First Aid for dog abscess
A lump or a sac that contains pus often develops in dogs. A dog with abscess would not want to move because the swollen affected area would be very painful. With first aid know how, a dog owner can manage the dog’s abscess at home to alleviate the discomfort and the pain the dog is feeling.
Abscess commonly results from bruises, scratches or puncture wounds. Dogs have the propensity to fight with other dogs and with other animals thus these skin injuries usually happen. An abscess is a large painful swelling that can develop on any part of the dog’s body. Abscess is the result of the fast healing of wounds so that the trapped dirt and germs would cause infection. Infection will occur because the tissues under the skin is ideal for bacteria to grow. Bacteria will cause the inflammation of the skin.
Once infection is detected the immune system will try to get rid of the foreign materials by dilating the blood vessels to increase the blood supply to the affected area so that more white blood cells can fight the infectious agents. However, the concentration of the white blood cells in the affected area would cause the hardening of the swollen sac when the white blood cells die. The fibrous capsule will be filled with pus and foul smelling brown or yellowish liquid. The lump and the surrounding skin will feel hot to the touch. An abscess would be painful thus the dog will be reluctant to its normal activities. Because of the pain, the dog may refuse to eat.
Abscess is not a serious health concern. For abscesses that does not heal on their own, treatment would be necessary to save the pet from suffering more pain. Left untreated the abscess can seriously affect the tissues around the affected area and cause internal toxicity. Some abscesses would rupture on their own. Pus and smelly brown liquid would drain from the lump. The fur around the lump will be matted by the odorous discharge. The fur around the abscess must be clipped. The pus and the bloody liquid must be allowed to drain fully.
Warm compress can be applied to the lump repeatedly until the abscess ruptures. Applying a wash cloth dipped in hot water to the abscess is aimed to increase blood flow to the affected area. This process must be repeated until the abscess comes to a head. Once the abscess has ruptured, the core must be removed by squeezing the lump gently. The pus must be allowed to drain completely. Use hydrogen peroxide to wash the opening of the lump. Tincture of iodine or other kinds of antiseptic must be generously applied to the wound. The pus and the smelly discharge must be totally drained thus the abscess must not be bandaged.
At Sarah’s Dogs you can read more about first aid for dogs and many other interesting things about dogs.
