Wounds and Their Treatment

Wounds occur so frequently in animals that their proper treatment is one of the most important subjects in veterinary surgery. A wound is a break in the continuity of tissue in any part of the body and is usually produced by an external instrument. When a wound is made by a sharp instrument the edges are smooth and there is little damage to the tissue. If the wound is made by a blunt instrument, the skin mayor may not be broken. The trauma of the tissues produces a bruising of the tissue with rupture of the capillaries, small arteries, veins and lymphatics. The escape of blood and lymph into the tissues produces a swelling that varies with the size of the tissue and degree of traumatism