My senior dog has an abscess above his anus. What should I do?

Based on the location (it appears to be just to the side and just below the anus), an anal gland abscess may have ruptured. I doubt it’s an insect bite, but I can’t rule that out completely. It could also be another type of mass such as a tumor or a foreign body (such as a grass seed) that’s burrowed into the skin and caused an abscess. Regardless, your instincts are correct; this likely needs to be treated with antibiotics. Put an E -collar (cone of shame) on him and make an appointment with your vet ASAP. Hope that’s helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Yes, you can soak his rear end in a warm water/epsom salt bath or make a compress with a small washcloth soaked in epsom salt water and hold this under his tail several times daily until she gets home. This will help the area to drain, decrease pain, and help it to heal faster. Good luck!

That has been there for a while, and it looks kind of gross. I think this is something that you should discuss with your vet. They know Tong's heath status and if it's worth taking it out or not. I don't like the look of it, so personally I think surgery may be best, but speak to his vet. Best of luck.

Hello, thank you for your question about Abby. If the abscess has already ruptured and you are able to warm compress the area, I would recommend allowing it to drain and do not feel that it needs any topical treatment. Abby should be discouraged from licking at the area as this will predispose her to developing a secondary infection. You could purchase an e-collar at a pet store or try using a t-shirt at home. After the holiday I would recommend contacting your veterinarian and relaying this information. They may recommend starting a short course of antibiotics at that time to help Abby heal quicker and prevent development of an infection. They can also consider pain medication at that time. Hope this helps, good luck!

I don't think you should be worried at this point. There is a good chance it will clear up with the antibiotics and anti-inflammatory. Sometimes the infection can be harder to treat and the gland may need to be infused with an antibiotic. Give the medications as directed and monitor for improvement. Your vet can recheck her in 7-10 days to see if the infection is resolving.

Yes, just based on your description (since I can't see it), it probably is a ruptured anal gland abscess. If the dog will let you, keep the area clean (you can use a baby wipe) and apply some Neosporin to it twice a day until the owner returns. It would also be recommended that you get her a "cone" collar to stop her from licking it. If you don't want to buy one you can try to make one at one - see YouTube video link below: ( https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=make+dog+cone+home ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Any kind of puncture wound can cause an abscess. Most abscessed have to be treated at the very least with oral antibiotics prescribed by your veterinarian, or else the infection will stay underneath the skin. I would recommend visiting your vet within the next day or two at the most to get this treated appropriately . I hope that your fur baby Sessy gets this abscess resolved soon! Best wishes and take care.