Canine Extremity Wound Treatment with Chitosan Extracted from Shrimp Shells: A Case Report

Abstract

The aim of this case report was to demonstrate the effectivity of chitosan as topical agent on the treatment of severely infected canine extremity wound. The dog was hit by a bus and presented severe friction wounds accompanying with bilateral hip and extremity fractures. Local and generalized infections were observed on the post operational period. The dog was unresponsive to the standard therapeutic protocols and health status was getting worsened. The regenerative sutures did not hold the tissues because of the infection and the tissue eruption. Chitosan samples were extracted from shrimp shell wastes. The milled form of chitosan was topically used to treat the open and heavily mix infected wound areas located at skin and rear extremities accompanying with fever and Canine coronavirus diarrhea. It was decided to use the chitosan as a bio barrier and anti-bio affect over the damaged and erupted tissues. Macroscopic findings indicated chitosan promoted the natural blood clotting and absorbed the inflammation fluid. Microscopic findings indicated the infiltration of polymorph nuclear leukocytes (PMN) accelerated with the topical use of chitosan in the early phase of wound healing. The wound healing was observed daily. This veterinary practice wound treatment result indicated that chitosan is effective to medicate topically the canine open and mix infected wounds with bacteria and viruses and promotes the granulomatosis in four weeks period.