Symptoms and Treatment of Abscesses in Dogs

Abscesses are buildups of pus that can appear in different places on our dog's body. In some cases, we'll be able to spot them as lumps of different sizes.

The presence of pus tells us there's an infection, which, as such, will need veterinary treatment, potentially including surgery. Let's take a detailed look at how we should respond when an abscess appears.

How Does an Abscess Form in a Dog?

A foreign body, a bite, parasites, or even injuries the dog causes itself by nibbling at its skin due to some irritation, can be the start of an abscess. These are buildups of pus in cavities beneath the skin. They're lined by a kind of capsule that keeps the pus contained there.

They're generally due to a bacterial infection that the body manages to isolate, preventing it from spreading. Some are superficial and can open on their own, while others are deeper, sometimes becoming encapsulated and forming fistulas.

Types of Abscesses in Dogs and Symptoms

In dogs, we can find different types of abscesses depending on their location. Although we'll look at the most common ones in detail in the following sections, these are the symptoms that should make us suspect an abscess is present:

• The appearance of a lump of varying size beneath the skin.
• A painful lump.
• The skin over the lump may feel warm and look red.
• A very large abscess feels like it has liquid inside when touched.
• Fever.
• Loss of appetite.
• Depression.
• Discharge in the mouth and facial swelling.
• Abnormal head positions.
• Eye discharge.
• Eye protrusion.
• Swelling around the anus.

Skin Abscesses

Skin abscesses are the most common type we'll find in our dogs. They occur when a wound closes over falsely, for example from a fight or a foreign body.

On the outside, the wound looks healed, but an infection has started underneath. The buildup of subcutaneous pus is the lump we'll see on the outside. Pimples, pustules, or boils are small types of skin abscesses.

We should see the vet, since the pus needs to be removed by draining the abscess, along with antibiotics. This type of abscess is more often seen around the tail, neck, or the withers area.

Tooth Root Abscesses

Tooth root abscesses occur in the teeth. They're more common in the canines and upper premolars. In the latter case, it's when the face becomes swollen, specifically the area under the eye.

If the abscess opens, we'll see pus draining from that side. When the infection is located in a tooth, the abscess can open at the lower jaw. One complication of these abscesses is an oronasal fistula.

This occurs when the abscess breaks through into the nasal cavity, causing the tooth to fall out. The gap allows the mouth to connect with the nose. The dog will have nasal discharge and sneezing, especially after eating. It's treated with surgery.

Abscesses in the Head and Neck

Their origin is the same as any other subcutaneous abscess, but unlike these, they tend to cause fever and make the dog tilt its head or be unable to open its mouth due to pain. This prevents it from eating and drinking.

We can find retrobulbar abscesses, which appear behind the eyeballs and can even make them protrude. Abscesses in the frontal sinuses look like swelling below the eye. There are also submandibular abscesses, which start at the floor of the mouth and can end up affecting the lower jaw.

Anal Gland Abscess

This type of abscess causes swelling around the anus, generally only on one side. The skin looks red and progresses toward a purple tone. The complication that can arise is that it opens inward and causes a fistula.

What Is the Danger of Abscesses in Dogs?

Although a small skin abscess usually resolves easily without any impact on the animal's health, abscesses we find in the head or neck are veterinary emergencies, since they can cause significant damage and even lead to encephalitis.

Those that appear in the anal glands, due to the risk of fistula formation, also require prompt veterinary attention. Fistulas in this area will need surgery and aren't easy to cure, hence the need for early intervention.

Treatment for Abscesses

For skin abscesses, the vet usually starts by trimming the fur in the surrounding area. They'll disinfect it and, if they find a foreign body, remove it. Some abscesses can open just from applying heat. Other cases need drainage by a vet. This allows the wound to close from the inside out.

To do this, an incision is made through which the pus will drain. A tube may also be left in place for it to keep draining out. At home, we'll need to disinfect the area and, generally, give the antibiotic the vet prescribes. When the abscess is in a tooth, it's usually extracted and the mouth cleaned.

Any of these treatments should always be applied by a vet. We should never, under any circumstances, apply treatment on our own.

Bibliography Carlson and Giffin (2002): Manual práctico de veterinaria canina. Madrid: Editorial el Drac. Los abscesos, Ateuves nº 1, pág. 44.