Need help with injured dog

[booger]

We seem to be a stray animal magnet lately. A dog happened upon us a few days ago. He belongs to none of the neighbors. We didn't pay any attention to him for a couple of days, figuring if he belonged somewhere, he'd head home to eat. He stayed right here. He was looking a bit on the thin side so we fed him after that. He wasn't too thin, just looked like he'd been dropped off shortly before we first saw him. He never once tried to get at any of our animals, including chickens. He's a wonderful dog and we're glad to have him! He's now taken to sitting in front of our property and barking warnings to the coyotes across the road, "Stay away from my place and my family or I'll rip you a new one!" He gets along great with our children and our other dogs.

He looks to be quite healthy but has some injuries. One is a crusty spot on the outside of his ear, hair missing, gnats swarming it, about the size of plum. Another is on his back, raw flesh, no hair, scabbing up now but also swarming with gnats, about the size of a fried egg. (I'm hungry so describing everything as food. ) The injury that is worrying me most, though, is his neck. It's quite swollen over the whole throat area and he has trouble swallowing. He has to do a little head swerving and twisting each time he swallows. There doesn't seem to be any external injury. The swelling hasn't gone down in the 4 or so days he's been with us. I cannot feel any bones broken or out of place, seems to be only soft tissue involved, but the throat/neck is a complex place so some may be hiding behind/within the swelling.

So what can we do to help? We cannot afford a vet right now but could afford to buy some meds from the farmers co-op if needed.

 

[Libertarian]

wash the raw spots clean with a liquid antibacterial hansoap and coat with bacitracin ointment. the throat is a tough call. he may have been bitten and it is infected under the skin. a subQ dose of penicillin might work. if it doesn't go down soon call a vet and ask (or a local farmer who tends his animals).

 

[ssbn sailor]

We seem to be a stray animal magnet lately. A dog happened upon us a few days ago. He belongs to none of the neighbors. We didn't pay any attention to him for a couple of days, figuring if he belonged somewhere, he'd head home to eat. He stayed right here. He was looking a bit on the thin side so we fed him after that. He wasn't too thin, just looked like he'd been dropped off shortly before we first saw him. He never once tried to get at any of our animals, including chickens. He's a wonderful dog and we're glad to have him! He's now taken to sitting in front of our property and barking warnings to the coyotes across the road, "Stay away from my place and my family or I'll rip you a new one!" He gets along great with our children and our other dogs.

He looks to be quite healthy but has some injuries. One is a crusty spot on the outside of his ear, hair missing, gnats swarming it, about the size of plum. Another is on his back, raw flesh, no hair, scabbing up now but also swarming with gnats, about the size of a fried egg. (I'm hungry so describing everything as food. ) The injury that is worrying me most, though, is his neck. It's quite swollen over the whole throat area and he has trouble swallowing. He has to do a little head swerving and twisting each time he swallows. There doesn't seem to be any external injury. The swelling hasn't gone down in the 4 or so days he's been with us. I cannot feel any bones broken or out of place, seems to be only soft tissue involved, but the throat/neck is a complex place so some may be hiding behind/within the swelling.

So what can we do to help? We cannot afford a vet right now but could afford to buy some meds from the farmers co-op if needed.

I once had a puppy that tried to swallow a bumblebee, and his neck swelled up just like you describe. The vet said to give him childrens antihistimines for a few days and it cleared it right up.

I would estimate the weight of the dog and try some antihistimines. From what the vet said, it's a pretty common occurrence for dogs to get stung and swell up around the neck.

 

[Kathy in WV]

I think I'd probably do the Benadryl and also the Penicillin. Bites around the neck/chest area often get very infected and cause lots of solid feeling or sometimes "squishy" feeling tissue. Also those two things can be bought for less than 20 bucks which makes it economical too. My Boxer got bitten right above her breastbone and when we palpated it I know probably a cup of nasty stuff drained out. For that we just went straight to the vet because she is part of our family. The feed store has the Pen and Ithink I'd get that in him ASAP-- can't hurt!

 

[nannygoat]

not to be cold hearted but this is a good learning experience for you - washing the wounds really good and then using something antibacterial is good - we spray wounds with a prduct named Furox [ that is one brand name ] or Betadine - both excellent things to have on hand for people also - both can be gotten at a feed store - might even ask some one there what they would do - the advantage to the Furox is that the animal can eat it with out problems and where a dog can lick it normally will take care of stuff - I also think the swelling is the result of tramau of the injury or an infection forming - good luck - good to train on before have to do it to a human sometime

 

[booger]

Thank you! We did clean the open sores and put a topical antibiotic on it a couple of days ago. They are crusting/scabbing over now. I'm not worried about those spots and only mentioned them thinking maybe they would help figure out what event may have caused the injuries (fight, vehicle, etc). I have no idea why I thought that but it sounded good at the time.

The swelling is still there but seems to have gone down a tiny bit just today. He is eating and moving his head with less discomfort so maybe it will heal just fine on its own. Nonetheless, I will keep an eye on it and head to the co-op when it opens on Monday if need be.

He let himself in just a minute ago and is now laying at my feet. Boy, he stinks! He's getting a bath tomorrow!

not to be cold hearted but this is a good learning experience for you

My whole life is a good learning experience.

I have no problems dealing with human injuries (I was a corpsman) but animal injuries tend to freak me out a little because they don't speak English.

 

[nannygoat]

gee if you were a corpsmen you should have no problems with a dog - you just have to look and watch instead of asking but even an animal can tell you alot by how they walk or move or if it hurts - I would be worried about a deep infection if it was caused by a bite - hopefully the smell you are smelling is caused by dirty dog and not the smell of a bad infection - I have see dogs with gangerene still living - like the one who was killing cats,small dogs and chickens in the area - not goats yet and the neighbor though he had killed him in his pasture but it was dark and he did not continue to track him - we found out how bad the injury had been done to him after hubby killed him by sleeping up on the roof and waiting for him as he came in to get a baby goat - the neighbors rifle had blown away the muscles and trashed what was still there on his neck and shoulder [ bone was exposed] and he really stunk like rotten meat - can not really believe he was still alive - I hated that he had to suffer but the neighbors nursing long hair momma cat did not deserve being food for this dog either - as he carried her away screaming and did not drop her with the woman screaming after him[sigh]one of many - he even went after newborn calves - a real bad dog - gave us a really good idea of how it could be if people left their dogs loose if things went bad - not a good thought - very scarey