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Chapter 11 Clinical Techniques 197

hair from around the area with a 1–2‐inch border of until absorbed into the skin. Application may be twice or
non‐infected skin. This is to ensure that the entire three times a day with cleaning of the infected area if
infected area can be treated. If the patient has long hair seeping or draining. Mark the patient’s chart with how
it needs to be trimmed so it doesn’t hang in the wound. the infected area was cleaned, medication applied, and
Figure 11.14 shows how to hold the clipper to trim the amount used, date, time, and your initials.
long hair at the edge of the clip.
If the wound is crusty or has dried blood or pus over
it, it needs to be soaked to soften before removal. This is TIP BOX 11.2
accomplished with warm water, warm sterile saline, or an If the medication prescribed is for “multi‐patient” use
antiseptic solution. Soak a gauze sponge with the desired or in a big jar, use a tongue depressor to remove what
solution and place it dripping wet on the lesion. This you need and lay it on a paper towel until it’s needed.
may take several minutes and multiple soakings. Gently This keeps bloody, pus‐covered gloved fingers from
rub off the softened material with a clean sponge. If the reaching in and contaminating the jar.
skin does not have dried‐on debris, use the soaked
sponges to clean the infected area thoroughly, then dry
with paper or cloth towels. Medication is applied to the Some skin infections referred to as “hot spots” are
entire infected area by applying the amount of ointment bacterial infections that are often found under matted
prescribed by the veterinarian and rubbing it gently hair or heavily coated dogs that may have gotten wet and
then not dried thoroughly. These infections are usually
prepared by shaving the area, then treated with an anti‐
inflammatory and maybe a poultice. A poultice for hot
spots follows a very specific recipe of household ingredi-
ents. It helps to reduce the heat in the area and because
it is an astringent it will act as a drying agent. Soak a wash
cloth with the poultice solution and then hold it on the
infected area for 10–20 minutes. This is usually repeated
2–3 times a day until the redness dissipates.

Oral Medications

Oral medications come in a variety of mediums: tablets,
capsules, liquids, pastes, and soft chews (Figure 11.15).
The way to give the medication is species dependent.
Livestock and horse oral medications are often in paste
or thick liquid form and are given with a syringe or a
FIGURE 11.14 Straightening edges and clipping long hair. stomach tube. With small animals it will depend upon

FIGURE 11.15 Oral medications.