Abscess in dogs: photo, treatment

Dogs, like people, can get sick and hurt. Due to mechanical damage or disruption of the body's systems, an abscess can develop in dogs that requires treatment. Timely detection and treatment of ailment will help to avoid complications, which means that the animal will suffer less.

The concept of abscess

Abscess in dogs is an inflammatory process that occurs in the skin, which is accompanied by the formation and accumulation of purulent formations, as a result of tissue necrosis (decay). A bag with pus, particles of necrotic tissue and pathogenic microflora is formed under the skin. Around the sac tissue inflame and begin to form the walls of the abscess, which consists of a surface layer formed by a fibrous connective tissue and an internal, pyogenous layer of granulation tissue. If you do not take any measures, the bag will grow and bother the animal. In addition to the fact that abscesses are painful, they negatively affect the overall health of the pet.

The disease can be localized on any part of the body due to mechanical damages: bruises, injuries and injections. And if there are failures in the secretory organs, the dog's abscess can develop.

With inflammation of the paranal gland, the outflow channel is blocked, and the secret accumulates inside. Without finding an outlet, the liquid overflows the gland, and the wall and skin break. This is the abscess of the paranal gland in a dog that resembles an ulcer.

Causes of abscess

The appearance of the abscess is associated with the penetration of pathogens through the wounds and abrasions into the tissues. Also, such a reaction can provoke poisonous substances that have fallen under the skin. Often an abscess in dogs is formed when a purulent process begins in the hematomas and lympho-extravazates, and also when the blood flow of microorganisms is transferred from the foci of suppuration.

Such an ailment is quite common among four-legged pets. According to statistics, every second dog suffers from an abscess, but the reasons for its occurrence are different:

• Injections;
• Abrasions, scratches, injuries, bruises;
• Contamination of wounds;
• Lack of hygiene procedures or lack thereof;
• Microbes and bacteria;
• Improper care.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to determine the nature of the abscess and to establish the degree and form of the disease.

Types and forms of abscesses

In veterinary medicine, several criteria are distinguished, according to which it is customary to classify abscesses.

Morphological composition of purulent formations and bacteria that provoke the process:

• benign;
• malignant.

Clinical manifestations:

• Hot, or sharp;
• Cold, or chronic.

Place of defeat:

• Surface, which develops in the skin and subcutaneous tissues;
• Deep, which can be subfascial, intermuscular, intramuscular, subperiosteal, bone, subperitoneal, abscess of organs and glands, depending on the site of localization.

With a benign abscess, dense creamy purulent accumulations, with a high content of leukocytes, without microbes or with a small amount of them, are formed. A benign abscess can be formed if malovirulent staphylococci penetrate the tissue or when irritants are injected under the skin. Often such an abscess is formed after the injection in the dog.

With malignant abscess, purulent formations are watery and liquid, with a high concentration of pathogenic microorganisms and low production of leukocytes. The causative agents of the malignant process are purulent-putrefactive and anaerobic microbes. Such an abscess in dogs is more painful and will not pass by itself. It can grow into a more complex form and affect adjacent tissues. Such formations require surgical intervention, in other words, they are removed through surgery.

With a hot abscess, a pronounced inflammatory process is observed, which is characterized by an acute course and a precipitous formation of the abscess, which often opens itself spontaneously, that is, breaks out, and the pus flows outward.

With a cold abscess, the main signs of inflammation are weak, and pus accumulates slowly, which makes it difficult to diagnose in time. Such abscesses are characteristic of old and exhausted dogs, which move little. The abscess is formed in the presence of malovirulent microorganisms.

How to recognize the disease

An abscess in a dog, the photo of which is presented in this article, can be determined visually if the symptomatology is severe, but in some cases does not do without special examinations. With different inflammatory processes, the symptomatology is different.

Symptoms of a benign abscess:

• Swelling with clear edges;
• redness;
• Pain when touched.

Symptoms of malignant formation:

• Formation of soft tubercle;
• Elevated body temperature of the animal;
• Severe pain when pressed.

The abscess of the dog's paranal glands gives not only external symptoms, but also affects the general condition of the pet's body. Observed:

• Lethargy;
• Gloominess;
• Increased body temperature;
• lack of appetite;
• Apathy and indifference to walks;
• The anal passage zone becomes inflamed;
• Purulent ulcers are formed;
• The soreness of adjacent tissues is observed.

Do not try to clean the wound yourself, so as not to harm the animal. You should immediately contact a specialist.

If the symptoms do not indicate a specific type of ulcer, and the condition of the pet worsens, then you should immediately contact the vet clinic. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment will help to avoid complications.

Methods of diagnosis

Abscesses have much in common with hematomas, hernias and tumors, but the symptoms and contents of the formations are different. Therefore, in order to establish an accurate diagnosis and to appoint the right treatment, the doctor conducts an examination and appoints a series of examinations:

• The course of the disease is studied;
• The abscess is examined and palpated;
• Conduct a puncture to examine the contents;
• Compare the temperature of the affected area and healthy tissues.

If necessary, can appoint an MRI or ultrasound. Especially it concerns internal formations.

How to treat the disease

Treatment of the disease is carried out by different methods. The veterinarian should prescribe a course of general and local therapy or recommend surgical intervention.

If a benign abscess in a dog is diagnosed - the treatment is medicated, which consists of:

• Dissolving ointments, which treat the unexploded formation;
• Antiseptic solutions for the treatment of wounds during the spontaneous dissection of the abscess;
• Antiseptic ointments that are superimposed on the canals.

Rinse the affected area with a syringe to prevent unnecessary inconvenience to the pet.

When a malignant abscess is diagnosed, an operation to remove a purulent sac is prescribed. Manipulation should be carried out as quickly as possible, until the disease has spread to adjacent tissues. In the postoperative period, general and local therapy and a course of antibiotics are carried out.

When lesion of paranal glands, treatment should be carried out in a clinic. After the examination and determination of the scale of the problem, medication will be prescribed in conjunction with warm compresses. In more serious cases, the veterinarian opens and treats the abscess on his own. Often, additional drainage is required to remove pus. After treatment with strong antibiotics is prescribed to suppress pathogenic microflora, using rectal suppositories and local treatments.

Preventive actions

Observing a number of simple rules, you can save the pet from the disease and prevent the formation of purulent cones. These include:

• Adherence to thorough hygiene;
• Regular inspections of the animal for damage;
• Treatment of even minor wounds;
• Ensuring proper care of the animal;
• Regular veterinary examinations.

Abscesses can not be ignored to prevent complications. The abscess can form in a short time and rapidly grows, hitting and destroying healthy tissues, as well as intensive multiplication of microbes that can infect the whole organism of the animal.