Has this ever happened to your dog? After a vaccination, a swelling forms at the injection site.
This thickening becomes warm, tender and grows. A syringe abscess forms.
Very uncomfortable and painful for your four-legged friend. Also not harmless!
In this article you will find out why a syringe abscess can develop in dogs in the first place and how it needs to be treated.
What is a canine syringe abscess?
A syringe abscess is a collection of pus under the skin. This is encapsulated, so it does not spread.
The buildup is caused by pus-forming bacteria that can get in when you inject through the needle of the syringe.
Of course, the dog also has severe pain in the area of the syringe abscess.
This is not to be confused with the «normal» vaccination reaction (swelling that goes away on its own in 2-3 days) with a vaccination abscess.
How Do I Identify a Syringe Abscess in My Dog?
The most obvious identifying feature of a canine syringe abscess is localized swelling. This is located exactly at puncture site the injection.
This swelling is very sensitive to touch. Loss of appetite, lack of movement and fever can also occur.
A build-up of heat in the affected area can also be clearly felt.
Over time, the swelling becomes significantly larger and a clear hardening can be felt.
It is also possible for hair to fall out on the affected area. They are no longer adequately supplied by the skin and die off.
Symptoms of a syringe abscess at a glance
In the following we have listed all possible symptoms of a syringe abscess in dogs:
- Pains
- pressure sensitivity
- Fever
- heat development
- flow of pus at opening
- hair loss
- itching
How does a syringe abscess develop?
An abscess in dogs is generally caused by the penetration of Germinate in a small wound. This can happen through an injection, but also through injuries of other kinds.
Syringe abscesses in dogs can be septic or aseptic.
Septic syringe abscess
If the bacteria get under the skin because the veterinarian does not work properly, one speaks of one septic syringe abscess.
Even if the veterinarian works cleanly, there is always a residual risk of infection.
The bacteria are also on the skin or fur of your four-legged friend and enter his body through the small puncture site.
It is also possible that your dog licks the spot. There are a lot of germs and bacteria in the oral cavity of your four-legged companion, which are important and right there.
However, these pathogens cause problems when they enter a wound.
Aseptic syringe abscess
At a aseptic process, the injected agent is the cause of the accumulation of pus.
For example, if cytotoxic drugs are injected, your dog may develop an abscess. Or in the event of an incorrect injection.
An incorrect injection happens when a substance that can only be injected subcutaneously, i.e. under the skin, gets directly into the blood.
The damage this causes to the blood vessels can lead to a syringe abscess.
Treatment and costs at the veterinarian
The syringe abscess in the dog can be treated in different ways. The treatment options and thus the costs depend on the size and severity of the abscess.
Danger
An untreated syringe abscess in dogs can lead to sepsis and organ failure if left untreated.
puncture
When the abscess is mature, it can be punctured. Maturation can be promoted by rubbing the affected area with a pulling ointment.
In this case, mature means that the syringe abscess has completely isolated itself from the rest of your dog’s body.
The puncture performed under general or local anesthesia. As with all veterinary procedures, the fur is shaved off before the procedure and the operating area is disinfected.
The abscess is then usually opened using a scalpel.
After the puncture, the abscess is completely drained and cleaned. All germs and bacteria must be removed!
To ensure this, the wound cavity is rinsed with an aseptic or antibiotic solution.
Complete surgical removal of the abscess
If the abscess turns out to be larger and more persistent, the cavity of the abscess scraped out with a spoon. Or the abscess is excised in its entirety.
After the complete removal of the syringe abscess, the administration of painkillers necessary.
Antibiotics should also be used so that no new germs can get into the body of your furry friend through the resulting wound.
It is also important that your four-legged friend does not lick the wound. So he should wear an appropriate collar for a few days so that he cannot get to the spot.
Costs
With simple abscess splits the vet simply cuts open the abscess and drains it. This costs around 20 – 30 euros.
Then there are the costs for follow-up treatment such as painkillers and antibiotics. And for the previous diagnostics.
As a rule, the total costs amount to 200 – 300 euros.
However, if your furry friend needs general anesthesia and it is more complex to remove the syringe abscess, there are additional, significantly higher costs, which can be individual.
How long does it take for a syringe abscess to heal?
You will need some patience as the abscess heals. A healing time of more than 4 weeks is more the rule than the exception.
It’s important to keep the wound clean while it’s healing.
If germs get into the wound again, the healing process is delayed. A new abscess may even form.
So the aftercare of a canine syringe abscess is very important and needs to be done with a lot of care. Then the abscess can heal well.
Can you treat a syringe abscess yourself?
You should never try to treat an abscess, even a non-syringe abscess, yourself.
If all germs are not removed and flushed out, such a small abscess can become blood poisoning.
And if left untreated, it can lead to the death of your four-legged friend.
Therefore, the subsequent administration of an antibiotic is necessary.
How can I prevent my dog from getting a syringe abscess?
The most important and easiest way to prevent your dog from having a syringe abscess is to practice clean, sterile handling when handling the needle. This is true at least for the septic abscess.
Your vet can prevent aseptic syringe abscess by pre-inserting the syringe aspirated. This means that the syringe plunger is tightened before the agent is injected.
But no matter how careful and hygienic, the treatment of animals is never completely germ-free.
And certain vulnerabilities of your four-legged friend can also play a role, as well as an impaired immune system.
Conclusion
A dog’s syringe abscess can happen even if the vet has been very careful.
But this can be treated very well. The treatment must be in the hands of a specialist, i.e. a veterinarian.
hands off self treatment and self-medication. In the worst case, this can be fatal.
Has your four-legged friend ever had problems with a syringe abscess? Or does that happen more often?
Write us your experiences and adventures in the comments. We are curious how you and your fur nose fared in such a situation.