Today on the program I am going to talk about a common infectious process called an abscess.  You probably have heard the term abscess but may not be sure what it is or how to treat it.  Although there are sterile abscesses, most abscesses are caused by bacterial infections that produce large amounts of pus in the tissues.  Abscesses commonly develop after bite wounds, scratches, or when objects penetrate the skin and then the skin heals over.  Since the infection can not drain, pus builds up under the skin and an abscess develops.  As the pus continues to build, the skin over the abscess is killed by the infection and the abscess will eventually rupture.  Unfortunately, unless the abscess is treated correctly, the skin will heal over again and the abscess will redevelop.  For this reason, anytime you have an animal with an abscess or any swelling, it must be examined by a vet. 

The hair must be clipped off the area and if the abscess has not ruptured, it can be surgically lanced by your vet.  Lancing by your veterinarian is a lot better for healing than allowing the abscess to rupture without surgery.  The sooner the abscess is lanced, the less tissue damage will occur and the quicker that healing will occur.  After the abscess is lanced, flushing of the pocket with sterile fluids is critical to prevent the abscess from recurring.  Keeping the incision open for 7 to 10 days is required to flush out all of the infection and sometimes your vet will even insert a tube to prevent the incision from closing.  If the incision closes too quickly, the infection will recur and possibly the infection could spread and infect bones in the area.