Bleeding and Wound Management

After our beloved team dog Ella sustained an injury, it got us thinking about bleeding and wound management.

Ella was attacked and bitten by another dog. The wound she sustained was serious enough to warrant a trip to the vet. Our main concern was risk of infection, as was the vet’s, and stemming the flow of blood. The wound site was cleaned and antibiotics were administered by injection. This was followed by pain relief and a special cream. It was then our job to manage the wound to help with the healing process, and give Ella antibiotics over the course of five days.

She might be a dog, but the same principles apply to humans in bleeding and wound management.

• Basic hygiene – protecting yourself e.g. wherever possible wearing gloves when treating a bleeding casualty
• Flow of blood – using clean, sterile dressings and elevating the injured site to help stem blood flow
• Infection control – keeping the wound area as clean as possible to prevent infection
• Seeking help – calling the emergency services when the wound is serious

For more information about bleeding and wounds, please download our quick fact sheet. Then try our First Aid quiz, there’s a question about bleeding on there!

In case you’re wondering, Ella is doing fine now. Thank you to all who have sent her get well messages via Facebook and Instagram.