I've got this bloodhound that just wandered up to my house about a year ago. Since she's a 'mutt' my dad doesn't want to 'waste money' on taking her to the vet, so maybe you can help me out.
A few weeks after she appeared, I noticed she had a small knot on the left side of her chest area. It was a little concerned that it might be cancer, but it was only about the size of a small cherry so I didn't worry too much. Very recently, I noticed that the knot had grown, over just a few short days I guess, into what appears to be an abscess the size of a child's fist. So now I'm really worried, and the next day I check on her to discover that the abscess has ruptured. I thought then that it might be able to heal up. But then the skin on the outer side of the abscess somehow fell away and I could see the raw skin beneath. It is swollen and very red, and there is a deep hole about as wide as a pencil in the center of it. It looks like a deep tooth mark, but since it's on the exact spot as the previous knot, I really don't think it is from a bite. All I had to put on it was some Antimicrobial Wound Cream, I thought it might help. At first she didn't really want me to get near it, but she didn't flinch when I applied the wound cream. She doesn't appear to be in much physical pain from the wound, but she does seem like it is itching.
I'm going to pick up some antibiotics soon, but is there anything else I can do?
A few weeks after she appeared, I noticed she had a small knot on the left side of her chest area. It was a little concerned that it might be cancer, but it was only about the size of a small cherry so I didn't worry too much. Very recently, I noticed that the knot had grown, over just a few short days I guess, into what appears to be an abscess the size of a child's fist. So now I'm really worried, and the next day I check on her to discover that the abscess has ruptured. I thought then that it might be able to heal up. But then the skin on the outer side of the abscess somehow fell away and I could see the raw skin beneath. It is swollen and very red, and there is a deep hole about as wide as a pencil in the center of it. It looks like a deep tooth mark, but since it's on the exact spot as the previous knot, I really don't think it is from a bite. All I had to put on it was some Antimicrobial Wound Cream, I thought it might help. At first she didn't really want me to get near it, but she didn't flinch when I applied the wound cream. She doesn't appear to be in much physical pain from the wound, but she does seem like it is itching.
I'm going to pick up some antibiotics soon, but is there anything else I can do?