Cuts, Scrapes and Bites: Pet Wound Care at Home

Safe to manage at home

Small, shallow scrapes that stop bleeding quickly: clip or hold fur away, flush generously with saline or clean lukewarm water, pat dry, and keep the pet from licking (saliva is not medicine — a cone protects healing). Check daily for redness, swelling or discharge.

Bite wounds are icebergs

A small puncture from another animal's tooth often hides a pocket of crushed, contaminated tissue underneath — bite wounds routinely abscess days later. Cat bites especially, on any species, deserve a vet visit and usually antibiotics.

Straight to the vet

Bleeding that doesn't stop with several minutes of firm pressure, gaping wounds needing closure (best stitched within hours), punctures of chest or abdomen, wounds near eyes, burns, or any injury with limping or lethargy. Muzzle-aware handling matters — hurt pets bite the people they love.

What not to apply

No hydrogen peroxide or alcohol on open tissue (they damage healing cells), no human ointments unless your vet approves (some are toxic when licked). Saline, protection from licking, and professional judgment beat the medicine cabinet.