You can attend to small abrasions that don’t fully penetrate the outer layer of skin at home by keeping them clean. If the wound is bleeding, or penetrating (for example if the wound was inflicted by another animal), it should be checked out by a vet as soon as possible. You can use warm water or saline to flush debris out of a superficial wound. Make sure to keep the area clean and dry.
As the affected area is healing, it’s important to discourage your pet from licking or chewing that area. Elizabethan collars should be worn until the affected area has completely healed. Make sure to check the wound for redness, swelling, pain, odor or discharge. If these signs are present, your pet should be seen by a veterinarian for antibiotics and additional therapy. A veterinarian should also evaluate large, infected abrasions or multiple abrasions. Remember, you should not apply dressings or ointments to the wound unless specifically instructed to by your veterinarian.
