Hi.

Thanks for thinking that I could help. It *really* is hard to say without seeing the injury. How much is torn away? Is it, for example, from the little incisor teeth in the very front and goes back to the molars? Is it a rip along the jaw line and the lip is just hanging loose? Is the jaw bone exposed?

If the bone is exposed it has to be covered and protected with the skin!

If a large section of the lip is hanging loose (one end dangling in the wind and the rest is attached) then if it cannot be reattached then it should at least be removed. Hanging tissue is susceptible to more trauma, cause pain and potentially infections.

If it is a small tear then it may not be worth the anesthetic risk for a stitch or two.

If the tissue is pulled away from the jaw and forms a little pocket with the jaw, food, water and doggy drool could pool in there and cause lots of problems. If that is the case it would be best to reconnect and probably a drain would need to be placed for a few days so an abscess would not form.

If this is an older wound and the edges have healed ... if the lip is to be reattached then the wound edges can easily be freshened and the reattachment made.

Again, I have not seen this pup and the injury but I would think at least a short course of antibiotics would decrease infection setting in.

Depending on the extent of the injury, sometimes a surgical adhesive rather than stitches can be used to close the wound. Most anything can be repaired with reconstructive surgery. Can you post a picture or maybe ask your friend to have someone else look at the pup if she has any doubts about what vet#1 advised.

So many questions back at you. Sorry about that but I'd like to give the best "cyber vet" advice I can for the pup.

C3D

It looked to me like it is degloved to just past the canines. Totally hanging loose. No directly exposed bone there is still tissue over it. It has been about four days since it happened now. I just saw it yesterday.

Could be they're saying leave it because of her age and weight (I didn't think about that she's just a little over ten weeks).

I did think it looked bad enough for stuff to get into but I'm not a professional.

I'll ask her for some pics. The only thing that bugs me about leaving it is it's a two dog household. Dogs go for the face and throat area and with that hanging lip....

Thanks for the info.

Adrea

I'll e mail you. :-)