What Kind Of Soap Can I Use To Clean A Bad Skin Wound?

[tinshopcats]

Our outside girl pulled a big patch of fur off of her right hip all the way down to the meat. We took her to the vet and they shaved the area, cleaned it etc. They sent her home with an antiseptic spray that's needed on the wound twice a day along with an antibiotic she'll get once a day.

They told us to clean the wound once a day with warm water and soap. I completely forgot to ask what kind of soap to use and the office is closed right now. I have dish soap. Is that ok? Or the foaming soap we use in the bathroom? Do we just wet a washrag with the water, apply some soap to the rag and pat the wound down and then pat it down with another wet rag that doesn't have soap on it and then pat it down with a dry rag?

 

[LTS3]

Unscented non-lotion soap will work in a pinch. Make sure to use very little soap and rinse thoroughly. You can apply the soap to the wound and gently rub it in with your fingers and warm water. Pat dry.

If you can get to a pharmacy, Hibiclens antispetic soap will work too. You'll find it in the first aid aisle. Pet stores sell something similar but it usually costs more.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

You can also probably get pure castile soap from your local Walmart or other megamart. It has no scents or coloring added, and is very gentle, and safe for cats.

 

[tinshopcats]

You can also probably get pure castile soap from your local Walmart or other megamart. It has no scents or coloring added, and is very gentle, and safe for cats.

I didn't think about pure castile. If my store doesn't carry it, would ivory dish soap or regular dawn dish soap work? Also, should we just rub the soap in with our fingers and then pat it off with a wet rag or rub the soap in gently and then hold her hip under a running faucet and let the lukewarm water rinse the soap off and then pat dry? How long should we let the soap stay on her wound before rinsing it off?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Ivory would probably (although I'm not certain) be gentler, although I know Dawn is VERY gentle, and is used for wildlife from oil spills, so that should be just fine as well. You really don't have to leave the soap on long at all, just a few seconds.