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My dog was hit by a car. What home care can I give before the vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 16 years and 8 months old | 20 lbs

Hi! Two days ago my dog got hit by a car. I was there when it happened and if it hadn't been for my boyfriend I would have lost it. We took our dog home, and we saw that her leg was bleeding, but besides from that she was fine, apparently. We stopped the bleeding, it wasn't much, and we kept watching her until she fell asleep. I didn't take her to the vet because right now I don't have the money, but the minute I do, I will. However in the mean time I want to take care of her in the ways that I

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Anna M., DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 30th, 2017

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear about your dog! She should ideally be taken right in to the vet. If you're unable to do so, the most important thing you can do for her is keep her quiet, and well supervised. Sometimes with hit-by-car incidents the injuries are not all immediately apparent. If there is internal bleeding, it can take a number of hours for the symptoms to appear. So, watch her closely, and if she becomes lethargic, or her appetite decreases, or new symptoms develop (such as vomiting), then take her in immediately. In the meantime, keep her wound clean and dry. If the wound is superficial you can wash it with a mild hand dishsoap (such as Dawn dish soap) and pat it dry with a clean paper towel. Do this 1-2 times daily to clean any discharge and soften any developing scabs. I hope this helps!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi, sorry to hear your dog got hit by a car. Fir the time being, you should keep her rested and confined. You can clean the wound with a betadine solution. If she shows any signs of pain like not wanting to use that leg, crying, not eating or drinking, you should take her to a vet. Offer her good tasting food to keep her appetite up.Watch for trouble breathing like breathing with her mouth open, or stretching her neck out which may be signs of lung trauma. Some dogs won't show symptoms of trauma for up to two days after being hit. If she seems okay, attend to the wound on her leg by keeping it clean with a betadine solution, and keep her rested until it heals. Watch for swelling and discharge which may be signs of infection. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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