Hello,

My name is Josie and i am The proud owner of 2 Flatcoated Retrievers, Bear (3) and Ollie (9)

After a walk I noticed a swelling right next to Bear's calpal pad. It is about half the size of the pad. Its like he's maybe done one of his "high speed stops" and hurt himself. Ollie ripped half of his calpal pad off once doing the same thing.

It's pink but not red or anything like that. I've been putting some hydrocortisone cream on it (twice a day...3 applications done). He's not licking it, it doesn't seem to bother him at all and he's not limping.

Any ideas or advice would be amazing.

I would get it checked out by the vet personally :) seen too many poorly flatcoats, any lump or bump I'd get checked, for my own sanity more than anything really! How long has the swelling been there for?

Only for a day or two. I've booked him in with the vet for this afternoon. I'm worried he's got like a thorn or something in there which has caused a small cyst.

Turns out it's an abcess. He's stepped in something and it's infected. The vet said she thought it was just about to burst.

He's been given penicilline and anti swelling medicine which should sort it. Poor guy!

Phew! Pleased it's nothing too bad and it's just a job for time and cuddles :D Hope he's soon fully well :)

I had this with my girl on Chritmas day . Did the vet not suggest lancing and cleaning the wound out as well as antibiotics ?

My cat Dave recently had an abcess on his cheek which I burst and cleaned the wound out as it is best to get the infection out rather than leave to grow and cause further pain and possible reinfecton

Phew pleased that alls well. Fcr and their lumps so worrying. Magnesium sulphate paste is good for drawing out umbedes things and bring abscess to bursting

So glad the lump was nothing sinister.  As a fellow Flattie owner (i.e. paranoid about any lumps and bumps!) I'm really pleased to hear this.  You must be relieved.  Hope he gets better very soon.

Blay  x

He's had his tablets (2 more antibiotics days) but the abcess has not really gone down a lot or burst. It does look better and far less red. I wonder if I should take him back for them to open and clean it?

To be honest I'm quite "hands on" with my two boys so happy to do it myself? It seems it is quite common to treat at home?

How would I "open" the abcess and what is the best way to keep it clean? I'm a firm believer in Sudocrem which is an antiseptic healing cream (I use it on them for lots of things and it's magical stuff) and some soda water (bicarbonate of soda).

Any tips would be welcomed.

A hot compress or magnesium sulphate will help

Do I somehow open the abcess with a needle to let it drain?

It would be safer to soak the whole foot in a bowl of hottish (don't scald!) water with Epsom salts dissolved in it.

Ok.

Will that either lessen the abcess or open it? Could it lessen without opening?

The vet said that they could do it but I'm not keen on them putting him under anesthetic just to clean a relatively small abcess.

The Epsom salts are very good at bring abscesses to a head and drawing out any pus or foreign bodies such as thorms.

Oh yes, I'd second the suggestion of Epsom salts in warm water.

I've used this for an inter-digital cyst on my girls paw.  I held her paw in a basin of Epsom Salts solution, 3-4 times a day, and within a few days it was all 'dried up' and the pus drawn out, etc. 

Now ... I'd never of said my puppy girl would allow me to do this, lol, but I actually think she found it soothing and was quite happy to dip her paw in the basin for a short while  :-)

my Annie had a very painful abcess in inbeween her pads,she was in agony,took 3 months of antibiotics and painkillers,She got a lot of relief by holding her paw for as long as possible in a bowl of warm salted water and then dipped in unsalted water just in case she licked her paw,I used two washing up bowls.

Sheila

I'm going to pop to the chemist and buy some Epsom Salt and see how he gets on. Like I said I'd rather I can sort it without them having to open it or put him under.

My poor pup :(

How much salt should I put per cup of warm water?

The vet told me to put a handful of salt in a full bowl of water,he said table salt,but don't forget get to dip paw afterwards in just water.Annie did have to have it cleaned out though under anethesic,

Sheila

My Granny known as the poultice queen :D swore by epsom salts to draw an abcess. For a human bread and epsom salts bandaged on was her favourite

You will have to be vigilant with the swelling as it can result in the toe being amputed,this nearly happened to my lab as the abcess was so big it pushed everthing inside out of place,Fingers crossed it soon heals for him.

Sheila

My brave boy did really well. We sat in the floor with his leg in the salty water. He didn't like it much much he sat there with me scratching his armpit (he goes into this semi trance state when I do that...really funny) and we watched Americas Next Top Model for 15 minutes. All good and we'll try and do this 3x a day :)

The abcess is quite small and higher up next to his carpal pad so it can't do to much harm I think. Hopefully this will help and avoid them having to open it. That would be great.

Glad he didn't stuggle,we had to give Annie treats.

Sheila xx