My dog's swollen leg isn't better. How long until antibiotics work?

I am sorry to hear about Scooby. It is difficult to say how long it might take for swelling to go down because we do not know the cause. We can have swelling due to an abscess, cellulitis, edema (fluid buildup in the leg), a tumor or mass, trauma and development of a seroma or hematoma, or swelling due to a fracture. If the swelling is still present I would consider additional testing such as an x-ray of the leg, or ultrasound of the leg. If the vet is fairly certain it is due to infection then it could take longer than 4 days for the swelling to resolve but he may need to continue the antibiotics longer.

I can see the swelling from the pictures you posted. It appears the swelling goes form the foot all the way to the knee. I see that you live in an area where snake bite is possible. I would check thoroughly for any punctures along the entire leg and see if Diamond is painful in any particular area. If not, other causes of swelling like this could include infection, allergic reaction, trauma, cancer, among others. Sometimes swelling in an entire limb can be caused by decreased lymphatic flow - this can be caused by damage to lymph nodes or a structure under the skin or inside the body that is impinging on the lymph flow. I have also seen swelling like this with a flare-up of a mast cell tumor elsewhere on the body. I agree with your vet; if the medications prescribed to not make a difference, additional diagnostics are warranted. They may include bloodwork, abdominal x-rays, tick testing, or sampling of any small masses found.

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Archie seems to have a case of pododermatitis, an inflammatory condition sometimes associated with allergies. It may, indeed take a few days for the antibiotics to kick in. Hopefully, he is on an oral antibiotic, but I will also recommend a topical one, as well. This would involve bandaging up the foot so the antibiotic does its job. You can talk to your vet about some pain medication too. In the meantime, soak the foot in warm water & dilute betadine or 2% chlorhexidine. 1/4 cup of the solution in a cup of water should do it. Try to soak the paw for 5-10 minutes 3 times a day, rinse & dry the foot. This will help in the healing process. Hope Archie is doing better soon. Take care.

Hello, so sorry that Sydney is having this issue. It can take up to a week. If after that you are not seeing an improvement by then she will need to go back to the vet for a check-up. The vet may have to surgically drain the infection. Hope this helps. Best wishes and I hope she is feeling better soon!

Please have Ann examined by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER today. That wound will likely need to be explored and debrided surgically. This will require anesthesia. A culture/sensitivity and biopsy of the area should be submitted as well. The C&S will identify any bacteria as well as the best antibiotic to use in treatment. Even though she was on antibiotics, if the bacteria was not susceptible to them, they would be ineffective. A biopsy will rule out neoplasia (cancer). Either can cause delayed healing or non-healing. If infection gets into the bone, it could turn into a life threatening condition. Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent licking until she sees a doctor.

Poor Turbo! You need to take him into a vet right away. It sounds serious that he can't use his leg at all, and he need medical attention immediately from a vet. The vet can determine the best course of treatment for him, which may include antibiotics. Please take him into a vet ASAP.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This looks like furunculosis which is a deep bacterial infection of the skin. It will not resolve without a long course of oral antibiotics. Now, that being said, this could be a primary issue or a secondary issue - I cannot tell you without examining her myself and doing some testing. You really need to take her to your vet for an exam as soon as you can. Hope this helps. Best wishes.