Injured Petsmart BP

So recently, I was hired at a Petsmart about 20 minutes away from my home as a small animal department worker. As much as I don't often agree with how these chains work, I found the staff to be very knowlegable so far, and all well trained, my two managers even keep BPs and many of the other creatures they sell. That being said, their sick room can be pretty depressing. All animals that are found sick are sent straight to a vet, thank god, and afterwords its up to us to make sure they all get their medicine and care at the end of the day.

Today, after finishing my first day on the floor, I was brought into the sick room to help finish caring for all the animals. After walking in and giving a guinea pig his medicine (cherry flavor!) I discovered a young normal BP. He was thin and very young, probably about a month or so old, with a fully stuck shed. Upon closer inspection, the poor thing had a small section where his scales had gotten a bit torn off. I asked about this, and my manager stated that he had arrived with a small cut, but the vet said just to keep an eye on it and that it wasn't serious. Either during the shedding process, or by a worker that failed to tell someone about an accident, the poor thing managed to open up the gash way more. It isnt super large, but its very noticeable.

I want to try and care for the thing as best I can, so I started to look over his sheet. The poor thing hasn't eaten in weeks because they were soaking him twice a day, stressing the crap out of him, and not keeping any humidity in his cage. I called one of my managers in, and gave a few changes which she accepted quickly (Having been gone for a week before I was hired, she hadn't been able to check up on him), which was to lower the amount of soaks, and mist its aquarium and cover the top with a moist towel most of the way to keep the humidity high. Im hoping that this helps to relieve a bit of stress on the snake, and i'm going to try to see if I can coax him to eat in a week or two, if he's feeling better.

The main thing I want to ask about, is if anyone can give me some ideas to help deal with the wound. It is no longer bleeding, though I can't tell how severe it really is since the shed is probably making it look a lot worse. I was told before non-medicated neosporin could be used to help clean it and make sure it isnt infected, is this true? If anyone else has ideas on how to care for it, I would gladly like to hear it.

I don't go back in till monday, so i'll try to get some pictures up on this thread ASAP. Any help is appreciated, thank you guys.

Heres to hoping he gets better soon.

That baby needs to go back to the vet now. I work at Petco and that animal would be at the vet again asap. If a tear or any injury get worse it goes back. I am also one that I tell my store manager what I'm doing. I don't ask, I tell.

Hello fellow pet care associate!
Pictures can really help us understand it a bit more. As you know... there's sadly certain store protocols that need to be followed and sometimes those are infuriating. Schedule a recheck immediately with the store's vet. Also be sure to touch base with management to make sure other employees are taking proper steps with the sick reptiles as well.

Obviously, whatever the vet says is important to follow, but until then:

With the open wound I wouldn't want any risk of irritating it more. Take out any bedding in there, just paper towels for now.
It sucks cause you still wanna maintain humidity, but any bedding getting stuck in an open wound will make it worse. Mist it down as needed and keep a good sized bowl for the little one

Neosporin is great. Just make sure it doesn't have painkillers in it. Silva sulfadizine from the vet is a much better option for these cases if it's a deeper wound. That or if it's a really nasty tear, it may need stitches.

I would still soak the snake every other day to make sure the wound stays clean. It's important to keep the little one from getting septicemia from this wound. It can also help with some of the stuck on shed, but do not try to peel it off in case that's what made the wound worse.

Depending on how malnourished the baby is, the vet may recommend assist feeding if it still refuses food. Regardless, I would be very hesitant to try feeding this baby anything too large because of the risk of further injury depending on where it has the wound. You may need to start with something like pinkies to keep the wound from stretching and eventually work up to larger meals.

Someone may be able to offer up some alternative advice, but really, getting the vet to see this little one is the most important thing right now.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

That baby needs to go back to the vet now. I work at Petco and that animal would be at the vet again asap. If a tear or any injury get worse it goes back. I am also one that I tell my store manager what I'm doing. I don't ask, I tell.

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Originally Posted by Armiyana

Hello fellow pet care associate!
Pictures can really help us understand it a bit more. As you know... there's sadly certain store protocols that need to be followed and sometimes those are infuriating. Schedule a recheck immediately with the store's vet. Also be sure to touch base with management to make sure other employees are taking proper steps with the sick reptiles as well.

Obviously, whatever the vet says is important to follow, but until then:

With the open wound I wouldn't want any risk of irritating it more. Take out any bedding in there, just paper towels for now.
It sucks cause you still wanna maintain humidity, but any bedding getting stuck in an open wound will make it worse. Mist it down as needed and keep a good sized bowl for the little one

Neosporin is great. Just make sure it doesn't have painkillers in it. Silva sulfadizine from the vet is a much better option for these cases if it's a deeper wound. That or if it's a really nasty tear, it may need stitches.

I would still soak the snake every other day to make sure the wound stays clean. It's important to keep the little one from getting septicemia from this wound. It can also help with some of the stuck on shed, but do not try to peel it off in case that's what made the wound worse.

Depending on how malnourished the baby is, the vet may recommend assist feeding if it still refuses food. Regardless, I would be very hesitant to try feeding this baby anything too large because of the risk of further injury depending on where it has the wound. You may need to start with something like pinkies to keep the wound from stretching and eventually work up to larger meals.

Someone may be able to offer up some alternative advice, but really, getting the vet to see this little one is the most important thing right now.

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Thanks for such quick replies guys, really hoping to get this guy to pull through.

Pics will be posted ASAP, as well as taking him to the vet.

Luckily, the wound isnt too bad (at the current moment of writing it), at least in how depth and length are concerned. Its more along the lines of the scales being removed, without cutting deep through into anything super fragile. I personally don't believe it deep enough to need stitches, but i'm also no vet.

We have the animal hospital in store, with a vet that has basic reptile knowledge, though if she knows she cant do it, we have a manager drive them to the nearby exotics vet. I'll have a talk with the in-store vet/managers as soon as im back to make sure the little one gets cared for.

Honestly if he pulls through well, tempted to take him home just so I know this doesn't happen again.

Had him switched to paper towels today as well. Wasn't on any substrate, but I didn't find reptile carpet ideal, either. Was glad to find that they had a UTH set to a proper temp with a thermostat, though.

Thanks for looking out for this little guy. :gj:

please keep us posted OP!

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

please keep us posted OP!

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I'll be doing my best!

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

please keep us posted OP!

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Not the best pictures, working with the poor baby currently. Theyre gonna try to feed him again tomorrow, he seems horribly malnourished and no one is comfortable to try force feeding yet, gonna try to get them to bring him to the vet when my proper manager comes in. Hes still pretty active, and seems to be healing quite well, though the sheds still a problem, especially when he wont eat.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a14a25df58.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4858e37b05.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...9197f3a97f.jpg

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Got some closeups of his injury. Skins healed, though no scales. Also has retained eyecaps. Poor Baby...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d81b2b3dbe.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e0c88ed23a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f51dcdf6ad.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7e860adbac.jpg

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Looks like the injury is healing OK, but in order to heal better he needs nutrition too. If he was at my house, I'd tube-feed him thinned Gerber's chicken
baby food w/ reptile vits added; it's fairly easy to do & very digestible... Poor little guy! I'm so glad he has you to watch over him.

In those first pictures his head looks so big compared to his skinny neck! But at least he's hanging in there...thank you for the update...I'll keep him in
my good thoughts for sure.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Looks like the injury is healing OK, but in order to heal better he needs nutrition too. If he was at my house, I'd tube-feed him thinned Gerber's chicken
baby food w/ reptile vits added; it's fairly easy to do & very digestible... Poor little guy! I'm so glad he has you to watch over him.

In those first pictures his head looks so big compared to his skinny neck! But at least he's hanging in there...thank you for the update...I'll keep him in
my good thoughts for sure.

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I brought up maybe force feeding him a pinkie just to get something in his stomach, but no one was really up to try other than me. If it comes down tk him not eating when they try again tomorrow (he probably wont, since they try to soak him twice a day), ill see if i can convince someone to let me try to get some food in him. If i do, ill update about it, and make sure no one touches him for a few days.

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At the current moment, I do have a small plan hatching in my mind. I might stop by my local reptile guy, he often takes in sick animals, or at least raises those unable to be homed. I may take the little guy home myself to make sure he heals up nicely, if he can take him in when im done, if im not too attached already.

I have a feeling this is about to be a long progression thread.

Welcome to the taking animals home. That is how I got Odyn. Eye caps ans troubled eater. I took him home and now he is a fat eye problem child whom I just love to Death!

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Welcome to the taking animals home. That is how I got Odyn. Eye caps ans troubled eater. I took him home and now he is a fat eye problem child whom I just love to Death!

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Any advice on the eyecaps?

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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

I brought up maybe force feeding him a pinkie just to get something in his stomach, but no one was really up to try other than me. If it comes down tk him not eating when they try again tomorrow (he probably wont, since they try to soak him twice a day), ill see if i can convince someone to let me try to get some food in him. If i do, ill update about it, and make sure no one touches him for a few days.

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I'm personally not a fan of force-feeding solid food...you can get a much better quality & quantity of food into a weak snake by tube-feeding...have you ever done that?
If you need tips on 'how-to' just holler...and you're right, since he has multiple issues it's HIGHLY unlikely that he'll eat after being handled & soaked b.i.d. (twice/day).

Hint: this is what you use to "tube-feed"- it's a very flexible round-tipped human medical-grade urethral catheter...the holes are NEAR the tip but not right at the
end, so it's gentle to tissues when inserted into a snake's throat.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I'm personally not a fan of force-feeding solid food...you can get a much better quality & quantity of food into a weak snake by tube-feeding...have you ever done that?
If you need tips on 'how-to' just holler...and you're right, since he has multiple issues it's HIGHLY unlikely that he'll eat after being handled & soaked b.i.d. (twice/day).

Hint: this is what you use to "tube-feed"- it's a very flexible round-tipped human medical-grade urethral catheter...the holes are NEAR the tip but not right at the
end, so it's gentle to tissues when inserted into a snake's throat.

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Never really tube fed, if i can get the materials, pointers are hugely appreciated.

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The question is: will they let you tube feed since it is not protocol?

I of of course break mine all the damn time since I know more...lol

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

The question is: will they let you tube feed since it is not protocol?

I of of course break mine all the damn time since I know more...lol

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Doubt they would. Probably cant do it unless i take him home, which is probably gonna happen as long as the rest of the household is fine with a snake kept somewhere else in the house for quarentine for a few months.

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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

Doubt they would. Probably cant do it unless i take him home, which is probably gonna happen as long as the rest of the household is fine with a snake kept somewhere else in the house for quarentine for a few months.

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Then again, pretty sure we already have. They probably would let me, the more i think about it.

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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

Never really tube fed, if i can get the materials, pointers are hugely appreciated.

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Snakes are pretty easy to tube-feed- use a human urethral catheter* (10-12 Fr size usually) & a syringe. Use Gerber's chicken baby food, thinned enough so it goes thru tube easily. (online the Bean Farm supplies them, it's under "health care") Gerbers chicken is the best baby food I know of for this purpose, it's easily digested with no sugar or corn syrup etc. like in other brands. It's only chicken, water & cornstarch. I usually use a drop of vegetable oil on the catheter, to make it more slippery. First get the snake to drink water to lubricate their throat- if you hold their head under a trickle from faucet they usually drink, or tip their face to water bowl. (If you forget or cannot do this, the other way to lubricate their throat is just to push the plunger very slightly so a little of the mixture comes out at the top of their throat, right after you begin the insertion)

Make sure to expel the air in the catheter...you want the "snake-shake" to drip out the end of the catheter just before you put it into the snake's mouth/throat. Gently use the catheter tip to open the snake's mouth & gently slide the tubing in until you feel resistance: stop! the catheter should be in far enough. IF you depress the plunger on the syringe and see the liquid in the snake's mouth, you aren't in far enough, so try again to go further...just be gentle. (you might estimate ahead of time about how far the catheter will go in, based on the length of the snake you're trying to feed- roughly the distance from mouth to top of stomach- about 1/4 to 1/3 of the total body length)

Remember that a tube-feeding is for quick energy....like the I.V. we cannot give them...DO NOT try to feed the same amount as the solid food you wish they were eating...this will be less but very effective anyway. And for snakes needing hydration too, this will be far more digestible than solid food would be.

Tips: Do this where you can have the snake lying flat on a towel. If you're gentle & persistent but not overly-forceful, you'll have less of a battle with the snake. Obviously you have to restrain them, but be flexible...it's a give & take. When you're done, slide the tubing out -it may catch just a bit on their teeth, and also trigger a bit of a gag reflex as you pull it out- I massage their throat if they act as if trying to upchuck, & they usually keep it down. BTW, I've always done this single-handedly...so if you don't have someone to restrain the snake, don't worry...if I can do it, you can too.

Important: Keep the snake's head above their body when you carefully put them back in their cage -for obvious reason, what slides in can slide back out...https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...lies/wink2.gif then let them rest.

Afterthoughts:
Add water to some chicken baby food so it's thin enough to go thru the tubing...test first, not on the snake...nothing worse than getting the tube into the snake & then having trouble pushing the plunger on the syringe...you want this to go as smoothly for the snake as possible, obviously. You can also add vitamins, minerals (for reptiles) or meds (those meant to be taken with food) to the "snake-shake" too.

You sure won't need a whole jar of Gerbers for a little snake, btw...you can freeze the rest of the open jar by dropping spoonfuls of the Gerbers onto a piece of foil or on a plate in the freezer...once frozen, store the frozen lumps in a plastic baggie or other container in freezer for future use. It will keep better & much longer this way than in fridge...

Any questions? Just ask...I've successfully tube-fed various snakes over the years...honestly it's the most useful thing I've ever learned to do for saving snakes. A snake that is too weak or ill to eat on their own will be in a downward spiral towards death, just as we'd be in the hospital without an I.V. to regain our strength & normal appetite.

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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

Then again, pretty sure we already have. They probably would let me, the more i think about it.

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Trust me, it's something you all need to learn...

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Snakes are pretty easy to tube-feed- use a human urethral catheter* (10-12 Fr size usually) & a syringe. Use Gerber's chicken baby food, thinned enough so it goes thru tube easily. (online the Bean Farm supplies them, it's under "health care") Gerbers chicken is the best baby food I know of for this purpose, it's easily digested with no sugar or corn syrup etc. like in other brands. It's only chicken, water & cornstarch. I usually use a drop of vegetable oil on the catheter, to make it more slippery. First get the snake to drink water to lubricate their throat- if you hold their head under a trickle from faucet they usually drink, or tip their face to water bowl. (If you forget or cannot do this, the other way to lubricate their throat is just to push the plunger very slightly so a little of the mixture comes out at the top of their throat, right after you begin the insertion)

Make sure to expel the air in the catheter...you want the "snake-shake" to drip out the end of the catheter just before you put it into the snake's mouth/throat. Gently use the catheter tip to open the snake's mouth & gently slide the tubing in until you feel resistance: stop! the catheter should be in far enough. IF you depress the plunger on the syringe and see the liquid in the snake's mouth, you aren't in far enough, so try again to go further...just be gentle. (you might estimate ahead of time about how far the catheter will go in, based on the length of the snake you're trying to feed- roughly the distance from mouth to top of stomach- about 1/4 to 1/3 of the total body length)

Remember that a tube-feeding is for quick energy....like the I.V. we cannot give them...DO NOT try to feed the same amount as the solid food you wish they were eating...this will be less but very effective anyway. And for snakes needing hydration too, this will be far more digestible than solid food would be.

Tips: Do this where you can have the snake lying flat on a towel. If you're gentle & persistent but not overly-forceful, you'll have less of a battle with the snake. Obviously you have to restrain them, but be flexible...it's a give & take. When you're done, slide the tubing out -it may catch just a bit on their teeth, and also trigger a bit of a gag reflex as you pull it out- I massage their throat if they act as if trying to upchuck, & they usually keep it down. BTW, I've always done this single-handedly...so if you don't have someone to restrain the snake, don't worry...if I can do it, you can too.

Important: Keep the snake's head above their body when you carefully put them back in their cage -for obvious reason, what slides in can slide back out...https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...lies/wink2.gif then let them rest.

Afterthoughts:
Add water to some chicken baby food so it's thin enough to go thru the tubing...test first, not on the snake...nothing worse than getting the tube into the snake & then having trouble pushing the plunger on the syringe...you want this to go as smoothly for the snake as possible, obviously. You can also add vitamins, minerals (for reptiles) or meds (those meant to be taken with food) to the "snake-shake" too.

You sure won't need a whole jar of Gerbers for a little snake, btw...you can freeze the rest of the open jar by dropping spoonfuls of the Gerbers onto a piece of foil or on a plate in the freezer...once frozen, store the frozen lumps in a plastic baggie or other container in freezer for future use. It will keep better & much longer this way than in fridge...

Any questions? Just ask...I've successfully tube-fed various snakes over the years...honestly it's the most useful thing I've ever learned to do for saving snakes. A snake that is too weak or ill to eat on their own will be in a downward spiral towards death, just as we'd be in the hospital without an I.V. to regain our strength & normal appetite.

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Thanks for such a detailed explination! Where would i be going to get the catheter an syringe, if it comes down to it?

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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

Thanks for such a detailed explination! Where would i be going to get the catheter an syringe, if it comes down to it?

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Oops, sorry, I thought I posted the link in earlier post, but I just looked & it didn't show up...so here again, not expensive & they're great to buy from.

https://beanfarm.com/collections/hea...g-tube-syringe

The first snake I ever tube-fed was many years ago...my vet gave me the syringe & catheter & a very short typed paragraph, no where NEAR this much info to go on.
So this is MY version...and feel free to ask your vet, share, copy, whatever....it's all about helping snakes recover.

I have tube-fed tiny 7" hatchling desert glossy snakes, a TX longnose snake, a corn snake, a rosy boa, a BP, just all kinds (even a rattlesnake but that's a WHOLE OTHER
chapter- much harder & different.) A snake that gets too weak from not eating (or other issues) will eventually have no appetite...after tube-feeding, & sometimes even
only once, they often* feel better & regain their appetite. *Obviously the success of any individual depends on the reason they aren't eating...if there's a stomach tumor,
for example, it's not going to alter their future, but for many common situations, this is SO worth trying.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Oops, sorry, I thought I posted the link in earlier post, but I just looked & it didn't show up...so here again, not expensive & they're great to buy from.

https://beanfarm.com/collections/hea...g-tube-syringe

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Thank you so much! This info will definetly be put to good use.

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Feed this: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_US218_.jpg

Using this: https://beanfarm.com/collections/hea...g-tube-syringe https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/04...f?v=1472246558

Super-important to use a catheter as shown above from The Bean Farm: the end is rounded, not cut...using other tubing with a snipped-off end can
cut or tear up the snake's internal tissues, so never use anything like plastic aquarium tubing to do this. The "feeding tube" is actually a human medical
-grade urethral catheter- and it has a round end with small holes on either side, just above the tip, so it doesn't catch on tissues when inserted. The
syringe too is borrowed from the medical community...it's sold without a needle, specifically for this purpose. The tubing & syringe can be washed, dis-
infected & re-used many times.

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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

Got some closeups of his injury. Skins healed, though no scales. Also has retained eyecaps. Poor Baby...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d81b2b3dbe.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e0c88ed23a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f51dcdf6ad.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7e860adbac.jpg

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Just to say ( in case I missed it ) those are wide open wounds not healed skin.

And to add to what Bogterophis said the next stage I would be thinking off would be a pinkie pump rather than jumping to whole food.

I hope the little guy keeps improving for you ** crosses everything**

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Originally Posted by dr del

Just to say ( in case I missed it ) those are wide open wounds not healed skin.

And to add to what Bogterophis said the next stage I would be thinking off wouold be a pinkie pump rather than jumping to whole food.

I hope the little guy keeps improving for you ** crosses everything**

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I have no experience with using a pinkie-pump, have you? I ask because I've heard that they sometimes jam slightly with a bit of tissue or bone, and the risk is
a sudden release of pressure that can shoot the poor snake across the room (with obvious injury or death), so I've never tried or kept up on them at all...have
they made improvements? I've never had any such problems using the very smooth Gerber's chicken given by syringe...that's why I've always used that.

(And many years ago I tried to "blenderize" some pinkies/fuzzies but without a really GOOD commercial type blender, it's just not smooth enough.)

It can be tricky but there is no real bone or cartilage in most pinkies - heating them up helps soften what is there. If you are worried you can masserate them with the back of a spoon to reduce the problem - it just makes a messy job a little messier. I haven't yet fired a hatchling accross the room but then I insert quite a short distance into the snakes throat and would withdraw if the resistance felt wrong. Common sense is definitely needed though. I have seen people introduce far too much at a time and cause a regurge.

I hate to be devil's advocate, but at what point do you euthanize the poor, suffering animal? Looks really bad to me.

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Originally Posted by Godzilla78

I hate to be devil's advocate, but at what point do you euthanize the poor, suffering animal? Looks really bad to me.

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In all honesty, i questioned that myself. From what i can see on his chart he is improving, hoping that he at the least trues to feed tonight. Sadly i cant call that, though my managers have a good experience in snakes as well, so I hope they realise if it gets worse that it has to happen.

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Originally Posted by Godzilla78

I hate to be devil's advocate, but at what point do you euthanize the poor, suffering animal? Looks really bad to me.

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He's thin & has a treatable wound...he probably should have had stitches (& maybe still should?) but I do think he can survive & even thrive with some TLC.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

He's thin & has a treatable wound...he probably should have had stitches (& maybe still should?) but I do think he can survive & even thrive with some TLC.

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He should have had stitches. Not blaming you op. You do what you can without being the boss. Been there, done that. When and if you get this one back to the vet deal with the eye caps as well. Do it all in one. And assist feeding will be hard with the wound where it is. Also been there done that. What about a live pinkie. I had to start Odyn that way. Once he had something in his tummy he realized what food was and hasn't stopped eating since. Which reminds me....it is feeding night.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

He should have had stitches. Not blaming you op. You do what you can without being the boss. Been there, done that. When and if you get this one back to the vet deal with the eye caps as well. Do it all in one. And assist feeding will be hard with the wound where it is. Also been there done that. What about a live pinkie. I had to start Odyn that way. Once he had something in his tummy he realized what food was and hasn't stopped eating since. Which reminds me....it is feeding night.

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They dont allow us to feed live, only frozen (its apparently why our pet mice are priced higher than feeders).

Gonna talk to the managers soon, really hope i can get him to a vet.

The worst part is that i dont even know how long he's been like this, posted that my first night working the floor. Hated walking into that...

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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

They dont allow us to feed live, only frozen (its apparently why our pet mice are priced higher than feeders).

Gonna talk to the managers soon, really hope i can get him to a vet.

The worst part is that i dont even know how long he's been like this, posted that my first night working the floor. Hated walking into that...

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You should be able to feed live with so many feesing failed and a % of body weight lost. If not...petsmart has failed again. Get a copy of the feeding problem protocol asap.

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Any updates?

Any updates????

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Any updates????

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Well, thats embarrassing. Though I had made an update post already for the longest time, sorry to keep you all waiting for such a long time!

In all honesty, I was hoping to come back with better news then what I currently have, but in the least what I have is still good news. About a week ago, one of our local vets took the snake in to his own, personal care to be patched up, and probably kept there for life as a new pet. If i find out what has happened to it since I certainly will do a better job giving an update, but on the bright side, it is nice to know that it found a place to be cared for and nursed back to health.

Thanks for the update, finally...I was afraid that your silence meant that they euthanized him & you just didn't want to say.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Thanks for the update, finally...I was afraid that your silence meant that they euthanized him & you just didn't want to say.

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Apologies for not getting back sooner!

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I'm just wondering for curiosities sake. Would it be acceptable to use something like neosporin or bacitracin ointment on a wound like that to help with healing and prevent infection?

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Originally Posted by Helonwheelz383

I'm just wondering for curiosities sake. Would it be acceptable to use something like neosporin or bacitracin ointment on a wound like that to help with healing and prevent infection?

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Yes, but for a wide wound like this, it's not enough...he should have had stitches to close the wound (along w/ injected antibiotics), & personally, I'd have tube-fed
him to help both his nutrition (to promote healing) & his hydration. I'm glad he's got a vet taking care of him now & hope he recovers ok. Delaying proper treatment
doesn't help...:(