Wounded hoglet

[Shalali]

One of the babies had a torn open shoulder yesterday morning. It was only skin, not muscle (thank goodness). We irrigated it out with saline solution and picked all the straw out of it. We tried to use the NuSkin glue bandage, but the wound was too old, the skin edges had already shriveled up. So, we packed it with udder butter (a natural udder cream with all kinds of great herbs in it that my aunt makes for me- we use it as a natural antibiotic when we get cuts and scrapes), and covered it with gauze and then wrapped that vet wrap around him, so he has a purple vest now. I'll change it every day and hopefully, it will heal up okay, scarred, but okay. I think I'll get some of those petroleum penetrated bandages (for burns and really open wounds, so dressing does not stick to the wound) to use from now on. The wound is about the size of a quarter when all the flaps of skin are put back in place. When they were all pulled open it was about the size of a half-dollar. Poor little guy. He did seem more stressed by our handling him than by our cleaning out the wound. Penelope, sniffed him when he came back, and he joined in with the rest as if nothing had happened.

We have no idea what caused it. Either another one bit him, or maybe Penelope or Orwell stepped on him and it just split his skin? I did find one nail that might have been the culprit, but there was no hair or blood on it. I did pound it back down, so... I really have no idea. All the others seem to be just fine.

[Deleted]

Wow. Poor little guy. Sounds like you dressed him nicely.
Janet

[Janene]

Either he got stepped on, or almost laid on. Common injury when either happens: torn open skin.
He should be OK, just tell him to stay out of the dirt!
Janene

[Liz]

I love the "adaptic" (petroleum impregnated gauze) bangades!
Since you have such great body butter, you could probably make your own--slather both sides, top with a dry bandage then vetwrap it.
Good luck with the little fella!

[Janene]

Shalali--how's the healing going with your little one?
Janene

[Shalali]

"Mr. Vest" is doing fine. (Mr. Vest because we make a vest out of the vet wrap). His wound is still open, but it is starting to have granulating tissue. He will have a pretty nasty scar, as the edges of his skin just wouldn't go back together without a needle and thread, which I didn't have.

All the piggies are growing like weeds. It is hard to tell which one we named Kielbasi (the biggest one), as they are all so big now.

[Liz]

If it is not too deep (and seeping), but more a matter of piecing the skin back you can try superglue. It won't hurt the wound, though it is best to hold the edges together until the glue dries.
Just fyi, hopefully it won't happen to anyone else!

"Dermabond" is a product used on people (4x stronger than superglue) works best if not on a bend or joint. Not available OTC, but superglue is!

[Shalali]

The pieces of skin wouldn't meet, as they had shriveled up by the time we got to it. It is looking really good now. I think another week with a bandage on it, and then it could be left open