# Help! Infected puncture wound from dog bite



## Napper (Sep 9, 2017)

A few weeks ago our goat was attacked by 2 huskies. She had a pretty bad gash under her belly and a few puncture wounds. After the attack we started her on 3ccs of penicillin daily and cleaned her wounds twice daily with chlorhexadine. Everything started healing great. However, yesterday we noticed pus gushing out of one of the puncture wounds. We pushed out as much pus as possible. We just cleaned her today again and I pulled out a large mass from the site of the wound about an inch long and a more liquidy pus expelled from the wound along with a bit of blood. My question is what did I just pull out of the wound and what direction I should go in to help clear this infection up. We have been in communication with one of the techs from the vet and were told to call in Monday but I wanted to see if there is anything I can do now to prevent any further infection. I would really appreciate any help! She is my boyfriends pet and after the attack we had to bring her to our house and I have never cared for a goat before so I feel very lost! Thank you in advance for any and all advice. Also I am attaching a few images of the mass and a picture of the wound right after the attack.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

I do not know what I am looking at but here's what I would do; flush the wounds with purified water AND with no needle on syringe, flush with penicillin in addition to what she is injected with.
You may need to keep up the injections for a good week. Is she udt with cdt or tetanus?


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## GaGoats2017 (Sep 5, 2017)

Wow it almost looks like damaged tissue that you pulled off? How big is it? Did it come from the inside of the wound or the outer surface? I've never send anything like that. 

So sorry she was attacked. Sounds like y'all are doing a good job. I agree I would definitely flush the wounds with a syringe. 

Is she acting lethargic? Eating, drinking? Make sure she stays hydrated even if you have to syringe electrolyte water in her.


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## Napper (Sep 9, 2017)

nancy d said:


> I do not know what I am looking at but here's what I would do; flush the wounds with purified water AND with no needle on syringe, flush with penicillin in addition to what she is injected with.
> You may need to keep up the injections for a good week. Is she udt with cdt or tetanus?


She was on the penicillin injections for 7 days and they ended a week ago. Should we start them again? I am not sure about vaccinations but I do not think she is. I will get some penicillin tomorrow to inject into the wound. Thank you so much! I was just freaked out by the mass that I pulled out of the wound!


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## Napper (Sep 9, 2017)

GaGoats2017 said:


> Wow it almost looks like damaged tissue that you pulled off? How big is it? Did it come from the inside of the wound or the outer surface? I've never send anything like that.
> 
> So sorry she was attacked. Sounds like y'all are doing a good job. I agree I would definitely flush the wounds with a syringe.
> 
> Is she acting lethargic? Eating, drinking? Make sure she stays hydrated even if you have to syringe electrolyte water in her.


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## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

To me, that looks like thickened pus, or maybe damaged tissue, or maybe skin tissue that was forced into the wound during the bite, that was then isolated with pus to flush it out. It isn't live tissue, so it was good to get it out of there and flush it out. I agree with flushing it with penicillin. Puncture wounds have to be kept clean so they heal from the inside to the outside. If they try to seal at the top before the inside has healed and infection has cleared up, you might have to flick off a scab to keep flushing it out. Sounds like you're doing a great job with her.


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## Napper (Sep 9, 2017)

There was a flesh colored flap that was inside the wound that would protrude out when we would press around the wound when trying to push out the pus. I decided to pull on it and it came out with a bunch of more liquidy pus.

She is eating, drinking, and running around like normal! We have definitely been monitoring her behavior like crazy since the attack!

Definitely going to flush it out good in the am!

Thank you so much!


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## Napper (Sep 9, 2017)

GaGoats2017 said:


> Wow it almost looks like damaged tissue that you pulled off? How big is it? Did it come from the inside of the wound or the outer surface? I've never send anything like that.
> 
> So sorry she was attacked. Sounds like y'all are doing a good job. I agree I would definitely flush the wounds with a syringe.
> 
> Is she acting lethargic? Eating, drinking? Make sure she stays hydrated even if you have to syringe electrolyte water in her.





singinggoatgirl said:


> To me, that looks like thickened pus, or maybe damaged tissue, or maybe skin tissue that was forced into the wound during the bite, that was then isolated with pus to flush it out. It isn't live tissue, so it was good to get it out of there and flush it out. I agree with flushing it with penicillin. Puncture wounds have to be kept clean so they heal from the inside to the outside. If they try to seal at the top before the inside has healed and infection has cleared up, you might have to flick off a scab to keep flushing it out. Sounds like you're doing a great job with her.


Thank you! It seemed like it needed to be out of there but it was so solid that I didn't know if it should have been in there!


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## Napper (Sep 9, 2017)

Napper said:


> There was a flesh colored flap that was inside the wound that would protrude out when we would press around the wound when trying to push out the pus. I decided to pull on it and it came out with a bunch of more liquidy pus.
> 
> She is eating, drinking, and running around like normal! We have definitely been monitoring her behavior like crazy since the attack!
> 
> ...





GaGoats2017 said:


> Wow it almost looks like damaged tissue that you pulled off? How big is it? Did it come from the inside of the wound or the outer surface? I've never send anything like that.
> 
> So sorry she was attacked. Sounds like y'all are doing a good job. I agree I would definitely flush the wounds with a syringe.
> 
> Is she acting lethargic? Eating, drinking? Make sure she stays hydrated even if you have to syringe electrolyte water in her.


There was a flesh colored flap that was inside the wound that would protrude out when we would press around the wound when trying to push out the pus. I decided to pull on it and it came out with a bunch of more liquidy pus.

She is eating, drinking, and running around like normal! We have definitely been monitoring her behavior like crazy since the attack!

Definitely going to flush it out good in the am!

Thank you so much!


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## Napper (Sep 9, 2017)

I apologize for the repeated posts. iPhones and no cell service don't mix!


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## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

If you are going to get some penicillin, maybe you could get some probiotics too. I would give her that too. The experts here might chime in about that.

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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Yep, always a good idea to give probiotics when you're giving antibiotics. 

I have never seen anything like that before. She's doing well so that's a good sign


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## GaGoats2017 (Sep 5, 2017)

Well it's a good thing you pulled it! Sounds like it needed to come out. Great job! Glad she is acting normal.


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## capracreek (Apr 5, 2016)

I quit paying vets to come out and stitch and close wounds - Too many times they just tear the stitches out that I paid two hundred dollars for!!!. When you flush it out then put penicillin in the syringe and fill the hole with it. If possible do it twice a day and this will help it heal from the inside out. I would also give oral antibiotic to help kick the infection. If she does not have a temp or just low grade then she should bounce right back.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, good advice by all.

I would make a light tea color iodine/water solution and flush it daily 2 x. If it is a big deep would using a 12 cc or bigger syringe to irrigate it will help. 
First squeeze out any pus you can, squeeze and push in from different angles. 
If you stop getting pus out of there, like by the next day, no need to squeeze on it anymore after that. 
Just flush it out a few times with the solution 2 x a day. Keeping it open to drain is crucial. 
Keep flies off of it you do not want fly strike. 

You need to flush it until it is healed up and shrinks. 
It will heal from the inside out as someone suggested. 

If though, there is any dead flesh on the outside, it should be removed.

The stuff pulled out is most likely dead tissue. Did it stink at all?


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## Napper (Sep 9, 2017)

toth boer goats said:


> I agree, good advice by all.
> 
> I would make a light tea color iodine/water solution and flush it daily 2 x. If it is a big deep would using a 12 cc or bigger syringe to irrigate it will help.
> First squeeze out any pus you can, squeeze and push in from different angles.
> ...


Thank you so much for all the helpful advice. It did stink when I pulled it out! He flesh around the outside of the wound looks light pink in color.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Make sure you get all the dead stuff out of there, cut it out if it is there.
Because it will not heal.
I hate to say this but, you may have to have a vet go in and clean it out of there, so it can heal up.


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## Honsby (Jun 26, 2017)

Consider also using Hydrogen Peroxide (#Wallys) mixed with an equal amount of distilled water for irrigating the wounds.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I agree with flushing until the wounds begin to show signs of healing. If you have not done so already, I would give a tetanus antitoxin shot it she is not up to date on CD&T..best given on day of attack and before wounds are cleaned but even now I would still give it..tetanus can take 2-4 weeks to show signs...

Best wishes


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

That was an abscess and needed to be irrigated. I would use normal saline and irrigate it daily. Just get some contact solution. Iodine and/or peroxide kills the live cells trying to grow. May have been some necrotic tissue/eschar growing a plug and you didn't want that abscess stuck inside. Good luck with her healing.

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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Hydrogen peroxide kills cells, not light iodine. every time I see Dr Pol use it I cringe. 
I have had some pretty deep injury wounds that heal up very well using iodine/water flushes. 
Saline is just a salt solution and doesn't kill bacteria.


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## Honsby (Jun 26, 2017)

Bacteria is the enemy here. Especially the canine variety. If hydrogen peroxide is indicated for use as a mouthwash, it can be used once or twice as a wound rinse and achieve the desired result.

Once the wound is clean, you wouldn't need to be continually rinsing it out. Right? A ointment or emollient like lanolin plus boric acid (I like these especially) to block any new bacterial growth and aid in getting the scab started is just another alternative.

Yet another alternative would be super glue if you don't intend on getting things stitched up.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...ethanjustsurviving-20&linkId=DEWVAJMTKJFJTHYT


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

And yet wound care clinics place gauze soaked with saline into wounds for wet to dry dressings. Wounds are initially washed with soap and water, even scrubbed (scrub it til it bleeds I learned as a young nurse). I agree with honey as a gentle debridement agent, I just don't like peroxide or iodine after the initial clean. It's my personal preference.

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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I don't want this to be a debate here. :buttheads:
We all gave our advice and the OP can decide which is best for them.


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## Honsby (Jun 26, 2017)

I bet Kristin's cute when she's mad.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:haha:


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## islandpets (Jan 1, 2015)

sounds like everyone has got this covered but just wanted to share with you when my goat got a puncture abcess the vet came and sliced 2cm to open the lump in order to get out the mass you managed to get out. Basically sheep and goats bodies are very good at isolating rubbish that gets into wounds, forming a "capsulated absess" in order to protect the rest of the body/ blood system from the bacteria inside it. The solid mass can look a bit scarey but it is just their body trying to deal with the infection. Hope goatys wounds recover soon and they dont suffer ongoing trauma (my goats kids are terrified of dogs now so i wont have any on the farm) x


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