When a dermal wound is present, the veterinarian will examine it to determine if a skin graft is necessary. If reconstructive surgery is deemed appropriate, blood work will be run on the dog to assess its overall health status. This can help the vet decide if the dog is a good surgical candidate or not. An area containing excess skin (often on the neck or abdomen) can then be located for the graft harvest site.
Leading to the surgery, the dog will be required to fast for several hours preceding the operation. To begin the procedure, the dog will be given a sedative. An IV will be placed and general anesthesia will be administered. The graft harvest area can then be clipped and disinfected. A sample of tissue will be taken from the wound area to be sent for examination. This can help identify bacterial infections in the skin. All damaged tissue will have to be removed before the graft can be applied. Moist gauze will then be placed over the wound.
A very sharp scalpel will be used to cut out the skin for the graft. Before it is placed on the dog, it will need to be stretched out on a piece of board so that all of the tissue under the layer of skin can be removed. Multiple slits then can be made to the skin giving it a mesh-like appearance. These slits will allow the graft to stretch over the wound and drain fluids while healing. The graft can then be placed over the wound and securely sutured. Tack sutures can be used throughout the surface of the graft to keep it stable on the tissue. Care must be given to ensure that the hair on the graft is going the same direction as the hair on the surrounding skin. Special bandages will then be placed over the graft.