my dog has an infection in his leg. It is all swelled up and he won't eat. What can I do for him?

Answer 1

There is a chance your dog may die unless you take him to a vet right away. You shouldn't wait - if at all possible, take him to a doctor now.

It's okay to use "hydrogen peroxide" on his leg to wash away germs, and you can also use Neosporin, which will help draw out the infection.

After cleansing the leg with hydrogen peroxide (it doesn't hurt at all), smear a liberal amount of Neosporin on the leg (Neosporin won't hurt either).

But don't use hydrogen peroxide if your dog has a puncture wound of some kind.

Buy a couple of jars of baby food meats, especially chicken and beef. Just the meat - no vegetables. Feed it to him from your fingertip if he won't eat from a bowl. Smear it on his mouth if you have to and let him lick it off.

Keep him warm and comfort him.

If he refuses to drink water, that means his health is really declining.

Please take him to a vet.

Answer 2

First - find another vet! He should be able to give you more than he has to stop the dog from doing this or advise you better on how to prevent him from getting at it. Has the vet told you why it is infected? You need to make sure that you get proper answers, you really don't want your dog to lose his leg and that's a distinct possibility! You need him to be on antibiotics and pain-killers, just like you would be if you were his situation. Has he damaged the leg, other than the obvious wound? He hasn't fractured it or something has he and in his frustration this is why he is attacking his leg. Has anything changed around him, home circumstances, food, his routine etc, you need to explore why he's doing this as it may not just be an obvious 'wound' from an accident, if the dog has caused his leg to be like this from the start there is something going on that needs to be checked out. In the interim, find something that will fit over the leg that is solid enough so that the dog can't bite through it - depending on the dog's size, a piece of cut-down drainpipe or the like (make sure there are no nasty sharp edges for him to cut himself on). Now you need to get creative and adapt it to be able to stay on his leg and secure it somehow to his body so that he cannot simply pull it off (you could try attaching in to a harness or some such item). I'm not sure what you mean by an e-collar, but if it's like a big plastic funnel thing that you put on the dog's neck and shields his face/muzzle so that it can't actually get it's mouth near the leg, then you MUST make sure that the dog cannot get it off, don't be afraid of having it fairly tight around his neck, it's better for him to object that to get at the wound again. We have a dog who has infected paws, he started with a small patch on his front leg and, because he is a nibbler, always has been, he infected it and spread it to his feet. It's been going on for over 6 weeks now and every chance he gets he chews at them, so we know what dogs can be like if they want to have a go! He has to have a 'plastic collar' on most of the time, except when we can supervise him and even then he's a sneeky little so-and-so and tries to have the odd nibble and lick! He's on antibiotics (3rd type!) and anti-hystamines to take the swelling down, plus painkillers. If you don't stop your dog from getting at the wound it will never, ever heal and the consequences are not worth thinking about. A wound that size will take a long time to heal and I'm surprised the vet isn't more worried to be honest ...

Answer 3

Dog Leg Infection Treatment

Answer 4

If the infection is from a wound,clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide,then apply an antibiotic ointment like neosporin,and if you have any knowledge on giving an injection,get some pencillin,or gentamicin,you probably can purchase either one at a local feed store and on a 3cc syringe,give him 1/2 cc,which is 5 little marks on syringe for every 3 lbs. 2 X daily.Example if your pet weighs 6 lbs. then you would give him 1cc,which is 10 little marks on the syringe.Best given in a muscle,but can be given just under the skin at neck area,be sure and keep the meds in fridge.Repeat this for three days with keeping the wound clean and your pet should be back to normal in a few days.Also try boiling him some chicken,cut in small pieces and try to feed it this,most dogs will eat this when they won't eat anything else.If your pet still refuses this,then you will have to force feed it with some baby food,meat only,and give it the baby non-flavored pediolyte to keep it form dehydrating.If all the above isn't possible,see your vet asap.

Answer 5

OK take it to a vet as soon as you can my dog had a swelling on her leg that ended up being bone cancer so get to the vet

Answer 6

Get it to a vet. It really needs some antibiotics. Don't wait or you will needlessly lose your dog.
Think of the pain its in, how would you like it.

Answer 7

Well, don't let the poor thing be in pain, clean the wound with peroxide, take him to a vet and try to get him better. If you cannot do that, then do what they do to horses when they break a leg. (shoot him) It is cruel to let the animal suffer. I hope you do not have to put the animal down, but if you cannot get to a vet, then by all means have him put down.

Answer 8

Take him to the vet as soon as you can, but for now I would put some peroxide on it if it is like an open sore. That way you can take some of the infection out of it.

Answer 9

Take his temperature. If he has a temp. he needs antibiotics ASAP. Let him have plenty of fluids and wash the wound w/warm water and epsom salt to draw the infection out. You may use an antibiotic cream but be careful what kind depending on the wound. Peroxide cant be used on puncture or deep wounds. Keep the wound clean. Is their heat to the site? You need to call the vet. There are emergency clinics and not seeing the wound I would advise on calling an emergency clinic to be safe specially if the dog has a temp. Good luck. If the infection is deep it is very hard to treat and may get into the bone. You need to be urgent on this matter.

Answer 10

Take him to a vet today. This is serious. He is probably in pain and infections can spread into the bloodstream and eventually kill your dog. Get him to a vet today.