🆘 Impalement Injuries in Pets: 2025 Vet First Aid Guide for Foreign Object Trauma 🐶🛑

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc 🩺

Seeing your pet impaled or injured by a foreign object is terrifying—but quick and calm action can help prevent further harm. Whether it’s a stick, fence spike, arrow, or wound from a dog fight, penetrating injuries must be handled with extreme care. In this 2025 guide, I’ll show you exactly what to do, what NOT to do, and when to get veterinary help fast. 🩺🐾

⚠️ What Are Impalement and Penetrating Injuries?

These injuries involve an object embedded in your pet’s body, or a deep puncture wound that breaks through the skin and possibly into the chest, abdomen, or other critical areas.

Common causes include:

• 🏹 Arrow or crossbow injuries
• 🪵 Stick impalement from running or playing
• 🤼‍♂️ Deep bite wounds from other animals
• 🏢 Falls onto fences, garden stakes, or sharp objects

These injuries can cause internal bleeding, infection, or shock—even if the surface wound appears minor. 🧬

🔍 Signs of a Serious Injury

• 🩸 Bleeding from a wound or visible foreign body
• 😰 Lethargy, panting, or weakness
• 🥵 Swelling or abscesses forming days later
• 📉 Sudden collapse or signs of internal bleeding

Some injuries are deceptively minor at first—especially dog bite wounds or stick injuries. These may worsen over time. 🧨

✅ What To Do Immediately

1. 🧤 Safety First

• Use a muzzle if your pet is alert and may bite
• Speak calmly and avoid sudden movements

2. 🧸 Immobilize the Pet

• Keep your pet lying on their side if possible
• Don’t allow walking, twisting, or rolling

3. 🔒 Stabilize the Object (If Still Present)

• Use gauze or cloths to pad around the object
• If it’s long and safely reachable, you may shorten it to 3–6 inches—but do NOT remove it

4. 🌬️ Open Chest Wounds

• Look for bubbling, hissing, or air around the chest wound
• Cover the hole with plastic wrap and seal with petroleum jelly or ointment

5. 🚑 Get to the Vet Immediately

• Call ahead to alert the clinic
• Carry your pet on a flat board or in a crate if possible

🚫 What NOT to Do

• ❌ Do NOT remove the object—this can cause fatal bleeding
• ❌ Do NOT allow movement—it causes internal damage
• ❌ Do NOT wash or flush wounds—leave that for the vet
• ❌ Do NOT wait, even if the injury appears minor

🩺 Why Vet Care Is Essential

Most impalement injuries require:

• 🔬 Sedation or anesthesia to assess damage
• 📸 Imaging (X-rays, ultrasound, MRI) for internal injuries
• 🧴 Surgical removal of the object or infected tissue
• 💊 Antibiotics, pain control, and possible drainage tubes

Wood or organic materials may not show up on X-rays and can be missed without thorough investigation. 🧫

📦 First Aid Kit for Penetrating Injuries

• 🧤 Muzzle or gauze roll
• 🩹 Gauze pads or clean cloths
• 💧 Petroleum jelly or sterile lube
• 🧴 Plastic wrap for chest injuries
• 📞 Emergency vet numbers

🛡️ Prevention Tips

• 🪵 Avoid throwing sticks or using sharp toys
• 🏡 Fence your yard securely to prevent falls
• 🧰 Use pet-safe gates and avoid dangerous play zones

📲 Unsure What to Do? Ask A Vet Now

If your pet is injured or has an object lodged in their body, the Ask A Vet app can guide you through the next steps:

• 💬 24/7 vet chat support
• 📸 Send photos of the wound for expert review
• 📋 Get real-time stabilization and transport tips

Visit AskAVet.com or download the app. With impalement injuries, every second counts—protect, stabilize, and get to the vet fast. 🐶🛑🩺