Hey nurses, I need your medical help/opinion...
Clyde and Owen were playing near me while I was laying on the couch. To make a long story short, Owen is 13 weeks old and not totally coordinated yet so when he went to give Clyde a nice solid bite to the head, he missed and landed on my face instead. He bit through the tip of my nostril, through and through, leaving me with about a 1/8" tear. It mostly stopped bleeding but if I smile or forget and touch it, it rips open again and starts gushing. I went out and got some NuSkin and put that on but the smell in my nose is intense. Finally, my question: is there anything that can be done if I go see a doctor? Since it's so close to the edge, it seemed like stitches were unlikely. It doesn't feel great but I'm not in throbbing pain or anything and it seems like I'm doing all the reopening of the wound myself. Should I just let it heal on its own? I took a picture if you need a visual but it's a horrifying pose (up the nose shot) so I didn't want to post it. |
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| Oh my gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's terrible. I hope you don't end up like Michael Jackson or anything.
j/k ...but that sounds painful esp. when I think about how sharp puppy teeth are. |
| My major concern (which is going to sound ridiculous) is that it'll leave a tiny scar and I'll spend the rest of my life with people going "I think you have something on your nose," but I won't-- it'll be that stupid scar! |
| you could always tell people you got in a bar fight, and had a nose piercing torn out! |
| No, that would be what I'd be worried about too!!! Immediately, that would be my first thought. This won't help but I had a tear in two different places/body parts when pierced ...about the same amount, and both of those scars are still there. Hopefully yours is more minor!! Piercings are there longer to establish that hole/tear, so I would think yours would heal. |
I am not a nurse.....but if it doesn't quit bleeding or continually re-opens, go to the doctor. Once, years ago, on New Years Eve no less (now this will show you I really have to get a life  )I had shaved Melody & was doing the final trimming around ears, feet, chin etc. You know, those little bits that somehow miss the clipper blade. Being the "in charge" dog she was, she insisted on looking down her nose at the scissors & would now & then stick her tongue out. Well, she stuck it out a bit too far one time & I sliced open the very tip of her tongue! Blood everywhere. It wouldn't stop bleeding & of course we spent New year's Eve at the emergency clinic. (Told you I needed to get a life  ). They couldn't get it to stop either & ended up having to put 1 tiny stitch in it. I couldn't believe they were even able to stitch it as it was such a tiny cut & the tongue was so thin on the tip! So yes, the drs. are probably able to do much more than you'd think. Another thought is that it might just take a special type of butterfly bandage to hold it together. |
Sounds painful. 
I would get it checked out just in case. You could get an infection.  |
| The Nurse has to advise you to see a Dr..... sooner than later, especially if you are concerned about scarring.
The practical person in me says wash it good and close it with steri strips. |
| You have 8 hours from the time of injury to the time where they wil place stitches or dermabond. After that, they usually won't do it because the tissue will have started to heal from the inside (granulation) and stiches or Dermabond won't work properly.
Be aware that this is going probably going to be reported as a dog bite, by law in my area. Animal control will want proof of rabies vaccination on Owen and you will possibly have to confine him for a period of time. Worst case, they will label him as a known biter - not that I agree, but it depends on your local regulations. |
Tasker's Mom wrote: The Nurse has to advise you to see a Dr..... sooner than later, especially if you are concerned about scarring.
The practical person in me says wash it good and close it with steri strips. I definitely cleaned it well. Soap and water, then alcohol and peroxide. (Side question: does peroxide really do anything? Or is it the modern day mercurochrome?) I'm going to try to not touch it anymore tonight and give it a poke in the morning and see what happens. If it looks iffy, I'll go to the doctor so I can get a referral to a plastic surgeon if necessary. If that NuSkin didn't reek so much, I probably wouldn't even complain. |
| My response - same as Ginny!
The nurse says go in, the practical me says glue or steristrip it. Maybe plugging up your nostrils with tissues, then glue it?? (Do at home, not recommmeding going to work like that!)  |
Mom of 3 wrote: You have 8 hours from the time of injury to the time where they wil place stitches or dermabond. After that, they usually won't do it because the tissue will have started to heal from the inside (granulation) and stiches or Dermabond won't work properly. Well, it did happen about 8 hours ago so I guess what's done is done. As Dawn suggested, I had already stuffed and glued it together so I think that the best I can do. I'll just live with my head down. Mom of 3 wrote: Worst case, they will label him as a known biter - not that I agree, but it depends on your local regulations.
No worries, I already planned to make James take the fall. 
Owen's definitely not a biter, just a clumsy 13 week old little puppy. It really was just an accident. It was my fault for not paying attention to him. He's just a baby. I think I felt worse that I bled all over him and had to give him a bath! |
| Plastic surgeon!
Maybe Darcy can give you a reference.  |
ButtersStotch wrote: (Side question: does peroxide really do anything? Or is it the modern day mercurochrome?)
I hope it does b/c I refuse to ever put alcohol on myself when I have a cut. refuse. signed, the pussy cat |
| Jill,
Don't do as I did but as I say Remember my nose at sheepie palooza ?/ I went about 3 days later and my nose did ooze for a day or so Keep it clean ( I soaped and watered mine every day ) but keep a butter fly on it. The nurse in me says go see your primary care and they will probably have you see a plastic person. When was your last tetanus shot??? My scenario was not reported (maybe because I knew my physicians) but this is your dog and when you tell how it was a puppy that jumped on you I would not consider this a bite (I was an ER nurse) you also need to put some antibiotic ointment on it........Call your primary care person today.Just explain
Cindy |
Joahaeyo wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: (Side question: does peroxide really do anything? Or is it the modern day mercurochrome?) I hope it does b/c I refuse to ever put alcohol on myself when I have a cut. refuse. signed, the pussy cat Hydrogen Peroxide is currently "out of vogue" in wound care. Years ago when I started working with open heart patients it was all about Betadine, then they threw out the Betadine in favor of Hydrogrn Peroxide. Now they have decided that both can cause tissue damage and delay healing. Current thought is soap and water and an antibiotic ointment. Stitches can be done up to 12 hours after an injury. |
| ditto....get an updated teatnus if needed but a visit to your doc would not hurt. There is bacteria in a dogs mouth so watch for infection. |
| wow....my nose is going to look better than yours! that will be a first....if you were here, id make you drive me tomorrow morning to the hospital then have Dr. A fix you right up......
how bad does it look today???? and I DO want to see the pic! |
| It actually looks amazingly better today. The swelling went down and the outside rip closed really cleanly. Upon further inspection, it's ripped further back on the inside but it didn't go through and through like at the tip. But, like I said, it looks like a good closure! Let's hear it for NuSkin and all of your advice. Thanks everyone! |
| Our plastic surgeons won't stitch up the face after 8 hours. It was new to me as I have always heard the 12 hours too.
And hydrogen peroxide can be diluted with water , half and half, for the initial cleaning. Studies have shown that it delays healing and actually kills off the top layer of cells. |
Honestly, do you think your doctor would even ask what happened . Given your history and all.....  |
bestdogsx4 wrote: Honestly, do you think your doctor would even ask what happened
. Given your history and all..... Lol. No kidding. My family doctor would probably ask if I bit him back, lol! |
| Glad that it's better today. And to think that I was feeling sorry for myself when Edgar cracked my nose about a year ago. This was nothing to compare to what happened to you. |
| I remember when i got in between Myrlin and Duncan my 1 yr teenager (hmmmmmmmm same thing here now with Duncan and Checkers),,.... except all i do now is raise my voice......
I had a bad bite on my upper arm, we were at the show in Rhode Island (Nat. Spec) I was so panicked about going to get stitches, that i didn't and yes i do have a scar. One thing i was told was to just say, "I know the dog that did XXX and I know the shots are all up to date." and they cannot MAKE you tell them whose dog did it or what the dogs name is or anything more... Don't voulnteer any info! Glad it has closed up. get that new med they are advertising on tv about getting rid of scars! or just keep cocoa butter on it after it's really sealed up. |
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