Department of Clinical Veterinary Practices, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Circular excised skin wounds in the thoracic and metatarsal regions of the dog were studied. A similar sequence of events took place in the two regions although differences did occur due to the different reactions of the tissues which surrounded the wounds. None of the wound cavities became filled with exudate during the early stages of healing. In the thoracic wounds the cavities were largely filled by the swelling and inward movement of adipose tissue. Epithelium first grew on the wound surface in the sector of the wound that was situated in the direction of hair flow. The average time to complete epithelization was similar in both sets of wounds. A zone of alopecia developed around the wounds.