>It tends to dry out the incision and cause MORE itching.  The bubbling
>action can also cause DELAYED wound healing.  I have not seen any recent
>medical research that supports the use of hydrogen peroxide in
>post-operative incisions.  There has been a trend away from the use of
>hydrogen peroxide in the treatment of wounds and incisions in the medical
>field.  I'm curious to know if the veterinary profession has seen a
>different trend?  I would suggest a different approach to the care of post
>operative incisions.... if there is blood on the area, a gentle swab of
>the area with a soft cloth and WATER would clean the area and NOT promote
>the tissue degeneration that is caused by hydrogen peroxide.  If the
>incision has redness or appears to have inflammation, Betadine (povidine
>iodine) is the preferred anti-bacterial and doesn't damage tissue like
>hydrogen peroxide does.
 
Dear Tracy:
 
Thanks for the informative and well-reference post.  Your coments indeed
forced me to go back into the literature and re-evaluate a long-time habit
of mine (and likely many other vets.)
 
You are quite correct on hydrogen peroxide's propensity to delay wound
healing on incisions.  While on intact skin, it may be used to remove
blood, it actually may delay re-epithelialization of an incision, and
in an open wound, may have deleterious effects on a number of cell types.
 
Your comment on the use of simple water and a soft cloth is more
appropriate and I will change my ways!
 
Povidone-iodine, however, does have some deleteious effects on tissue
as well, as well as a possibility of systemic absorption of iodine and
cutaneous reactions (not to mention staining of adjacent fur, etc.  Reading
up on the various topical materials used for routine wound cleansing, it
would seem that none are totally without some effects.
 
The key is that if the surgeon does a good job, the ferret doesn't chew at
the incision, minor non-abrasive cleansing with water and a soft cloth is
best for routine incision care.  If you see redness or irritation at the
site, its best to have the vet do a quick recheck to see if there is
potential for dehisence (re-opening of the incision - a rarity, but it
does happen, and let the vet decide where to go from there.
 
Thank you Tracy, for teaching an old dog a new trick.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP
[Posted in FML issue 3196]