How do I know if my dogs skin is healing

The Four Stages of Dog Wound Healing

So youre at the park, playing catch, everything is great (how could it not be, theres all these dogs!) and then in an instant, snarl, snap, cry, your perfect little pupper is bit! You go to the vet, get your dog fixed up, and go home to cuddle. (and if the wound isnt quite bad enough to merit a trip to the vet, see How to Treat your Dog's Wound). But that isnt quite the end of it.

In this article, we here at Fauna Care will share the four stages of dog wound healing, so that you can be sure your best friend heals up just right.

• Inflammation
• Debridement
• Repair
• Maturation

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Inflammation (Starts Immediately)

Your Pups First Responders

While there are many types of dog wounds, from lacerations to abrasions to puncture wounds, most wounds go through similar stages in healing. The first of these stages is inflammation, and while it is the most painful and most noticeable stage, it is key to proper healing.

Cool, but, what exactly is inflammation? Put simply, it is the bodys immune response to injury. Injured tissues send chemical signals to initiate the healing process: first, capillaries (fine branching blood vessels) leading away from the injured area are signaled to constrict, and the arterioles (arteries leading into the capillaries) are signaled to dilate, increasing the flow of blood, white blood cells and fluids to pass through the injured area.

These fluids have a higher protein count than those normally found in tissues, attracting water to the injured area and causing, you guessed it: swelling.

The cells that migrate can be considered your pups first responders, controlling bleeding and allowing for the second stage of healing to begin.

What it Looks Like

The five symptoms of inflammation are swelling, pain, redness, heat and immobility. That red and inflamed look is normal unless accompanied by high fever, excessive bleeding or streaking from the site of the wound.

It may take up to a week for inflammation to subside, depending on the severity of the wound and the overall health of your dog. Youve also got to watch out for infection, symptoms of which are also pain, redness and heat. Pro tip: if your dogs wound smells funky, its probably infected.

Heres how to know if your dog's wound is bad enough to go to the vet.

Debridement (Starts in a Couple Hours)

Your Pups Attack Squad

Debridement happens in one of two ways: if the wound is acute then those white blood cells that have flooded the wounded area then act (as I like to think) as an attack squad, removing all foreign material from the wound, killing off infection causing bacteria, clearing debris and removing dead cells. This process occurs naturally and on a cellular level.

However, if the wound or the skin surrounding is blue-black, leathery, thin or white, it is often associated with non viability, and necrotic (dead) tissue will have to be manually debrided by a surgeon.

Debridement can be classified as:

• Selective: removal of unhealthy tissue while healthy tissue is spared
• Nonselective: removal of both healthy and unhealthy tissues

Forms of debridement include:

• Autolytic: performed naturally by white blood cells the first three to five days after the wound first happens; most selective form of debridement as it spares healthy cells and targets damaged cells with microscopic precision
• Surgical: tissues removed by the surgeon according to to characteristics such as color, texture, vascular supply, temperature; this process is selective on a macroscopic level
• Mechanical debridement: physical removal of tissue adhered to a dried on dressing; nonselective and therefore least desirable method of debridement
• Larval therapy: maggots or their larvae are placed on the wound site, eating away dead tissue and leaving healthy tissue behind; selective on a macroscopic level (effective but really gross to think about!)

Why its Important

Dead tissue is harmful to the bodys ability to recover as it inhibits the ability to development new, healthy tissue, makes the wound site more susceptible to infection, and can hide already present infection, therefore allowing it to spread.

Repair (Starts in a Couple of Days)

Your Pups Building Up that there Healthy Tissue

Less startling than debridement the repair stage. In a healthy, non infected wound, cells begin to grow and rebuild missing and damaged tissues. Small blood vessels develop to carry blood to the wound site. Skin cells migrate and form scabs within hours of the initial wound.

These skin cells can cover a properly closed surgical incision within forty eight hours, if this is the origin of your pups wound.

However, if it is an open wound, granulation tissue, the new connective tissue that forms when the surface area of a wound is healing, takes longer to form. Granulation is a sure sign of healing and should be promoted for healing.

What It Looks Like

Granulation tissue is usually deep pink in color at the base with red lumps all over the surface area of the wound. It will also be moist, usually raised higher than the surrounding flesh, and typically bumby (hence the term, granulated).

While the color of it may be frightening, granulating flesh is healthy and means that your dogs body is creating a new layer of strong, protective flesh. You can play a part in cultivating this strong new layer of flesh for your dog by keeping a moist, warm, clean wound surface, which will control exudate levels (drainage) and prevent damage to this delicately forming tissue.

Check out Fauna Cares First Aid Spray for a hands-free, sanitary way to keep your dogs wound moist and clean.

+Maturation (Starts in Two-Three Weeks)

Your Pups (Mostly) All Better!

During the repairing stage, the collagen that was laid down was disorganized and thick. Not a very attractive look for any species.

So, Mother Nature being as smart as she is, has created this final stage of healing, during which the newly laid collagen fibers reorganize. Collagen is aligned with tension lines and water is reabsorbed to come closer together and cross-link. Cross-linking reduces scar thickness and also make the wound stronger.

Warning: this process can take months or years, and even then, wounds are only 80-85% as strong as they were, pre-injury.

What it Looks Like

A happy pup, for one! And most likely a scar, but the wound should be closed and dry.

There you have it, the four stages of healing. Watch out for these, and if your pupper hangs around in one of these steps for more than their due time (or, you know, your dogs leg is gushing out blood), be sure to call your vet right away!

4 Dog Wound Healing Stages [With Pictures] and Signs of Healing Issues

This article was updated on January 12th, 2024

Dogs love to have fun and be rambunctious. Unfortunately, just like human children, dogs sometimes find themselves with an injury, which is often a wound. As a practicing veterinarian of 17 years, I have seen thousands of dogs with wounds ranging from small and simple to large and life-threatening.

Stages of wound healing in dogs

The stages of wound healing are the same for both humans and dogs. There are four phases, which occur in order:

Stage 1 Hemostasis (stopping the bleeding)

This is the first phase of wound healing, and it begins instantaneously when the injury occurs. Hemostasis is the process through which the body attempts to stop bleeding. This process involves blood clotting factors, fibrin, and platelets. When this process is finished, there will be a scab present.

This picture shows a fresh laceration in the first stage of healing (warning: graphic image).

How your vet can help at this stage: If you cannot easily control the bleeding from a wound, you need to take them to the nearest emergency veterinarian immediately.

What can go wrong at this stage and how to recognize it: Dr. Whittenburg explains:

A wound should stop bleeding on its own or with gentle pressure within the first ten minutes. If the bleeding will not stop or begins again after pressure is removed, the dog must be seen by a veterinarian right away.

Stage 2 Inflammation (swelling / redness)

This second process of wound healing begins as soon as the damage to the tissue is recognized. Signaling factors bring white blood cells to the area, which release enzymes that trigger inflammation. The results are:

• swelling,
• heat,
• pain, and
• redness.

Though often thought of as a negative consequence of injury, normal inflammation serves to stop bleeding and promote healing. The picture below shows a second stage of healing: you can see the wound is slightly red and mildly inflamed.

How your vet can help at this stage: A wound this large and deep needs veterinary attention. Suturing (stitches), cleansing, and medications will all be necessary to aid the laceration in healing.

What can go wrong at this stage and how to recognize it: This is the phase where sutures need to be placed. If left open, wounds may heal poorly or unevenly, or not at all.

Stage 3 Proliferation (healing)

The third phase is typically what most people think of as healing. The wound will contract, and the body will use collagen and other necessary tissue components first to make granulation tissue, and ultimately close the wound completely. On the picture below, you will see the third stage of the wound healing process on a dog: this wound has been properly closed and is healing well.

How your vet can help at this stage: This stage consists mostly of watching the wound site at home and keeping it clean. Unless directed by your veterinarian you should never bandage a wound. The wound should be kept clean and dry and all prescribed medications should be administered.

If the wound is healing well, no treatment will be necessary. However, failed sutures and infections will require repair and treatment.

What can go wrong at this stage and how to recognize it: During this stage, the repair may fail, especially if the dog is too active or is allowed to lick or scratch the area. This is also the stage where infection may occur. The wound should be watched closely for failure to heal, increasing redness, heat, or pain, and purulent discharge (pus).

Stage 4 Maturation (scarring)

This phase is sometimes called remodeling. This is when a scar forms. In this stage, the wound is fully closed and the final collagen layers are laid down in the area of injury. The maturation phase will persist for varying periods of time, and the scar of the wound will typically shrink and flatten.

How your vet can help at this stage: Typically, by this fourth phase, no further intervention is needed.

What can go wrong at this stage and how to recognize it: The areas of wounds may be fragile as they are newly healed and may re-open. If this occurs treatment will likely be necessary and the phases will start over.

Whats the timeline for these stages?

Each of these stages will vary in time depending on:

• the severity of the wound
• where it is located on the body
• age and health status of the dog
• other factors such as the dogs activity level and the treatment they receive (sutures vs. healing via second intention)

All these factors will have drastic effects on healing times.

Pictures documenting the healing process of an incision within the first 30 days

We have listed below several pictures showing the different healing stages of an incision after a Luxating Patella surgery on a 6-year-old Terrier dog:

Day 3:

Day 6:

Day 8:

Day 12:

Day 16:

Day 25:

Signs of wound or incision infections

Wounds that are not properly treated may become infected.

Signs to watch for include: Redness Slight redness to the area of a wound can be normal, but excessive redness, redness that appears suddenly, or worsening redness are causes for concern Swelling A healthy and well-healing wound should not be overly swollen. Also, swelling should decrease, never increase. Heat Wounds that are infected will become hotter than the skin around them. Pus (may be white, green, or yellow) Red streaking Any redness that is streaking out from around the wound should be evaluated by your veterinarian. Pain Of course, a wound will be tender, but like redness, swelling, and heat, pain should decrease as the wound heals. Any increase in pain is cause for concern. Foul smell

View pictures of incision infections.If any of the above are seen, the dog needs to see their veterinarian as soon as possible.

What if your dogs wound is not healing well?

If your dogs wound is not healing properly or has become infected, it is imperative that you get them veterinary attention as soon as possible. Your veterinarian will examine the wound and will also evaluate the dogs history in order to formulate a treatment plan.

Common Types of Wounds in Dogs

1. Lacerations: Laceration is the medical term for a cut. These injuries may result from sharp objects running along the skin as well as the teeth of other animals. These cuts can vary in both length and depth but are linear.

2. Puncture wounds: Puncture wounds are most commonly caused by teeth of another animal deeply piercing the skin. These injuries are round and deep.

3. Abscesses: An abscess is a collection of pus that appear as painful swelling. Abscesses can be firm or soft, and will sometimes rupture and drain a liquid with an unpleasant smell.

4. Scrapes/Hot spots: scrapes may result whenever something abrasive rubs along the skin, including the dogs own tongue. These wounds are superficial but may be over larger areas. Learn more about hot spots in dogs.

What is a wound?

A wound is any injury that causes damage to the dogs skin and often the underlying tissues. Examples include: Lacerations Puncture wounds Abscesses Scrapes

Related posts:

• Dr. Jamie Whittenburg is a Veterinarian Director at 'Senior Tail Waggers' and Director and Owner of Kingsgate Animal Hospital, a full-service animal hospital in Lubbock, TX. She graduated from Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and has over 17 years of experience working as a veterinarian & hospital director.

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Disclaimer: This website's content is not a substitute for veterinary care. Always consult with your veterinarian for healthcare decisions. Read More.