Cleaning up an old wound
April 19th, 2015
Emergency first aid only!
Ideally you should get all wounded wildlife to your nearest vet or sanctuary ASAP. We know sometimes this just is not possible, this article is designed to save a life in the short term until help is available! Our first aid advice is designed to utilise readily available household items to help you out of a bad situation. It is not intended to replace veterinary or sanctuary advice, which should be sought as soon as you can.
This advice is not practical for inexperienced handlers with dangerous species such as otters, foxes,badgers and larger birds of prey. You should enlist the skills of an experienced sanctuary or vet. Always make sure you are safe and that the bird or animal is held in safe manner for both you and it.
A clean, dry, well attatched scab should be left well alone, it will heal and drop off. However, if the scab is infected and oozing pus or has maggots or fly eggs in it, it will need to be cleaned…
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- This is an old, infected strimmer wound on a hedgehog. Flies have laid eggs around it
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- The scab should be gently lifted and will come off easily if it is meant to.
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- Bits of remaining scab should be gently cleaned away with tweezers
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- The wound should be gently cleaned with a weak salt water solution and cotton wool
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- All traces of fly eggs or maggots should be cleaned away
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- Cleaned hedgehog head wound protected with Sudocrem
The creature should been seen by a vet for further treatment and antibiotics
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