Sore On Rump That Won't Heal

[Sorcha]

Tuna developed a sore on her rump, to one side of her tail, a couple weeks ago. I thought it was perhaps a pressure sore, although all of the dog beds are super comfy (either double stacked or has a layer of foam egg crate padding and folded comforters on top of that). I kept it clean and put first aid ointment on it (I use Bacitracin). It scabbed over, but then the scab came off and the sore was oozing blood. It did not appear infected (no odd color, no puss, no odor) so I cleaned it up again, put ointment on and once again the scab healed over. Then the scab came off and same thing (oozing blood). This time I called the vet and knowing it's traumatic for Tuna to go to the vet, he advised me to continue to keep the area clean and continue with the ointment. Well, it's happened again and it just won't heal. Maybe it's an abscess of some sort? But it's not swollen and there is no smelly pus. Any ideas?

[macoduck]

Will your vet you any antibiotics? How about trying water therapy? If you can get her outside or in the tub gently run water over the sore for 5 minutes. Try it a couple of times a day.

[Fudge]

Is it maybe an infected anal gland??? One of my greys had a sore to the under side of the tail about 1 inch from her anus that was her anal gland. No puss was involved just bleeding. Very weird but could be....antibiotics do the trick....takes a little while to heal.

Edited July 30, 2010 by Fudge

[Sambuca]

How big is the area? Bu had a tiny spot that sounds similar. He had it for months and I finally had the vet remove it surgically. I totally forgot what it was called though. It was benign and never bothered him. It looked like a little cut that kept scabbing over and the scab kept falling off. If you pm me, ill call my vet on Monday to get the name of it. Edited July 30, 2010 by Sambuca

[Guest Energy11]

It does sound like it might be an infection/infected anal gland.

 

Sounds like you need some antibiotics for her. Maybe the vet will prescribe without seeing her, but it is unlikely. I would get it looked at if you can.

 

Poor girl!

 

Sending her lots of love and hugs!

[Trudy]

Is it on a bone?

Each time Ryan fell in his last couple of months, he'd get a bruise. Tavarish would lick the bruise which would split the skin and then we had an open wound.

Pretty much always right over or very near a protruding bone which made healing a pita.

The day before, he'd fallen again and split open a wound and it was disgusting and pussy and even Tavarish stayed away from it for the most part.

 

Just keep it clean as best as you can and it starts to show signs of infection, get some antibiotics for her.

[Sorcha]

Yes, it is on a bone and she has DM so hind end weakness is an issue. I don't know what happens when the lunch time dogsitter is here, but that's when it first appeared (one day I went to work, she was fine, I come home and she has bloody wound) and whenever the scab has come off it's been during their visit. Maybe she is scraping it on the concrete outside on her way to or from the yard? She hasn't when I have taken her out, but I am not here to see what goes on with the daytime sitter. Tuna does not seem bothered by it in the least, she does not mess with it at all (no licking at it, etc.). I thought about anal gland, but it's on a bone and she is not having any poop issues. I dread putting her on antibiotics because they completely zap her appetite and she already is barely eating enough. I will take a photo but can't get one of her standing up so it have to be laying down.

 

Here are photos, not for the squeamish:

 

 

 

 

 

 

(The black looking bits are what's left of the scab)

Edited July 31, 2010 by Sorcha

[Trudy]

That's what Ry's looked like, but further up on his hip bone from falling down the steps on the deck. They'd heal and he'd fall again or T would lick it open again before I caught him to stop him. I just kept them clean and Ryan wasn't bothered by them.

[Sorcha]

Thanks for the info. I have been keeping it clean, but the dang thing just won't heal once and for all. Just when it scabs over and I think it's healed, I come home from work and find the scab is off and it starts all over again.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Try emailing the photos to your vet...or send him a link to the photos online (even this link on Greytalk). He might have some better ideas from the photos, so that he could prescribe without your having to take her in.

[JohnF]

That's a nasty looking sore. I'd say it needs a swab taken and the right antibiotics administered.

In the meantime, do you have an Aloe Vera plant?, if so then the greeny sap from the bottom of a cut leaf used directly as an ointment can greatly aid graunlation and healing

[RobinM]

That's exactly what Ollie had when we got him. He was so thin (70 pounds and his RACING weight was 84 ) . He had a large oozing pressure wound that just would not go away and of course when it started to scab, he would pick at it.

 

The only thing that cleared it up was animax cream, from the vet. It took about 3 weeks to clear up.

 

Hope that works for you guys.

[Guest TeddysMom]

I get worried when a sore like that doesn't heal. I would have the vet check it out to make sure something else is not going on. Good luck and I will keep Tuna in my prayers.

[Guest Paige12]

We ordered an antibiotic powder off the internet after reading about it on Dr. Suzanne Stack's website. It is called Neopredef. We use it on small tears and scratches and like it a lot. It contains a topical anesthetic which seemed to encourage our guys to not lick. Hope this helps.

[Fudge]

THAT is exactly what a ruptured anal sac looks like. Just my opinion but "oral" antibiotics would clear that up in no time.

[Guest Energy11]

I'd say in infected/ruptured anal gland as well.

 

I know you are concerned about giving Tuna antibiotics with her delicating eating habits, etc., but you could open or crush the antibiotic, add to a little yogurt, and give with a Pepcid AC. This is how I give Staggerlee's monthly "mouth zap=Amoxicillin" to him for his gingivitis. He does very well with it given like this, with no GI symptoms.

 

Good Luck an kiss your sweet senior lady for me!

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

I have to second what Trudy is saying.

It's right on a boney area and if a dog that tends to fall backwards, that will be a spot they hit.

 

I've used Gentamicin spray in the past and it's an antibiotic and also a spray. Helps heal things like this fast and also if there is any infection helps to nip that in the butt with out having to go oral with an antibiotic.

But it really doesn't look infected IMHO.

[tbhounds]

Looks like a pressure sore to me. It appears too lateral to be an anal gland abscess. It doesn't look like it antibotics are needed. I would just keep it clean using a chlorhex wash and try to deepen her bedding. Applying a moist warm compress to the affected area a couple of times a day may help speed the healing process.

[Sorcha]

I left a message for my vet yesterday, he's been away on vacation, to discuss this further. Her weight is way down and the sore does sit on a bone in an area that hits the ground with her hind-end weakness, so am thinking more a pressure sore type of wound. It's scabbed over again, I will discuss with vet the ideas given here about things to use on it (animax cream, neopredef, Gentamicin spray, etc.). I hope to avoid oral antibiotics because Tuna just does not do well on them, but will see what the vet says. Thanks.

[Sorcha]

Photos taken today (keep in mind she is laying down when I took the photos):

 

 

[Guest Energy11]

Seeing this photo, I'd now vote for a pressure sore as well. The one lying down, made the sore look like it was in the anal area.

 

All of the topical meds discussed here are very good. Hopefully, that is all you'll need!

 

Sending lots of love and hugs to you and your Tuna!

 

 

[TinyMityMo]

How about using some EMTspray or gel. That stuff is amazing the way it helps cuts heal fast.