Help with wound care suggestions please

[mercynursie]

:cry3:As you know I have been recovering from pretty extensive cancer surgery again and my daughter and hubby have been caring for the chins. My daughter is 22yo and has taken care of the boys many times while I have been hospitalized,vacations,etc and she knows their personalities as well as I do. When I got home from surgery(in hospital approx 1+week) she told me that Pooh was a little more stand offish and not taking his once a day treat or eating pellets well.I watched him a bit that day and the next and he appeared to cleaning man bits quite often so I had my daughter catch him(his cage is on bottom level and I couldn't bend that much then) and I took him for a hair ring check in the bright light.Didn't find much except one little piece of crust which washed off and then he retracted easily.All better until Monday when I noticed him grooming way too much again.So I sat/plopped ungracefully in the floor to check him again. Immediately when I caught him I noticed his entire belly and left side matted and smelly.After quite awhile of soaking debridement and cleaning and fur slipping as much fur around the wounds as possible I realized how bad it was. Dose of metacam and e-collar applied.Vet appt for following day. His opinion is to leave the scabs/matted hair in place for the moment as if he gassed him and removed/debrided everything Pooh would have an huge deep gapping wound and at least two other significant ones farther down his side. He wants to do antibiotics/pain meds for a least a week to decrease the infection and allow some healing underneath the scabbing then possibly bring him back in a week or two and gas/debride wounds that would be a little easier to manage/heal by then.He is on chloramphenical antibiotic, novalsan diluted wound wash and the pain meds.Giving him some Critical Care just for good nutrition and fluids esp with the collar on. I have no idea how the severe injuries occurred as he is in a FN141 by himself and I've taken everything in it out without finding any clues. I already have on order Manuka honey and calendula cream. I have no experience with use of the honey so if anyone can give suggestions,please do. I wasn't sure if it could only be used on open wounds,or if it can be used over scabbed wounds,and if/how it needs to be covered?

 

[saphire]

Poor little Pooh I am uncertain on how to use the Manuka Honey and hoping someone will chime in to advise.

 

[michelleideeaz1]

So sorry to hear! I hope both you and Pooh make a speedy recovery!!!!!!

 

[mercynursie]

:bump1:

 

[Sycamore Chins]

The honey can be used in open wounds - it's used to stimulate healthy granulation tissue to form and keep bacteria down. It should be placed in the wound if the wound does not go too deep. This will need to be changed often if it looks like there is a lot of ooze coming from the wound. If it's scabbed over, the honey won't do anything.

I would clip the hair around the wound, as any topical treatments are going to be very messy. Also, keep him on paper towels or similar bedding and change very often.

Please be very careful handling the Chloramphenicol - wear gloves, esp. if you are on chemo!

 

[6Dusters]

And be careful with Calendula. It closes wounds!!

Good for burns, scratch cuts that are cleaned. Not for puncture, deep cuts, infected cuts, or abscesses.

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

I would use colloidal silver for his wound. It is excellent for healing and a natural antibiotic. Normally I would use blu kote. Blu kote would probably work OK but since this wound is deep I think colloidal silver would be better.

My brother in law had his gall bladder removed last year. It was major surgery (not micro surgery because there were complications). They didn't close the incision with stitches and used gauze infused with colloidal silver to heal it from within. The dressings were changed daily until the incision closed. It took a few weeks if I remember correctly. From what I'm told this is the "new" and better way to heal this type of surgical incision.

The reason I mentioned the gall bladder surgery is because many folks aren't aware that colloidal silver has been recognized by the medical profession as an antibiotic and is being used in a number of different applications for patients and within hospitals.

I've used colloidal silver for years and it works very well. I recommend it for your chin now and after the Vet cleans his wound in a few days. You can put it in a spray bottle and spray it on the area. Very easy to use and doesn't sting or stain and it is definitely good for deep wounds and within deep incisions.

 

[mercynursie]

Thanks everybody! All help/suggestions are welcome. Some of the scabs have started coming off so I'm getting a little better idea of how bad some are. The scabbing that encircled his left arm loosened and came off last night and that wound is deep,almost to bone. He will be traveling with my hubby and I on our couples retreat(LOL 3's a couple)so that I can continue his meds and dressing changes etc.Told the hubby I would take Pooh or not go at all! Reservations were non refundable so he caved! I will be taking him back to vet next week to let him look over things and see if the plans need to change.