Today's Veterinary Practice provides comprehensive information to keep every small animal practitioner up to date on companion animal medicine and surgery as well as practice building and management.
PEER REVIEWED
TODAY'S TECHNICIAN
Principles of Wound Care & Bandaging Techniques
Jessica Bosco, CVT
Wound care in veterinary medicine is an essential part of patient management with great potential to impact the duration and extent of an animal's recovery from surgery or traumatic injury.
A
wound is defined as a break in the continu- ity of a tissue of the body.1
A wound occurs
when the integrity of any tissue is compro- mised (see Anatomy Review, page 62).
Because veterinary technicians are directly involved in patient monitoring and treatment, they play an integral role in the care and treatment of wounds. Understanding the general principles of wounds, wound healing, and various wound care techniques enables technicians to better assess patient progress and promptly recognize and address complications.
WOUND CLASSIFICATION Classifying wounds and assessing the duration and degree of contamination allows veterinary profes- sionals to determine the appropriate treatment plan for their patients. Wounds are classified as either open or closed.
Open Wounds UÊAbrasion: Skin damage with a loss of epidermis and a portion of the dermis
UÊAvulsion: Tearing of tissue from its attachments UÊIncision: Wound created by a sharp tool, result- ing in wound edges with minimal tissue trauma
UÊLaceration: Irregular wound caused by tearing, which produces superficial and underlying tissue damage
January/February 2012 Today's Veterinary Practice 61