# Puppy "bite" = hideous infection?



## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

My pup accidentally got a fang jammed between my fingernail and the flesh because he gets a little over excited about taking treats.
It hurt at the time, a lot, but once the initial pain wore off I thought it'd be fine. I rinsed it out with some peroxide and left it alone.
Well, about 6-8 hours later, my finger starts throbbing and swelling up. I notice that it's painful to the touch and all red and shiny. I ignored it for a couple of hours, then soaked it in some epsom salt water hoping it would drain. It didn't, it still hasn't, it's been an additional 12 hours.
Now it's hot, I marked the redness with a pen last night and it's gone from just the finger tip to the middle knuckle and now I can't bend my knuckle...wtf?

Any ideas on fixing this at home? Or should I suck it up and go to the dr, who is probably too packed to get me in and will send me to the military ER...
You can't tell it was from an animal, so I'm going with the rusty wire excuse if I need to do that - since my pup hasn't had a rabies shot yet because of his age and I bet that would go over very badly. Pup is healthy and acting normal, so I'm not worried about it anyway.
It's on my left hand, so there's no way I can drain it (thought about this with a clean sharp object) since I'm left handed and not steady with my right.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Ashley Campbell said:


> My pup accidentally got a fang jammed between my fingernail and the flesh because he gets a little over excited about taking treats.
> It hurt at the time, a lot, but once the initial pain wore off I thought it'd be fine. I rinsed it out with some peroxide and left it alone.
> Well, about 6-8 hours later, my finger starts throbbing and swelling up. I notice that it's painful to the touch and all red and shiny. I ignored it for a couple of hours, then soaked it in some epsom salt water hoping it would drain. It didn't, it still hasn't, it's been an additional 12 hours.
> Now it's hot, I marked the redness with a pen last night and it's gone from just the finger tip to the middle knuckle and now I can't bend my knuckle...wtf?
> ...


it should drain if you squeeze it hard enough or pick at it with a sterile pin...soaking in very hot water should soften it up enough to pop it open.....
but can also make swelling a little worse....Ice cold water soaking can reduce swelling.as well as maybe benadryl or even ibuprofen..

More importantly than that is to *get on some antibiotics*...if it is bad as you are saying..I would think

I try to always have a course or two in my possession, for things like this..that maybe you don't need a doctor for, but do need antibiotics for...

DISCLAIMER: I have no official medical training...but have played doctor a few times.

Whatever you do, don't tell them your pup bit ya...but you knew that already..


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Ashley Campbell said:


> My pup accidentally got a fang jammed between my fingernail and the flesh because he gets a little over excited about taking treats.
> It hurt at the time, a lot, but once the initial pain wore off I thought it'd be fine. I rinsed it out with some peroxide and left it alone.
> Well, about 6-8 hours later, my finger starts throbbing and swelling up. I notice that it's painful to the touch and all red and shiny. I ignored it for a couple of hours, then soaked it in some epsom salt water hoping it would drain. It didn't, it still hasn't, it's been an additional 12 hours.
> Now it's hot, I marked the redness with a pen last night and it's gone from just the finger tip to the middle knuckle and now I can't bend my knuckle...wtf?
> ...


Take a safety pin light the end with a lighter till its hot!!! dip it in alcohol and drive it through your nail if you have to or at least in the swollen area, then squeeze the hell out of it....then peroxide again......


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Yeah I tried squeezing it and soaking it in the epsom salt water (which was hot as hell) and it's not budging at all. Squeezing hurts like you wouldn't believe.
I've never seen a finger blow up like this. I did call my dr to ask them but I got someones voicemail so...eh. I hate going to the dr so if I can avoid it, I hate going to the ER even more. Seems so stupid over a finger.
I don't think I have any antibiotics though, hmm.

I do have a full combat med kit (the old ones) so sharp goodies abound that are sterile, but I might get someone else to do it since it's my off hand I'm going to have to use for the stabbing.


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

Ashley Campbell said:


> Yeah I tried squeezing it and soaking it in the epsom salt water (which was hot as hell) and it's not budging at all. Squeezing hurts like you wouldn't believe.
> I've never seen a finger blow up like this. I did call my dr to ask them but I got someones voicemail so...eh. I hate going to the dr so if I can avoid it, I hate going to the ER even more. Seems so stupid over a finger.
> I don't think I have any antibiotics though, hmm.
> 
> I do have a full combat med kit (the old ones) so sharp goodies abound that are sterile, but I might get someone else to do it since it's my off hand I'm going to have to use for the stabbing.



whatever you do DONT FKIN SQUEEZE IT...god Joby and Jody...you bunch of bloody numbnuts :lol:

if theres something like puss under the skin and she squeezes it and it pops under the skin it will only travel further creating a shitload of issues you dont want to deal with at all !

dettol to clean it out with and to soak....its already traveled a bit so keep a very close eye for discoloration...I suggest going to the doctor regardless and telling the wire story...could be theres something lodged in there but please dont squeeze it ashley coze trust me if it goes wrong you will be in for a world of hurt...


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Ashley Campbell said:


> Yeah I tried squeezing it and soaking it in the epsom salt water (which was hot as hell) and it's not budging at all. Squeezing hurts like you wouldn't believe.
> I've never seen a finger blow up like this. I did call my dr to ask them but I got someones voicemail so...eh. I hate going to the dr so if I can avoid it, I hate going to the ER even more. Seems so stupid over a finger.
> I don't think I have any antibiotics though, hmm.
> 
> I do have a full combat med kit (the old ones) so sharp goodies abound that are sterile, but I might get someone else to do it since it's my off hand I'm going to have to use for the stabbing.


 
yeah perfect use the needle (without cathetor)sp? and HEAT it anyway, its like a hot knife through butter and the blood or puss will come out the center of needle, you can keep it in while you squeeze as well and will drain nicely, then I would peroxide and soak, will feel better, just don't let it close until you know its all drained or will do the same thing...


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Alice Bezemer said:


> whatever you do DONT FKIN SQUEEZE IT...god Joby and Jody...you bunch of bloody numbnuts :lol:
> 
> if theres something like puss under the skin and she squeezes it and it pops under the skin it will only travel further creating a shitload of issues you dont want to deal with at all !
> 
> dettol to clean it out with and to soak....its already traveled a bit so keep a very close eye for discoloration...I suggest going to the doctor regardless and telling the wire story...could be theres something lodged in there but please dont squeeze it ashley coze trust me if it goes wrong you will be in for a world of hurt...


LOL, that won't happen, its too fresh and new, I have done this on myself an others countless times and never needed antiobiotics if it drains all the way....

asked for advice, simple procedure, experience...


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

Jody Butler said:


> LOL, that won't happen, its too fresh and new, I have done this on myself an others countless times and never needed antiobiotics if it drains all the way....
> 
> asked for advice, simple procedure, experience...


squeeze when needle is in...no problem...squeeze when still closed...world of problems 

just dont want things to get worse for her if it tracks its way under the skin...seen the results of that and it wasnt pretty.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Alice Bezemer said:


> squeeze when needle is in...no problem...squeeze when still closed...world of problems
> 
> just dont want things to get worse for her if it tracks its way under the skin...seen the results of that and it wasnt pretty.


 
That is the preffered method since there is a hole to drain, however if there was a hole and hasn't sealed thoroughly yet, it will pop as she squeezes, kind of like a zit right? LOL 


Put a needle in the damn thing already and drain it!


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Alice Bezemer said:


> squeeze when needle is in...no problem...squeeze when still closed...world of problems
> 
> just dont want things to get worse for her if it tracks its way under the skin...seen the results of that and it wasnt pretty.


 
Ashley have your son video it and then post it for us? :lol:


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

I had a mouse bite me as a kid because I was bothering it in the hand by the knuckle and it developed into blood poisoning so be careful. I remember a line could be seen under the skin going away from the bite. 

I've used tea tree oil successfully for cat scratches and bites, but that's done right away not days later after the wound closed.

With the mouse bite, the doctor "barely" numbed the area, cut into the swollen area and started scraping around with some kind of surgical tool that reminded me of a tooth descaler OUCH! 

When a dog broke my knuckle, I had to be on rocephyn iv (sp?) which is a strong antibiotic and ran the risk of losing use and/or part of my hand.. I didn't go get it treated right away..I waited a couple days... So be very, very careful with your hand and I'd recommend going to the urgent care or emergency room asap..because after all you need to have 2 functional hands. Don't mess around.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

LOL..tried...like I said not a doctor, I have had lots of this type of thing, soften it up, pop a hole, squeeze and drain...no problems, 

getting medical advice online can be like getting dog training advice..LOL...what works for one person may not for another.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

LOL, I got bit by one of my pups feeding raw the other day, bit me down to the bone on the knuckle, I applied electrical tape to stop the bleeding, hours later I popped it, drained it, soaked it in alcohol, then dried out applied crazy glue and looks good today, healing just fine! 

Medicine is overrated! LOL


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Jody Butler said:


> LOL, I got bit by one of my pups feeding raw the other day, bit me down to the bone on the knuckle, I applied electrical tape to stop the bleeding, hours later I popped it, drained it, soaked it in alcohol, then dried out applied crazy glue and looks good today, healing just fine!
> 
> Medicine is overrated! LOL


sounds good, duct tape and plastic bags or paper toweling works good too, for bigger jobs..


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> sounds good, duct tape and plastic bags or paper toweling works good too, for bigger jobs..


 
crazy glue is awesome!! 99 cents at dollar store, same ingredients as tiny bottle of 15.00 surgical glue


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

LOL, you're a sick **** Jody, you just want to see me hurt myself  Sadist.

I guess I didn't poke it deep enough (18 guage IV needle), nothing came out, not even blood, but the skin split and bled a little where I stuck it. Tried pressing on it, just blood too.

I'm gonna go soak it some more.


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## Edward Egan (Mar 4, 2009)

I can be just as easy as the above advised, or it can become a major issue, do you feel lucky, well do ya?

Go get medical treatment or risk having a really big PITA or more.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Jody Butler said:


> crazy glue is awesome!! 99 cents at dollar store, same ingredients as tiny bottle of 15.00 surgical glue


I meant duct tape for the immediate care, the crazy glue comes in when you have the time to mess with it, and clean it and crap..later on....

Ashley.
Fingers ARE important...don't downgrade them...


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

I'm still waiting for my dr to call me back, I did call them first - was hoping to get an idea to drain it before I had to do a 30 mile round trip drive.


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## Al Curbow (Mar 27, 2006)

If it was your dogs toe you'd be AT the doctors already, lol.


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Be very watchful my wife got a staff infection or her wrist last year started as a small scrape after all was said and done 5 days in the hospital in the infectious diseases unit and a second flair up and nearly ended up in the hospital a second time.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

dude, **** going to the dr.

The decide to drain it...ok. Numb it up first though if you're going to use a scalpel. They put lidacaine or whatever in the upper joint but it didn't numb fast enough so he cut it live.

Then they gave me keflex and sent me home - that's it. Thanks a lot, urgent care, it hurt before, but now it hurts 10x worse and you stuck a band aide on it...
I'll deal with my own dr in the morning. Oh, and they think it's staph or MRSA - it has cellulitis or however the hell you spell it. And I got a tetanus shot because I couldn't remember the last time I had one.


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## Erynn Lucas (Dec 10, 2008)

How about I will be the voice of reason here. Go to the doctor. 

Animals have a LOT of very bad bacteria that reside in the mouth. Also, you have a bunch of potentially dangerous bacteria residing on your skin and they are in even higher amounts in places like under your fingernail. When the tooth punctured your skin, it not only introduced the bacteria from inside your dog's mouth into your body, it also pushed in any bacteria residing on your skin.

Not so worried? Ok, google image infections of MRSA. Yes, many people are asymtomatic carriers of that organism. Google infections with _Streptococcus pyogenes_. _Bacteroidies_, _Corynebacterium_, _Staphylococcus_. There are lots and lots and lots of these organisms in the mouth. Most of them can cause severe disease if they can manage to get past the skin. A hole poked by a tooth can be just the thing.

Please don't just "dose" yourself with antibiotics. I hate when people do that. Those that do may or may not be taking the correct antibiotic for the infection type. They may not take the correct dose, the correct amount of time. When antibiotics are misused like that, it leads to bacterial resistance. There wouldn't be such a thing as MRSA if there were no instances of inappropriate antibiotic use. Doctors also screw around with antibiotics causing some of the misuse, but they do it at a lower rate than people who just "dose" themselves.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

How about read above - I went to the dr for it.


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## Erynn Lucas (Dec 10, 2008)

Oh, didn't read quite that far. Good for you.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Disclaimer, you're probably smarter than the emergency doctor I saw.


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

I had a tooth to the knuckle that got infected, not fun. There was nothing to drain, same deal, infection/cellulitis that spread up to the hand. Must have been a really nasty bug, because usualy stuff like that heals very fast on me. I went to the ER, late night, I was the only one there and the first doctor looked at me and went to get the specialist, and then everyone else stopped by for a look at my hand like I was some kind of sideshow attraction. LOL. I got 2 different antibiotics, the first dose of which I had to take right there, and then they kept me for 4 hours(!) to see if I had a reaction to the meds. I didn't. The infection resolved in about 3 days on antibiotics...


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Yeah next time, military ER clinic - at least they're amusing while they torture you. I've never had a doctor ask you if it's numb, you say "no I can still feel it" and then start cutting anyway, then tell you "oh that can't hurt" as you're trying to get away from them and yank your hand back. I have a high pain tolerance but damn, never again. My colorful exclamation of "no that really ****ing hurts, stop" didn't win anyone over either...guess I should have avoided the religious hospital.

He bought "I stuck it on rusty chicken wire" though.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Ashley Campbell said:


> Yeah next time, military ER clinic - at least they're amusing while they torture you. I've never had a doctor ask you if it's numb, you say "no I can still feel it" and then start cutting anyway, then tell you "oh that can't hurt" as you're trying to get away from them and yank your hand back. I have a high pain tolerance but damn, never again.
> 
> He bought "I stuck it on rusty chicken wire" though.


At least your doctor can speak English, here in the world of free medical unless you've lived somewhere for a loong time..you can't get a real doctor, you go to a medicentre and wait for a few hrs to speak to someone that wants to treat you for some obscure disease from their own third world.

Ya, you guys will love Obama Care.

PS..Ashley, don't let anyone you don't know poke you.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> At least your doctor can speak English, here in the world of free medical unless you've lived somewhere for a loong time..you can't get a real doctor, you go to a medicentre and wait for a few hrs to speak to someone that wants to treat you for some obscure disease from their own third world.
> 
> Ya, you guys will love Obama Care.
> 
> PS..Ashley, don't let anyone you don't know poke you.


I didn't have a choice, they put in a referral for urgent care, which the mil clinic doesn't have here... so I had to hit a civilian place. I was hoping they'd just stick me in with my regular dr to look at it but they didn't have anything open with them or acute care with the military - meaning I have to go to a civilian because the nurse really pressed on me that I needed to be seen ASAP.

I left my house at 4 PM or so - I got home around 6:30 ish, this clinic is literally 3 miles from my house or so and there were 3 people in there...I still waited more than an hour to be seen. I'd probably still be at the Fort Carson ER, but wouldn't have had my hand treated like a piece of steak. Lesson learned.


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## Sara Waters (Oct 23, 2010)

Good choice - hope they gave you some good antibiotics 

My sister had a similar thing on her finger, doc didnt give her antibiotics and she ended up with severe infection with purple stripes radiating up her arm and had to go to hospital to save the arm.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

I'm not taking the antibiotics until I talk to my regular doctor. I looked it up online, there are warnings about if you're allergic to some other meds (that I am) you shouldn't take what he gave me a script for.

Better safe than really sorry.


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## Al Curbow (Mar 27, 2006)

My youngest sister died over the summer from what started as a small skin infection, a pimple on her leg, she suffered bad at the end. 
Don't **** around on the internet when it comes to infections, get medical care.


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## Sara Waters (Oct 23, 2010)

Yes I am allergic to flagyl or metrogyl, made me really sick. However I do know my sister nearly lost her arm to septacaemia, so I would be checking pretty quick, which you probably are.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Ashley Campbell said:


> dude, **** going to the dr.
> 
> The decide to drain it...ok. Numb it up first though if you're going to use a scalpel. They put lidacaine or whatever in the upper joint but it didn't numb fast enough so he cut it live.
> 
> ...


I have had some pretty nasty infections......

I have had a bunch of bouts with cellulitus as well...

the antibiotics will do it.....keflex should be fine..

SIDENOTE: Our good Canadian friends run a "drugstore" for certain meds that they will ship to the USA...


I prefer Zythromax...(Z pack), it is the best in my opinion...got 2 cycles waiting for me when I need them...

Here is link, all kinds of stuff..
http://www.sahedarum.com/products/antibiotics/cephalexin/order/

A little pricey compared to cheap perscriptions at walmart, but do not need persrciption...and the website does set off my security program sometimes on certain pages, but I always get the stuff I order..


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## Erynn Lucas (Dec 10, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> I have had some pretty nasty infections......
> 
> I have had a bunch of bouts with cellulitus as well...
> 
> ...


Different antibiotics work on different organisms. Really it is best to figure out what you are infected with before just taking antibiotics. That leads to bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotics. 

Antibiotic resistance is costing Americans huge bucks in the health care system. PLEASE make sure you know what is causing the infection first.

We are going to be awfully sorry when a z-pack no longer works on people.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Erynn Lucas said:


> Different antibiotics work on different organisms. Really it is best to figure out what you are infected with before just taking antibiotics. That leads to bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotics.
> 
> Antibiotic resistance is costing Americans huge bucks in the health care system. PLEASE make sure you know what is causing the infection first.
> 
> We are going to be awfully sorry when a z-pack no longer works on people.


points noted...


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

I did get in touch with my regular (OB) doc last night, she was on rotations at the hospital. She said it'll probably be ok, but if I have any reactions to stop taking it and come in to swap out with something else. 

This is a lot of bullshit over a little fang prick. 28 antibiotic pills to take in 7 days, and if it doesn't look better by Monday I have to go back. I never realized puppies had such filthy little mouths, lol. Oh yeah, and it still hurts like hell.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

The internet is great, medical advice on a dog chat room with links to online drug stores. Who would have thought this would all be possible years ago. She could be dead of an infection by time the internet drugs gets to her. Infections are no joke. I had an infection in my hand years ago and spent time at an infectious disease place. People getting limbs cut off all the time there. I had an appointment to get a finger cut off and they figured it out what caused my infection at the last minute. Some rare infection from the Amazon River, only a couple of cases a year in the states. They didn’t test for it because I never been to the Amazon River. But after they figured out what it was I remembered taking a dead fish out of my fish tank with my hand because it didn’t fit into my net. A black fresh water stingray with gold dots from the Amazon River. Stupid thing could have killed me. 
Lots of people getting arms and feet cut off due to a cat scratch. That cat scratch fever stuff manes a lot of people only have 3 limbs.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

The sad part is, I called my doctor before posting. This thread had more than 2 pages by the time she finally got back to me - about 4 hours later. Other than give me antibiotics, they didn't do anything at urgent care that wasn't already suggested here - I could have tortured myself like that at home, lol.

My doctors office didn't have any appointments, neither did acute/urgent care for the military, so that means I have to talk to a dr./RN to have a referral put in for civilian care (if it's not ER worthy, which, IMHO, it wasn't) or insurance can deny it - which I can't afford at all. Not the first time it's taken forever to get a call back from a dr up there either, last time I had some kind of respiratory crap and it took them 2 days to get back to me after leaving them a message.
I'm not the person that goes to the ER for stupid little stuff. If I have to go there, either something is broken (and sometimes I avoid going even then if it's small like a finger), I'm bleeding and it won't stop, or I'm dying. I won't take up space and time for something little when someone else is really sick.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

When I get bit. I'm not in a hurry to stop the bleeding (unless I hit an artery). I let it bleed and flush the hell out of it with water and scrub with soap and water. Makes a lot more sense to avoid an
infection then to try to treat it after wards. Let the dog saliva and gerns flow out with the soap and water and don't be so quick to slap a bandage on it.


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## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> Ya, you guys will love Obama Care.


I'm hope so. It seems like most military personnel, that I know, are like Ashly and prefer their government health over the civilian system.


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## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

Ashly I'm glad you are going to be OK. I was really worried about you after reading some of the early answers on this topic. 

It seems like the medical advice on this board is on par with most of the dog advice.


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## Steve Burger (Jan 2, 2009)

Yep, a soap and water flush and then get care if you need it. I sliced myself open a month or so back. The ER doctor chastised me for using peroxide. He told me it does nothing except kill the good stuff.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Christopher Smith said:


> I'm hope so. It seems like most military personnel, that I know, are like Ashly and prefer their government health over the civilian system.


Don't worry, the politicians get to keep Tricare from what I understand - it has it's good points and bad. Good points - I don't pay for it and pay very minimal co-pays for medications filled at a non-military pharmacy.

Bad points, it takes me, on average, a month to get a dr's appointment.


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Good to here it was nothing more than a nick from your pup, that shit my wife had was very horrible and scary she had to be blasted with some of the most powerful antibiotics on the planet. Like I said 5 days in the hospital 10 days of work lost from a back yard gardening scrape.
I'm no germ freak but gym equipment, shopping carts are a couple of examples to be mindful of, after her ordeal it made me more aware of this crud.


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## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

It sometimes takes me that long to get in to see a doctor too. But I pay almost $10,000 for a family of three.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

That sucks. I don't pretend I have any clue how civilian insurance works, but I know not having any insurance is way worse. My grandfather used to bitch about how much their premiums were, until my grandmother had a heart attack a few months ago.
She showed me the billing, they weren't even done with it yet and it was well over $50k. It pretty much paid for itself with one medical problem.


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