Dog bite: Can a wound still get infected even with quick antibiotics?

You cannot expedite healing as the body takes as long as needed to heal. As long as your dog is on antibiotics there should be no infection. By the time the antibiotics are all given, this should have healed.

Oh dear, poor Jack! Dog bite wounds can become infected quickly and can cause far more damage under the skin than is visible on the surface. I strongly recommend taking Jack to his vet for evaluation since surgery can be necessary for many bite wounds to assure that the wound is clean, tissue is healthy, and that underlying organs and structures have not been damaged. The vet will also likely prescribe antibiotics (cephalexin, cefpodoxime, amoxicillin-clavulinic acid are typically used in these cases) and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (such as carprofen, deracoxib, or meloxicam) if his liver and kidney blood values are normal. The vet will also likely recommend an e-collar (cone) to prevent Jack from licking or scratching at the wound, unless the collar would directly rub on the wound and cause further irritation. I hope this helps and that Jack feels better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! That wound looks deep. I don't know if oral antibiotics and topical medications will be enough to treat them. This wound may take weeks to heal but oral antibiotics will not be necessary the entire time. I recommend taking Cutie to a vet to explore the wound and see if surgical repair is a better treatment option. Also, not all oral antibiotics are treated the same so the ones you are using may not be beneficial for this wound. A vet can help determine the best treatment. Good luck and kisses to Cutie!

Clavamox is the most commonly used antibiotic in the world for dog bites (also in humans by the way). it's rare but sometimes clavamox won't work in such a case, my next antibiotic choices would be Metronidazole or Cephalexin. you will still need to get them from your vet though.

Ouch! Poor Penelope! You can clean the wounds with diluted betadine. Add water until it is the color of weak tea. She may need antibiotics and pain medication though. These you'll need to get from your veterinarian after an exam. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have her examined anyway. Monitor for swelling, discharge, bleeding that won't stop or lethargy.

No, it's not safe to give Rex your other dog's medication, as it may not be the correct antibiotic for the bacteria in the dog's mouth that bit him. If the laceration isn't big or deep and the bleeding has stopped, you can wait to take him into the vet until the morning. The vet can examined the laceration, and give an appropriate antibiotic. If the laceration is deep, or the bleeding isn't stopping, you will need to take Rex into the vet now.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Candy. Yes, you should take her in and not give her any penicillin you have in the home. Dogs have a lot of bacteria in their mouth, and she could have developed an abscess from this bite. She will be in pain, and she needs pain medication and correct antibiotics to treat this. Please take her into a vet immediately. I hope this helps!