Emergency of the Week: Bear Attacked Dog!

This sweet girl is Wren. She was brought immediately to Mountainside after an encounter with a black bear left her with some nasty wounds across her body. Upon closer examination, it was found that Wren had a notably deep wound on the front of her neck and punctures on her back that would require cleaning and stitching up.

She was admitted to the hospital, where baseline bloodwork was done. IV fluids were also administered to assist with dehydration and any electrolyte imbalances post-attack.

Wren was sedated and her wounds prepped for surgical repair. The smaller, more superficial wounds that did not require stitches were flushed thoroughly with sterile saline to ensure all dirt and debris was removed. Subcutaneous and skin/dermal layer sutures were used for the deeper gashes.

Because the wound on the front of Wren’s neck was notably quite deep, a Penrose drain was sutured in place alongside her stitches. This is a flexible latex tube that allows blood and other fluid to drain out of the wound to prevent infections and possible abscess formation.

Penrose drains also prevent hematomas from forming under the skin. Once the suturing and drain were completed, the surrounding skin was cleaned with hydrogen peroxide.

Wren recovered from anesthesia well and was able to go home the next day with a course of antibiotics and pain control. She was dressed in a cone to prevent licking at the sutures and drain until they were removed.

Since then, she has happily returned to her usual self and is back to exploring all that the West Coast has to offer!

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