Jan 28 2009
How to apply a leg bandage
To correctly put a pressure bandage on, the most important thing to remember is that the tightness of the bandage remains at the bottom (toes) part of the bandage, and gets just a bit looser and looser as you wrap up the foot.
The perfect bandage would go like this:
A small telfa pad (non-stick pad) just to cover the cut or bleeding area, so when the bandage comes off, it doesn’t rip at the wound.
After the telfa is placed (you have to hold it there), a piece of (non-waterproof) tape goes down the length of the leg and beyond it by about 3 inches for a large dog, 1 1/2to 2 inches for smaller dogs and cats. Let this excess length off the feet hang there for now. This is your “stir-up”.
Take soft rolled bandage material and start wrapping from the very bottom of the feet; it’ll look awkward at first to cover the toes. Make it very snug at the very bottom. You want to be able to see (uncovered) the 2 ‘middle’ toes. As it rolls up even just a bit, it gets looser. The problem with bandages is when people make it looser at the bottom and then tight further up. This is what causes edema/swelling and fluid build up in the feet.
Roll this all the way up to just below the elbow part of the leg. Then, used rolled gauze/ cling wrap, starting at the very bottom once again, and roll around and up, same way as with the softer bandaging.
Once that is done, take that excess piece of tape hanging (and covered on the leg part by bandage) and fold it up and tape it onto the bandage. This keeps the bandage from slipping. You can now use vet wrap, or ace bandage or whatever else you have to cover this bandage and make it look “nicer”. If it is something clingy, remember same system as above. Remember with each layer you want to keep seeing those 2 toe ends and nails.
Bandages shouldn’t last more than a couple of days. The toes should be checked several times throughout the day, and if they look ‘separated’ or nails look ‘out of place’ this is a sign your bandage is too tight and needs to be taken off or redone.
Christine, LVT
