., Henderson R.A., 1990, in: Small Animal Wound Management, Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, pp.34-51;
 4) Turner T.D., 1997, Veterinary Dermatology, 8: 235-242
 
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