How do I stop a cut from getting infected?

[Nancy (Spuddie' s Mum)]

My Chihuahua manged to get a small cut on the pad of his front foot yesterday, it's tiny, but he's licking it like mad. I have this liquid bandage called New Skin that I painted on it. It is an antiseptic and waterproof protectant, although it allows a cut to breath. He is still licking it off and on, but the little cut still looks very clean today. I am worried however that it might become infected, is there anything else I should be doing to prevent that? Or am I about doing it all.

[davet]

bandage,,,ie make wure the cut is clean, even y=using plain water...put your gook on it and bandage..you can get the bandage to stay on better if you loosly wrap adhesive tape aroung the foot twisting it occaisionall so the srticky side is out then the rest of the bandage will have an anchor...that is about the only way you can keep it from getting contaminated...chainge dail..the pads often needs stitches because of the constant pressure....but keep it covered...get sterile pads from the drug store...

[Nancy (Spuddie' s Mum)]

Just wanted to give you an update on the paw. I tried to bandage up his paw and in about an hour he had it off. Since he is a some what "difficult" patient, getting it back on him was not much of an option. So, we continued using the liquid bandage and the cut looks amazing. It is clean as a wistle and healing up very well, inspite of him licking it. I guess if he does not leave it alone soon I am going to have to get him a cone collar to wear so that he forgets about it. Otherwise, waterproof liquid bandage works amazing and is something to keep in mind for small cuts and scrapes.

[davet]

if it is on the fron t foot you will have to get a pretty large cone--theoretically licking the wound is not a good thing, especially with that rough tongue but in spite of what he does and what you do the darn thing 3wwill heall...cats are stubborn but the hagve great recuprative power,iif the didn't we vets would be out of business

[Nancy (Spuddie' s Mum)]

Well, my Chihuahua (he's a dog not a cat. LOL), has quite a soft smooth tongue, but his licking just kind of seems to become his past time. I hope once it's really healed completely he will stop the licking as I really hate to put a cone on him because he has such a short snout I think he will have a lot of trouble eating and drinking.

[davet]

chihuahua--cat elepohant, they still all have ffeet, you seen one you seen them all----i think

[Nancy (Spuddie' s Mum)]

LOL, you are too funny. I don't think I would want to deal with an elephant foot though, although my Chihuahua is pretty fat.