Should I give my dog amoxicillin for an infected, seeping neck mass?

Please, here in this forum don’t threaten shooting your dog if we don’t help you. It’s inappropriate. The dose for Amoxicillin is 10-25mg/kg, two to three times per day. You are better off giving him 1,000 mg three times a day if the infection is a bad as you described.

Yes, but I prefer cephalexin or cefpodoxime for skin infection. The amoxicillin dose for a dog 40lbs would be about 200mg every 12 hours. I would recommend seeing a vet though for appropriate antibiotic therapy recommendations. Topical therapy should also be considered. I typically recommend using a shampoo such as Douxo PS chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until the infection is resolved. I also recommend using welactin omega 3 fish oil and essential 6 spot on by dermoscent. Malacetic conditioning spray is also a good option to spray isolated areas on the body where infection is present. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Ear infections are usually treated with an antibiotic ointment that is placed directly in the ear and left in the ear to work in between cleanings. A typical schedule of cleanings include cleaning out the affected ear every twelve hours, placing the ointment in the ear, massaging and letting it set. This continues for a period of 7-10 days to completely clear the infection. There are some OTC ear infection ointments available but it is likely you will need to visit your vet for a prescription version. Amoxicillin is a general antibiotic and is more common in other infections such as skin or minor internal infections. It is best to check with your vet to see if it is appropriate for your dog's type of ear infection rather than just giving it. Giving the wrong medication or wrong dosage for the problem can actually make it worse, or even make your dog very ill.

This appears to be a large, infected mass. You will need to take Roscoe to the vet as soon as possible. Your vet will likely recommend surgery to remove the mass and antibiotics to help the infection clear up. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Yes, you can give the Amoxicillin but it may or may not help depending on what is causing the abscess. 500mg is on the high side of the dosing for a dog that size but I would give it. He needs 500mg every 12 hours and you need to do it for at least 7 days. If you don't give it correctly he may develop resistance to Amoxicillin and then it won't work next time you need it. Give it with food to minimize GI upset. If you do this treatment, the abscess clears but then comes back he will need to see a vet.

I believe I already answered this question in regards to everything except for the last portion about aggression towards vet and medication. If aggression towards vets is an issue, I would encourage obtaining a basket muzzle or traditional muzzle and beginning to train Rambo to like to use them. I know that sounds a little crazy, but it is very possible and easy to do. This will be very important when there comes a day that he absolutely has to see one. If training doesn't sound like something you can do, there are medications that can be given prior to arrival at the vet (or at the vet) to help calm Rambo enough for an exam. As far as treatment, amoxicillin is a reasonable choice of antibiotic for many dermatologic conditions, but in many cases will require three times a day dosing at large quantities for such a large dog.

Poor Moose! Unfortunately, it's illegal for us to advise you to give any prescription medication to your dog without first doing a physical exam - so I can't advise you to give the amoxicillin. I can tell you, however, that it would be extremely unlikely to help in this case. Ear infections need to be treated with topical medications that go in the ear canal, because this area has a very poor blood supply - so oral antibiotics generally don't do much. The hematoma will either need to be surgically drained, or left alone to resolve on its own over the next few weeks. I'm afraid he does need to see a veterinarian for his ear infection, so I would try to find a way to take him in when you're able to. If cost is a concern, you can see if there is a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area that could help, or apply online for Care Credit, which is a payment plan accepted by most vet clinics: www.carecredit.com. Usually, there is no reason that an ear infection would need to be an expensive visit, as treatment is usually fairly straightforward.