Nile tilapia fish skin as an alternative biological dressing for canine skin wounds

Abstract

This study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of Nile tilapia fish skin biological dressings in treating superficial skin wounds in dogs. Six dogs with superficial wounds were selected after thorough physical examinations. The wounds were covered with chlorhexidine and glycerol-processed tilapia fish skin dressings, secured using polyamide sutures, and reapplied as needed. By the 30th day post-surgery, all dogs showed complete wound healing, with full epithelialization, satisfactory functional recovery with no adverse reaction. These findings suggest that tilapia fish skin is an effective biological dressing for managing superficial wounds in dogs.