My dog has a suspected gunshot wound. What can I do at home?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 1 year old | 93 lbs
My dog disappeared for a couple days and when he came home he had a small hole on one side and a larger open wound on the other side. I think he's been shot but I can't get him to the vet as I was laid off unexpectedly recently. Is there anything I can do for him? He's barely a year old, and doesn't seem to be in pain even though he has what appears to be a shot wound.
1 Answer
Most Helpful Answer
Published on December 27th, 2017
I'm glad Thor is back! I can see some blood and white discharge from the wounds, but these could be caused by bite wounds or any other type of trauma. It is possible that a bullet can be lodged somewhere and set up an environment for infection, so an x-ray can determine if a bullet is present. If the wound is from a bite, Thor will need to be seen by a vet to make sure that he was not infected with rabies from a while animal. I recommend having Thor seen by a vet to make sure that neither of these is the case, Depending on your region, x-rays and wound care are relatively inexpensive. In the meantime, I recommend very gently clipping the hair around the wound so that you can see it better and keep it clean. Any redness, swelling, or discharge is an indication of infection, which can require antibiotic treatment or closure with sutures. An E-collar or "cone" will keep Thor from licking/chewing the area and making it worse. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Our dogs outside so them getting hurt isn't uncommon.i was feeding them before i left for work and saw that Thor fur looked a little ruffled. Getting the other dogs away I found an open wound that had been bleeding but seemed to have stopped there is
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Poor Thor! Based on your picture, I think Thor needs stitches. It will heal faster and with a less chance for infection if you take him to the Vet. If you absolutely can not take him, the fur should be shaved away, the wound cleaned with a mild soap and water twice daily and a triple antibiotic applied twice daily after cleaning. He would need to wear an E-collar to prevent licking or a T-shirt. You can also call your local SPCA and see if they have a low cost Veterinary Clinic. I hope this helps and I wish Thor a speedy recovery!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Max went outside like usual but yesterday he came home home real late and I did not think of it but today I say some of his fur stuck as if glued togather in his rear end it was not that much fur. I kept investigating and found it was blood. I search
This presentation could be due to a trauma (bite wound) and/ or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be continued at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths (twice daily). I would recommend to shave fur around the wound (clippers are best as if you do it with scissors you may injury him) to be able to clean the area best as possible. After cleaning you can dry it up and apply any cream containing zinc oxide (like sudocream). Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog had a stick puncture thru the sheath of his penis 5 days ago. When I removed the stick there was no blood. It appeared to have gone thru his hide, but didn't puncture the muscle. He had clear liquid leaking out until he fell off the bed two bi
There could have been internal damage from this stick puncture, and it's concerning that five days later, he's leaking bloody fluid. You have to have him seen by a vet for this. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. You can also see if you can borrow money from family and friends to afford the vet. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-aff
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I can't afford the vet right now as I've just paid off for all my pets yearly vaccinations and he was attacked a few days ago by a staffadshire bull terrier X sharpei the dog picked him up and shuck him he has a wound on his shoulder and a graze on h
If the wound appears to be healing, then you may not need to worry about it. However, without examining Marley, I can't tell you for sure if it is healing. You can take 3 pictures and attach them to a new Boop by Petco question and we may be able to help you more. For future reference, I routinely recommend the following steps to help a wound heal if you decide not to have it evaluated by a veterinarian: 1. Clip the hair away from the wound using buzzing-type clippers, not scissors or a razor. This is so you can monitor the wound and keep the hair out of the way to help with healing. 2. Disinfect the wound once with peroxide or a first aid chlorhexidine wound soap. Do not continue to use peroxide, or alcohol, as this will delay healing. 3. Apply an antibacterial ointment, such as Neosporin, twice daily. If needed to clean the wound, use a warm wet wash cloth to gently wipe away and dried fluid. 4. Prevent all licking or scratching of the wound by using an e-collar or dog booties or s
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has a large abrasion on the inner part of his front leg. Not sure from what or when . i cant afford to take him to a vet .is there anthing i can do?
I did receive the photos you sent in this morning that were forwarded to me via our website moderator. The abrasions themselves can likely be managed at home with a sterile cleaning using Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water and then flushing the area daily thereafter with sterile saline from your local pharmacy. However, if you are also seeing swelling, this could pose a problem. Swelling underneath the skin following trauma is typically either of 2 things: an Abscess (infection underneath the skin) or a Seroma (blood filled sac) . An abscess will need to be treated by your vet, by having the area drained and then he will need to be placed on a short course of antibiotics. If this is a Seroma however, it will likely heal on its own as the body slowly reabsorbs the blood. As long as the Seroma does not get any bigger, which would indicate that there is continued bleeding underneath the skin that needs to be ligated via surgery. There really isn't a good way of knowing if t
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog ran away yesterday, I just got him back this morning at 6 and when I was petting him I noticed something strange on his testicles and when I looked it was a giant wound. I don't have money for a vet I wondered if there is any pain medications
While there are certainly things you can do at home, the would appears to be badly infected and may become significantly worse without medications. I would definitely encourage you to obtain your dog's temperature at home to check for a fever. Anything above 102.5 is considered elevated. It also appears that the edges of the wound are somewhat blackened and may require trimming in order to heal appropriately. The only things you are going to be able to do at home is to clean the area with an antiseptic like chlorhexidine or dilute betadine, and apply a topical antibiotic ointment. You can also obtain an e-collar from a store or veterinarian to prevent Tito from licking the wound. However, I would strongly encourage you to seek out a veterinarian who is willing to work with you financially or for you to obtain a payment plan through a company like CareCredit. I do not believe trying to treat this at home is the correct move. Hope this helps.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
A stray dog arrived at my home and his scrotum is ripped open. It looks like he was beaten and left for dead. I would love to keep him but I don't have the money for a vet and I know if I call animal control they will just put him down. Is there any
This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths (twice or three times daily). Always handle this type of wound with gloves when you touch it and wash carefully your hands. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Sir I found a hole near my dog's right thigh,what may be the reason.But was neither bitten nor attacked by any other dogs.This hole was developed all of a sudden in last 2 days.Can you prefer some home remedies
Poor Twinkle! From the pictures, it appears that he does have a full-thickness puncture wound. While bite wounds are the most common causes of these types of punctures, it is also possible that Twinkle sustained an injury from sharp material, such as a fence, or from a ruptured tumor under the skin. It would be ideal to take Twinkle to his vet for further evaluation, because some of these wounds require surgery to assure that the tissue under the skin has not been extensively damaged. Additionally, it is likely that Twinkle will require a course of antibiotics since it is likely that this wound will become infected, if it has not already. Your vet will be able to prescribe pain medication, if necessary, but do not give him human pain medications, as many are unsafe for dogs. Until you can get to the vet, try cleaning the wound with dilute betadine or chlorhexidine antiseptic solutions, taking care to rinse well. Be sure to keep an e-collar (cone) on Twinkle until his vet visit to preve
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My almost 8 month old blonde pit bull/lab mix named Ares cut himself on his right shoulder overnight and we’re not sure how (there’s a wooden fence covering the large backyard and a few saplings as well as a brown couch he lays on and his little plas
Thanks for using Boop by Petco. If at all possible I recommend a vet visit to see if this wound could be closed. Suturing it closed may allow much faster healing than leaving it open. Otherwise be sure to keep it clean and dry. You can use an antiseptic like betadine or chlorhexidine once to clean it. Be sure to dilute cleaner then rinse well. Use just today or if the wound gets extremely dirty. Using daily can actually slow healing. Keep the area clean and dry. I recommend Ares stay primarily indoors until it is closed as he could get a maggot infestation of flies lay eggs on the wound. Using hydrotherapy or gentle water from a hose is a good way to keep it clean. If there is swelling, discharge or pain, Ares needs to see a vet for medications. I hope he heals quickly.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has puncture wound on side I have no money to take to vet what to do.
HI, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Poor Skip! Bite wounds are tricky. When a dog bites their teeth are designed to pull and tear so the punctures you see on the outside are just the tip of the iceberg: they tend to be worse under the skin. If Skip is acting fine then purchase an Elizabethan Collar (cone) for him to wear so he doesn't lick the wound. I recommend cleaning the wound well with mild soap and water. You can apply an antibiotic cream to the wound twice daily. You can also warm compress the area twice daily for 5 mins before putting the cream on. It is recommended to have the wound looked at by a Vet to assess whether the puncture should be surgically explored and if drains need to be placed. There are usually low cost Veterinary clinics associated with SPCA's. Skip likely at a minimum needs antibiotics and pain medications. Monitor the wound, if there is swelling, pain or yellow/green discharge Skip needs Veterinary care. Good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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