Purpose
The study aimed to assess the efficacy of Clivisin™ gel in the treatment of a deep wound in a dog’s skin resulting from mechanical trauma.
Introduction
A wound is defined as a disruption of the continuity of the skin itself or the skin and underlying tissues1 . It typically occurs as a result of a mechanical injury, but wounds can also result from burns (thermal injury) or damage to the skin caused by a corrosive substance (chemical injury)2. Wounds can be categorized into several types, with the most common being incised wounds, puncture wounds, abrasions, and lacerations, often arising from severe mechanical trauma. It is essential to properly care for a wound and prevent infection, which can be life-threatening3,4,5.
Clivisin™ gel promotes wound reconstruction and accelerates the healing process, due to carefully selected components. Polyhexanide (PHMB) ensures optimal injury regeneration and provides antibacterial action by directly affecting the bacterial cell wall, leading to bacterial death6 . Additionally, chitosan in Clivisin™ gel inhibits bacterial growth and expedites the wound-healing process7.
Methodology
The patient under the care of the veterinarian is an 8-year-old female mixed-breed dog with a mechanical injury to the right hind limb. The size of the injury is over 15 cm in length, involving deep tissue damage, and there is no fracture resulting from the injury (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Cleaned and stitched wound on the first day of the veterinary
For the first 14 days, the antibiotic marbofloxacin was administered at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight, along with the analgesic Cimicoxib 80 mg, both orally. Initially, Granuflex® dressings were applied to the wound, but they were being torn off by the animal despite the use of protective accessories(muzzle and collar). Ultimately, the decision was made to allow the wound to heal through granulation tissue formation (Figure 2. A-C). Clivisin™ gel was applied to the wound 2-3 times a day from the beginning of the injury treatment, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations/recommendations of the IFU. The total duration of the therapy was 35 days.
Day 14 – 9 cm in length
Day 21 – 7 cm in length
Day 28 – 4.5 cm in length
Figure 2. The wound healing process, along with measurements, documented with photos taken every two weeks
Results
On the 14th day of therapy, it was observed that the wound began to shrink significantly by 2-3 cm approximately every two weeks (Figure 2. A-C). On the 35th day, the wound was completely healed (Figure 3).
Conclusions
The use of Clivisin™ gel contributed to faster wound regeneration without causing additional irritation to the skin epithelium due to the properties of PHMB in it6. On the other hand, chitosan acted antibacterially and, by influencing the function of fibroblasts, accelerated the production of collagen III, supporting the reconstruction of blood vessels within the wound area8. After the medication was discontinued and the wound was allowed to granulate, the use of Clivisin™ gel contributed to faster wound healing, even after analgesics were discontinued and dressings were removed. Clivisin™ gel, with its lavaseptic properties, led to the complete healing of the wound.