FIRST AID -WOUNDS

FIRST aid can be administered in many ways depending on the prevailing situation. In farm animals, I shall talk about wounds and how they can be treated.

However, it is equally important that an animal attendant knows how to treat animals when it comes to wounds that an animal can develop after an injury.

Complicated wounds that have affected blood vessels that have been severed should be treated by a veterinary surgeon. But in the absence of this expert first aid can still be applied to help or treat that animal.

What is important in all cases of injury where the wound has developed, cleanliness and protection against flies are the most important factors in the treatment of wounds. In addition great care should be taken to ensure that all dressings and instruments are scrupulously clean before they are used.

Wounds can be open or closed. Any wound that is of the result of injury or due to external violence is called a contusion. In this case usually the skin is unbroken but the underlying tissues are severely damaged.

This is a closed wound, the injured area is swollen, hot, and painful. A closed wound can be a simple bruise or a severe bruise. A simple bruise can and may be treated using cold water or if the skin is not broken a pad of cotton wool soaked in the water or lead lotion can be applied to the bruised part and then bandaged lightly but firmly.

In the case of a severe bruise where there is great pain and inflammation, then such a case should be washed gently with hot water and a kaolin-glycerine poultice applied.

This can be put on the bruise covering it with a piece of clean cotton wool and bandage lightly but firmly. A new poultice should be applied twice a day.

Coming to open wounds, these are injuries to the skin and other structures. The main types are incised, lacerated, or punctured. Incised wounds should have all the hairs around them shaved and then well washed with a weak antiseptic solution such as acriflavine using a clean cotton wool.

If the wound is gaping, the edges should be brought together with loose stitches. This is where the veterinary surgeon should be involved to do this activity or operation. He will know what materials to use for the wound to respond to treatment.

When we refer to a lacerated wound or wounds, these are wounds in which the skin has been torn, in this situation the arteries and veins beneath the skin are damaged badly.

The simple form should have the hair around them shaved and washed out as in incised wounds with a weak antiseptic solution. Any foreign bodies that can be seen should be removed using a clean instrument.

Hands can be used as long as they are clean or well scrubbed then recommended wound powder can be sprinkled over the surface of the wound. Then a clean dressing and bandage should be applied.

For complicated lacerated wounds, where arterial bleeding from the wound is spurting, the most essential treatment is to stop bleeding.

Arterial bleeding the blood is bright red and comes out with some pressure. When this happens use a wad of clean gauze or a stone wrapped in a clean handkerchief into the wound against the point from which the bleeding appears to come.

Pressure should be kept up by hand with a bandage until the bleeding stops. But if bleeding continues and weakens the animal a tourniquet must be applied.

However, in an emergency, practically anything strong enough and long enough may be used e.g. torn clothing, rope, a handkerchief etc. care must also be exercised not to cut the skin of the animal when the tourniquet is tightened.

A tourniquet when used pressure should be maintained for five or ten minutes after bleeding has stopped. If the bleeding re-starts re-tighten the tourniquet.

But it should never be kept for longer than thirty minutes. After the bleeding has stopped the wound should never be washed, as this may cause the wound to start bleeding again.

Venous bleeding, the blood is dark red and oozes slowly and steadily from the wound, for this pressure should be applied on the side of the wound which is furthest from the heart.

A tourniquet is not necessary in this case but a tight bandage may be applied. Penicillin ointment can be applied and covered with a clean dressing and bandage.

Any wound which is dirty, it is important that the wound is kept open and free from further infection. Penicillin is a wonderful drug with which to treat punctured wounds if it happens to be one of this nature.

A punctured wound is a deep and narrow wound. Intra-mammary injection tubes containing penicillin as used in mastitis cases are very useful for injection into this type of wound.