![]() ![]() We had to decide the best way to adhere fish skin to each wound, and how much pressure, range of motion, and wrinkles to apply.” “Every part of the fish was used, depending on the damage,” says Spencer. Strips of fish skin of varying thicknesses are then applied to affected areas. Peyton and her assistant, Dusty Spencer, a veterinary surgeon at VCA Valley Oak Veterinary Center, medicate and sedate the dog before cleaning the wound and remove the dead skin. After the tilapia is sterilized and prepped, the thick, rubbery texture bends easily into place. Contrary to Benjamin Franklin’s quip about guests and fish smelling after three days, processed tilapia skins don’t give off a strong odor.ĭusty Spencer and Jamie Peyton examine the tilapia bandages on Olivia following the Camp Fire that devastated Butte County.Īpplying fish skin takes special preparation. “In the past, people would say that animals with severe burns would never survive,” says Peyton, who has evacuated from her home seven times due to wildfires.įish skin provides pain relief and protection while helping wounds heal faster. ![]() During this process, the dog is heavily medicated and sedated. When removing gauze and bandages, new tissue often sticks to the adhesive and peels off too, causing tremendous pain. ![]() Without an established standard of veterinary care for treating burn victims, dogs often faced months of misery. Bandaged wounds require frequent dressing changes to avoid infections. It’s easy to buy, disease-resistant, and sustainable.” Fish Skin: A Better Bandage “With a high level of Type-1 collagen-a soothing protein-tilapia contains anti-oxidant properties within the skin itself. “Tilapia skin acts as a dermal substitute that provides pain relief and protection and helps rejuvenate wounds faster and easier,” says Peyton. But why use this inexpensive freshwater fish to repair second and third-degree charred hair and blistered skin? Thinking outside the box and inside the crushed ice of her local fish market, Peyton substituted tilapia skin for bandages. Jamie Peyton, DVM and Chief of the Integrative Medicine Service with the University of California, Davis, had previously attempted the regimen on three bears and a mountain lion after the 2017 Thomas Fire, but never on dogs and cats. Perry the Great Pyrenees, Chopper the Dachshund, and mixed breeds Olivia and Max were the four canines chosen to test out the efficacy of fish skin bandages. Some went to other hospitals, and those who managed to survive endured months of agonizing recovery.įour dogs near death at the VCA were chosen to receive a cutting-edge regimen to speed up the regenerative process. To escape their blazing habitats and homes, animals sprinted helter-skelter through shooting flames, suffering smoke inhalation and severe burns on their faces, paws, and bodies.įorty percent of the 500+ animals brought to nearby VCA Valley Oak Veterinary Center for assessment and treatment were dogs. The deadliest fire in the state’s history leveled the densely-populated town of Paradise, with 63 people losing their lives. So, how did fish skin inspire a new approach? Damage DoneĮrupting at dawn on November 8, 2018, the devastating Camp Fire in Northern California scorched over 138,000 acres. Today, thanks to tilapia and a forward-thinking veterinarian with an unconventional idea, critically injured pets and wildlife can now look forward to a pain-free life. But after a fast-moving fire incinerated a California town, canine burn treatment took an about-turn. Historically in veterinary medicine, dogs burned by wildfires have had few treatment options.
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