Milpledge bandage book
24
with plastic cover
An awkward bandage to apply, but very useful if the end of the tail is damaged
- easily done in long tailed breeds, or even if the tip has had to be amputated. Another reason to bandage the tail, may be to protect the tail from post operative contamination of anal furunculosis, or other surgery around the animal's rear end.
Due to the shape and proximity of the tail to the body, it will always be difficult to keep the bandage on - particularly on happy dogs who may 'wag' your bandage off as soon as the owner appears! Don't despair, persevere!
There are two commonly used methods of bandaging tails. One is to use a plastic syringe case, particularly useful if covering a short and stumpy tail. The other is by spiral binding of the tail.
Plastic syringe case method:
Firstly, ensure syringe case is clean, then either pierce or cut away the end of the case for good ventilation. Dress the tail as appropriate to the wound.
Fix the case to the tail by enclosing some tail hair with each revolution of the bandage from the case proximally, to the base of the tail, point A to B as on Fig 1. This is one occasion in which it will be necessary to use an adhesive tape directly on to the animal's hair at proximal end of the syringe case.
Suggested Materials:
Wound Dressings:
ZorbopadTM, GrassolindTM, Zn7TM Wound Healing Gel.
Conforming Layer:
Knit-FixTM, Knit-FirmTM, Co-LasticTM, Co-FormTM, VetBandTM.
Plastic Protective Cover:
Syringe Case
Third Layer (if required):
WrapzTM, E-BandTM, BandesiveTM, R-BandTM.
Strapping Tapes:
E-BandTM 2.5cm.
26
TAIL BANDAGES
Spiral Binding Method:
Dress tail wound as appropriate.
Fig 2) Use a conforming bandage to roll from dorsal base of tail point 1, to tip of tail point 2, returning on the underside to ventral base of tail point 3, back to tip point 2.
Fig 3) Spiral bandage from point 2 in a proximal direction ensuring 1⁄2 to 2/3 overlap to base of tail points 1 and 3, ensuring even pressure is applied. It may be useful to enclose some tail hair with each revolution, as you near the base of the tail. Secure the ends of the bandage, with reef knot or tape. It may be necessary to use adhesive strapping tape to complete the last steps of attaching bandage to tail hair at base.
Fig 4) For long tailed dogs a 'tail hobble' may be of use. This is made from tape around a stifle, and enough length to allow the animal to defecate, but not long enough to wag the tail. It is then secured around the tail and back to the stifle. Ensure sufficient padding is applied, to the area above the hock, to prevent slipping.
NB. Check daily to ensure the tape is comfortable and not causing any swelling, irritation, or any other problems.
Suggested Materials
Dressing:
ZorbopadTM, GrassolindTM, Zn7TM Wound Healing Gel.
Padding:
OrthobandTM, MillsoftTM, Cotton Wool (HQ, BP, Vet).
Conforming layer:
Knit-FixTM, Knit-FirmTM, Co-FormTM, Co-LasticTM, VetBandTM.
Third Layer:
WrapzTM, Co-RipwrapTM, E-BandTM, BandesiveTM, R-BandTM.
Hobble:
WrapzTM 2.5cm, E-BandTM 2.5cm
(From the
Indications
1. Tail trauma.
2. Tail tip lesion (due to tail wagging)
3. Partial tail amputation.
4. Resection skin tumors of the tail.
Materials:
· narrow hydrophilic gauze bandage (preferably without selvage) or Gazofix®/Vetrap®;
· Leukoplast®, average width;
· wound dressing pad.
Method
Important for tail bandaging:
prevention of slippage;
prevention of bandage constriction.
Slippage can be prevented by applying an adhesive layer on the hairs or on the shaved skin of the tai lusing Leukoplast®. The adhesive tape is folded double lengthwise and spirally wound around the tail (not too tightly to avoid constriction), so that it adheres to the tail as well as to the bandage. In long-haired dogs, slippage can be prevented by including adjacent hairs between the bandage layers. A wound dressing pad is applied to the tail skin lesion. In both methods, the bandage is applied from distal to proximal, with decreasing tension in the direction of the tail base, and is secured using a strip of adhesive bandage. If required, immobilising material (splint) can be added. In case of tail tip lesions, the end of the bandage is "closed" as described for the pressure bandage of the lower limb.
Bvna pink textbook page 414 for process.
