Liz Buchanan BVSc MRCVS
Keymaster
Hello - and first, may I say how desperately sorry I am to hear that this happened to your dog - and also to you. It sounds extremely traumatic, both literally and emotionally. Fifty kilometres seems a very long way to drive to a vet in an emergency; you must be remote where you are (I think that this is most common in the States). Secondly, Jugular veins do bleed rather horribly. Of course, there are bleeding jugulars and bleeding jugulars; if the puncture is only tiny, then putting pressure on the wound and keeping the animal calm may prove to be effective first aid, depending on factors such as blood pressure. But a longer tear, involving a large amount of blood loss each second, would be a different matter. Furthermore, the length of the hole in the dogs' skin can be deceptive. A small entry hole to a bite-wound can disguise massive trauma to a blood vessel below the surface. Sometimes, locating and clamping the blood vessel with a surgical clamp may be helpful, but that depends on someone being able to approach the dog safely and find the correct vessel to clip in the first place, and having a suitable tool AND doing no harm - I might have a go in extremis, but would not be confident and I am ten years a vet. Infection would also be a concern. Perhaps addressing the blood loss should have taken priority over washing the wound - as blood loss from the jugular would be much more urgent and life-threatening than any concern about infection. A trauma surgeon would be expected to make this judgement; however, a lay-person / dog-owner couldn't and shouldn't be expected to. An emergency vet on the phone may have helped, by may also have taken too long. Hopefully you are already aware that one cannot be prepared for every eventuality that might occur, even in your own home - and nor should you expect it of yourself. People can only do their best with the knowledge and situation that we have in front of our eyes at each moment. Please do not neglect the emotional cost to yourself of this episode; counselling might be recommended going forwards. Sometimes the best that you know is simply not enough to save an animal - as every qualified veterinary surgeon knows.
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