My dog was bitten. Swelling and pus around the wound. How to help?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear this. Dog attacks can be quite stressful. The main problem with bite wounds is that you have to let the wounds declare themselves before knowing exactly what is going to happen at the end. It sounds like Zara's wound got infected and has now formed an abscess. She can develop a fever from this and this can make her feel quite sick. Also, it would be ideal to know the true extent of her injuries. For this reason, I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Your veterinarian would be able to prescribe medications for pain control and also antibiotics to treat her infection which is the only way it can resolve. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

If there is swelling and it feels hot to the touch and painful then these are signs that infection is present (bite wounds/punctures are unfortunately prone to infeciton) and oral antibiotics are likely needed. I would make an appointment with your vet to get the wound examined. In the meantime, applying an ice pack to the area for 10 minutes every few hours may provide some relief to the pain (be sure to wrap the ice pack in a thin cloth/towel so it isn't directly on the skin).

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pogo. You can try applying warm compresses such as a warm washcloth to the wound for 3-5 mins up to 3 times per day if he will tolerate it. The swelling may be the result of local tissue damage or it could be from an abscess starting to form under the skin. This is a common side effect with bite wounds. The teeth inoculate bacteria deep under the skin when a dog is bit. The bacteria become trapped as the overlying skin rapidly heals. This will create the abscess. I hope this information helps!

I'm so sorry this happened to Dabbu. He really needs to be seen by a veterinarian. He is sitting in the corner because he hurts. Dogs do not have very clean mouths so when they bite they often inject bacteria into the bite wounds and it doesn't take long for bites to become infected. Therefore, Dabbu may have infected wounds and a fever. He really should go to a vet and get those wounds treated. He will likely need some antibiotics and some anti-inflammatory/pain medication so he will feel better. I wish there was some treatment I could tell you to do at home but without seeing the wounds myself there is nothing I can tell you and I certainly cannot prescribe mediation over the internet. It is really best to get him looked at. I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Dabbu. Dr. Amber

I'm sorry this happened but you must understand this is a very serious wound and should be treated by your local veterinarian. She should be on oral antibiotics. No matter is what is applied to this topically, it will not heal if she continues to chew at it. You will need to either keep it bandaged (provided she does not chew the bandage off) or get her a cone collar like this one until it is healed. Be sure to get the appropriate size. The collar must go past the end of the nose or she will still be able to chew at the wound. ( https://www.amazon.in/Generic-Elizabethan-Healing-Medical-Protective/dp/B01LZHVWWF/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524316661&sr=8-3&keywords=elizabethan+collar+for+dogs ) You can try this wound spray. I still suggest you have a veterinarian look at this wound to prescribe some more effective treatment than what you can provide at home. ( https://www.amazon.in/Himalaya-Scavon-Spray-100-ml/dp/B01NGYKEPQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1524316862&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=oxytetracycline+spray+dog ) Try your best to keep flies and other insects away from the wound or she may get maggots. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Oh my. This looks like a pretty serious injury. Your poor fur baby needs to see your local vet to have this wound managed well. The only thing you can do over the counter is to flush the wound with Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water and then sterile saline daily. The vet will investigate this area to see if any stitches or staples need to be placed and also get your poor baby on oral antibiotics (ie Clindamycin) and anti-inflammatory medicine (ie Rimadyl). Without proper closure and antibiotics, this wound will likely not heal well. Here is a financial resources website link if you need financial help as well. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html I hope that she/ he heals up soon. Best wishes and take care.

Ouch! Poor Maggie! That swelling around the bite is an indication of infection and looks like Maggie needs antibiotics. It also looks very painful so Maggie needs to go to a veterinarian to have it evaluated. That bite is near a joint so I would take her right away to avoid any serious infections.