Antibiotics Without A Vet Appointment?

[jaym1]

is this even possible? one of my two, rocko, got a little cut on his toe yesterday that is bothering him today, and i am worried about infection. normally, i would just take him in to the vet, who i know is going to look at him for two seconds, charge me a $120 exam fee, then send me home with a $60 prescription. this would normally be fine, but i was just in the ER with tempo last night ($400), who is in the late stages of osteosarcoma, which has been unbelievably expensive over the last six months. i know there are sensible policies about not prescribing meds without an exam, but i am hemorrhaging money for these two, and i cant stand the idea of going in for a two-second exam just to get a prescription for meds that i already know, and the vet already knows, are going to be prescribed.

 

i still have a ton of tylan powder, which i know is a low grade antibiotic. might that be of any use in this case?

[Moneypenny]

I have hardly ever needed antibiotics for routine cuts and scrapes. As long as you clean it well, it probably won't need any antibiotics. My favorite way to clean cuts is with a spray saline solution that I get at Walgreens, it's stocked in the first aid section. Most of my hounds have always licked fresh owies to some degree. Good Luck!

[Batmom]

Shouldn't need antibiotics. I'd clean it well and just keep an eye on it.

[jaym1]

i usually wouldnt bother, but the cut came the day before yesterday (i lost track of time), and this morning he was limping on it pretty well. i cleaned it out again and put some bacitracin on it, but the limp had me worried. it doesnt look inflamed or swollen or anything, so im surprised its so uncomfortable for him.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Is it possible he got something in the cut? A wood splinter from a tree branch? Something like that?

 

In the meantime, you can try spraying Bactine on it. That won't sting and has a little bit of a numbing effect. And I've heard that sometimes, dogs that lick Bactine get a little numbing on their tongue that they don't like so they stop licking. If he's still licking, try his muzzle with some duct tape across the holes that are allowing him to reach the toe with his tongue.

 

If there's something in the wound, he really will need the vet, though. And it will get more expensive because if the vet can't see something, he might try x-rays, although x-rays probably wouldn't show a splinter. But if there's something in the wound, I'd expect swelling or heat in the toe.

[greysmom]

Yes, there are rules and regulations about dispensing meds without an exam. Sometimes, this depends on your vet and the relationship you have. I have had vets that will dispense ABs to me based on a phone conversation for a dog they know well. I have also had vets not do this. It just depends.

 

But I agree that you shouldn't need ABs for this unless it swells or starts weeping. He may limp, because it's going to be a bit sore, an some greyhounds are just weenies about little injuries like this. I once had a dog that limped on a hind leg because he had a booboo on his shoulder! Keep it clean an keep applying antibiotic spray. Use his muzzle if he licks because you want to keep it dry.

[MaryJane]

Soak it with warm water and put either bacitracin or neomycin on it.

 

Usually vets won't prescribe antibiotics without looking at the injury.

[cleptogrey]

i just dealt w/ a good deep laceration- behind and under the dew claw, over 1" long and really deep. i went to the vet since it looked so grizzley- i couldn't clean it well- ran out of saline solution and by the time my new batch cooled it was time to leave. well, it clotted, the vet didn't want to irrigate it nor stitch it(it was almost down to the bone). no antibiotics, it healed, felix added vet wrap to his diet and he's back and running.

 

keep the cut exposed if you can, i only bandage when it's a bleeder.

irrigate w/ saline solution

one or two doses w/ a triple antibiotic ointment

and let the saliva do it's thing.

 

the only time i used antibiotics was for an infected puncture wound- i ended up stopping the antibiotics and using itchmosol a drawing salve which i needed to insert into the puncture wound daily-now that was not fun. but generally one tries to stay away from antibiotics, also tylan targets the gut.

[MaryJane]

Soak it with warm water and put either bacitracin or neomycin on it.

 

Usually vets won't prescribe antibiotics without looking at the injury.

 

 

Forgot to mention to salt the water. That's what they used to use in the days before antibiotics ...

[kudzu]

Warm epsom salt soak 2-3 times a day. If worried about infection then add some Betadyne solution to the soak, enough to make it look like tea. Dry thoroughly after the soak. You can then add a triple antibiotic ointment. Those can be found with a pain reducing ingredient pramoxine. I don't usually use that type but have had a couple instances where it seemed to help the hound feel more comfortable so thought it worth a mention.

[Sambuca]

The only time overseen my vet prescribe ABs over the phone is for a dog with chronic ear infections and it was always the same thing after the fifth or tenth time, he knew we knew what we were talking about.

[LuvEarsies]

Sugar, my vet just recommended using sugar on a cut that wouldn't heal. It's amazing, the cut started healing after the second day. Use about a tbsp and a few drops of water to make a paste then put it on the wound, let it melt in and put the shorts on. Sugar has been used for centuries to help heal and stop infections. Google it.

[GeorgeofNE]

I live in the Boston area, and can tell you that even for Boston, you are paying WAY too much if your vet actually charges $120 for an office visit. And $60 for antibiotics that are cheap as dirt at the real pharmacy. Find a new clinic!

 

I pay $52 to walk in the door, and I either get my medications online, or at the human pharmacy.