Bandages: Form, Function & Follow-Through
A practical workshop for the whole veterinary team.
Why a Bandaging Workshop?
Bandaging is one of the most frequently performed procedures in small animal practice. Bandaging is an integral part of a treatment plan; it has a function to fulfil. Bandages are applied by the veterinarians as well as the technicians or nurses. A clear understanding of how the various layers as well as their application is necessary to ensure that the bandage will positively contribute to the treatment plan and not be the cause of complications.
Situational Awareness
The soft padded bandage is the basic ‘go-to’ bandage for most presentations. But just “applying a bandage” is not a valid clinical decision.
The true question should be: what does this bandage need to achieve for this patient? That answer determines how to build the bandage; how to alter the generic soft padded bandage so that it is on purpose and on point with the treatment plan for that patient. So often in our practice we would see patients arrive with a “well intended” bandage that that, at best, did not help the patient; and at worst, was detrimental.
I believe the issue lies with the fact that teaching bandaging in veterinary school become squeezed somewhere between several important disease concepts that take precedence. Bandaging is not complication but the details are important. I present them to you here.
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Getting Prepared
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The patient may need to be anesthetized or sedated for the initial bandage application based on the issue that is being managed (a fracture or severe wound). However, subsequent bandage changes can often be managed without chemical restraint. Clearly, this is a decision that needs to be made for each individual case.
- Materials necessary for the bandage should be gathered before starting:
Here is a size guideline that for bandage sizes:
• Very small dogs <3kg: 1” rolls of bandage material (these need to be made)
• Small dogs and cats: 2” rolls of bandage material
• Medium to large dogs: 3-4” rolls of bandage material
Applying the Bandage
There are different basic techniques for applying a bandage. This workshop uses a well tried, tested and true techniques to maximum success and minimal complications. One of the key points to bandaging success is the order in which the layers of the bandage are applied. Although not all layers will be necessary, the order in which they are applied should NEVER vary,
• The Contact layer. Used if there is a wound or surgical incision.
• The Padding layer. It forms the basis of the bandage and this layer can varied based on how much support or vascular compression the bandage needs to provide.
• The Compressive layer. This is the Kling of gauze layer which compresses the padding, giving the bandage form and structure. Tension is the key to this layer.
• The Protective. The Vetwrap layer which helps to keep the bandage clean, a bit dry (it is water resistant but not water proof) and helps the bandage to keep its shape.
• If a Splint is necessary for immobilisation, it should be placed after the Compressive layer and before the Protective layer.
Those are the layers but their application and the intention of the bandage will also serve to make the bandage functional and well-fitted to the patient. The workshop videos will help fill in the details here.
Managing the Bandage, the Pet and the Client
The truth is that applying the bandage is the easy part; keeping the bandage functional and comfortable is the hard part and it is a team approach. The bandage needs to be carefully monitored by the client:
Keep the bandage dry, Monitor the bandage:
• Assess the 2 exposed toes
• Is the bandage dry
• Has it slipped/moved
• Is there a foul odour
Monitor the pet:
• Change in behaviour
• Change in usage of the limb
• Change in appetite
• Lethargy
The bandage should be changed on a weekly basis.
While weekly bandage changes may seem like a significant added expense, the cost of leaving a bandage in place too long will ultimately be far greater. As the bandage deteriorates, it loses its therapeutic function and can begin causing secondary complications, leading to a prolonged treatment course and the additional expense of managing those complications.
Investing in timely changes now is the more cost-effective path forward. Trust me on this one!
In order to ensure that the patient will return on a weekly basis, it is best to pre-book the recheck bandage change appointment before the client leaves the building.
Success is in the Bandage Management Details
Effective bandage management extends well beyond the clinic, and that means the client must be an active, informed member of the treatment team. A bandage is only as good as the care it receives at home, so client education isn’t optional; it’s a cornerstone of successful outcomes.
Clients need to understand not just what to do, but why it matters. Admittedly, this can be the most challenging aspect of bandage management. Some clients are difficult to engage, busy, overwhelmed, or simply not yet convinced of their role. But finding the right words to bring them on board is worth every effort. When clients are truly invested, compliance improves, complications decrease, and the treatment plan stays on track.
