Product Reviews

Tapeless Wound Care

Stacy Mantle 18 years ago

There is something about being a pet owner that makes you want to be able to care for your pets wounds. Call it a mothering instinct, perhaps it’s knowing that our pets are home with us instead of at the sterile veterinarian clinic being cared for by nameless people. Perhaps it is as simple as wanting to save a few bucks, but I think if we had the ability to change our pets bandages at home, we would do it. Particularly when our pets pull them off as quickly as they do…

That’s one of the many reasons I was so happy to run across the Tapeless Non-Adhesive Dressings which were developed by a talented veterinarian who was also becoming as frustrated by animals ripping off standard dressings as fast as he could put them on

The Tapeless System is truly an innovative system that is designed with each species in mind. In fact, you have to order them by size, species, and by body part that needs to be wrapped. PetsWeekly began by reviewing their two most popular products: The Ear/Head Dressing Holder and the Hip Dressing Holder.

The Ear/Head Dressing Holder is an absolutely wonderful piece of artistic work that allows you to securely wrap your pets head and ears after surgery for tumors, or any other type of injury, without causing further pain for your pet. Under normal circumstances, using Vetrap, or any other type of bandaging, I can estimate my time at caring for a pet’s head injuries at between 30 minutes to 1 hour, and afterwards I not only have an incredibly stressed out animal, but the beginnings of a migraine. Not so with this product. After only one attempt, I was able to place the wrapping on the head by securing two outside straps, and secure it with Velcro for a final adjustment. It took approximately 4 minutes, and I finalized the procedure without a headache and with a calm dog.

The Hip Dressing Holder works in much the same way, and I curse myself for not having located this little gem when my youngest pup first came home from hip surgery. With only a series of small straps, it can be quickly secured to the dog, and any final adjustments can be done by using the Velcro dots.

Brilliant? Yes. Ahead of it’s time? Probably, in my opinion, this product should been developed back when around the time of the light bulb. This system makes other bandaging systems look like a Volkswagen on a track against an Porsche. Its fast, efficient and highly effective.

So – does it stay on? Absolutely. My dogs became quickly bored with trying to figure the system out, and that was when they were feeling well. If they had not been feeling well, and were in need of actual bandaging, I feel they would have become bored with it much faster. Don’t get me wrong, a determined dog or energetic pup will eventually loosen the bandages. But, they will last much longer than the average bandaging system. What is even more impressive is that the bandages can be washed and reused. They are made from a laminated polypropylene material and are non-allergenic, and as they are designed to hold other supplies in place, not to touch the actual wound, this makes them easy to reuse after a thorough cleaning in warm, soapy water. Allowed to dry naturally in a clean environment, they will not shrink. This, in my opinion, makes them well worth the minimal investment. But then, the ease alone justifies the expense for me.

What’s more, they will work with all of your pets! They are designed for horses, and they are also designed for dogs, cats and other small animals, these bandages are for the animals in your life, no matter the species, on all difficult-to-bandage anatomy. The prices begin as low as $5.95 for the small animal materials, and I have found that price to be a bargain.

In all, a highly impressive product that is well worth the price! I would recommend logging on and buying a set for each of your pets – you never know when you’ll need them!