How to treat a dog abscess at home
I had my vet’s blessing to home-treat Hudson, even though his abscess was so huge. Remember that even if you just call your vet or send him pictures, you’ll still need your vet to prescribe a course of antibiotics, which must be finished. (And note that you should always check with your vet first rather than launching into any kind of home medical treatment.)
Home treatment for a dog abscess is likely okay if you are obsessive about making everything sanitary and sterile. Make sure you remember to flush the abscess and apply a wound cream several times a day. Also note that you are not likely to get sick treating the abscess because of the way it looks, feels and smells. Really! We’re talkin’ Essence de Dog Pus here! Often, skin and fur will fall off at first, too, so be sure you can handle that.
Your dog can be easily treated by you if, for example, he’ll let you flush the abscess with saline and stick your finger waaaaaay up into the pocket of the abscess to apply ointment.
What Is an Abscess?
An abscess results from the bodys attempt to wall off an infection. The fight against infection results in an accumulation of white blood cells and other blood components commonly called pus. This thick liquid collects in a fleshy pocket in the affected body area, which then swells and becomes very painful. This swollen pocket of infection is called an abscess.
Almost anything, such as a bite wound, splinter, or even an insect sting, can result in an abscess if the surface of the skin is penetrated and bacteria introduced. If the skin surface heals over the wound superficially, the bacteria can become sealed inside, triggering activation of the body’s immune system and development of an abscess.
Some abscesses can also occur internally from bacteria or foreign material that gets in through the digestive tract, urinary tract, respiratory tract, or other ports of entry into the body.
First, what is a dog abscess?
An abscess is a collection of pus that occurs anywhere on your dog’s body. Causes of a dog abscess include parasites, bites and bacteria. It’s actually protecting the body by localizing an infection. White blood cells move into the area and collect in the tissue.
You’ll usually see a swelling under the skin; if an abscess has formed on top of the skin or the skin has broken away, you would likely see a red, raised bump. And remember, a dog abscess is squishy and warm.
A dog abscess can be painful, so your dog will let you know — but if you have a dog who is pain-tolerant, such as my Hudson, that may not be a good clue.
Abscess Drainage At Home
Knowing how to treat an abscess on a dog at home is definitely essential if you’re looking to keep your canine family member healthy and happy. In a few moments, I’m going to walk you through on how to do just that using natural means.
I would like to share this with you so you can get the peace of mind you’ve always wanted when it comes to maintaining your precious pet’s good health as well as ensuring that he gets the support he deserves whenever disease strikes.
Make sure you read on to get the lowdown on naturally treating abscess wounds in dogs at home, the symptoms you have to watch out for, the causes that usually set off this health issue, as well as other pieces of information that we’re sure you’ll appreciate.
I’m even going to share with you our favorite natural remedy for abscesses in dogs if you read this blog post all the way through.
And always remember that we are naturally with you and your pet, every step of the way!
A pocket of inflamed tissue that is filled with pus at the center. It has the appearance of a swollen red lump that can either be soft and squishy or rigidly firm to the touch.
While an abscess can show up all over a dog’s body, it typically forms in the oral region—particularly underneath the teeth—in the flaps of skin connecting the toes, the anal glands, the inner part of the limbs, as well as underneath the paw pads.
Moreover, it’s also not uncommon for dog abscess to emerge around the eyes, the ears, including the folds of skin surrounding the neck.
Although abscesses in dogs start out small, they can expand in size and may lead to even more serious health problems if not immediately taken care of. This is the biggest reason why you should know how to treat an abscess on a dog at home the right way.
Next up, we’ll talk about the symptoms of dog abscess that you need to watch out for…