DogLeggs, Elbow pads, etc for decubitus ulcer

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rnor1120
Posts: 282
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: USA

DogLeggs, Elbow pads, etc for decubitus ulcer

Post by rnor1120 »

So, Chance had surgery many months ago to remove a potential tumor (which later ended up being benign) on the point of his elbow. The idiot surgeon (aka me) got a little aggressive with the margins assuming the worst, and he developed a decubitus ulcer (basically a bedsore at the point of his elbow). It took several weeks, the the stupid thing healed almost all the way up until it was about the size of an American nickel. After that point, he'd do something to prevent it from closing - he'd chew a toy up on the carpet and rub his elbow up until it bled, he'd lick it open, I'd board him while out of town and he'd tear the thing open on the kennel (he eats blankets when he boards, so no beds for him), and so on. So two weeks ago, the idiot surgeon (me) gave him a heavy dose of sedative and numbed the area up really well and closed it the rest of the way with some stitches. Needless to say, the stitches failed again, the ulcer broke all the way open and it's now a huge bedsore again.

In most cases, you need a skin graft or a skin flap to heal these things, but I have no desire to anesthetize my dog again unless I can avoid it .And beside that, sedatives to chill him out don't work well on him (seriously, every one I've tried I've maxed out doses and barely slowed him down).

So I've been looking into other methods. So far, I've got the elbow wrapped up (no easy task, he chews the bandages off if he doesn't have his basket muzzle on) with raw honey on the wound. It's started to heal nicely, but I'm so sick of looking at this stupid thing and I know Chance is too. I found a few leg wraps and pads for things like decubitus ulcers and hygromas, and I was wondering if anyone else has experience with them? The bandages I have don't really stay on well. They slip off (and he eats them).
rnor1120
Posts: 282
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: USA

Re: DogLeggs, Elbow pads, etc for decubitus ulcer

Post by rnor1120 »

For those interested, I purchased some canine elbow pads and I try to keep them on as often as possible. So far, the wound on his left elbow seems to be healing faster. BUT he loves to chew on the pads, so it's a fine balance between when he needs them and when I can supervise him...
Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: DogLeggs, Elbow pads, etc for decubitus ulcer

Post by Erica »

Can't offer any advice but I can say I sympathise with you. Zeus has had a sore on his foot for...about a year at this point? Been to the normal vets, then the well-respected skin specialist vets, but it just won't heal (partially because his owners think he's "depressed" with the cone on and will take it off while they're supervising him...then forget that he doesn't have it on, leave, and he chews it up again).

I have no idea if it could help, but some canicrossers find skin-tight shirts to put on their dogs to keep the hair from matting/keep the harness from irritating the skin. Some of them have sleeves that go past the elbow and have elasticized cuffs. That might dissuade him from chomping the pads, though booties didn't prevent Zeus from messing with his feet for long.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
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