Cipro is in the class of drugs known as fluoroquinolones. It works by making it impossible for the bacteria that are causing the infection to transcribe DNA. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic, effective against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Make sure your vet knows about its use before giving it to your dog because several dangerous potential adverse reactions can occur. Cipro has the potential to cause tendon rupture and in animals under 2 years of age it also has a detrimental effect on the bones and joints. It can cause convulsions in any dog and seizures in dogs with central nervous system disorders. This being the weekend and most veterinary offices only being open half a day today and closed tomorrow, it would NOT be a good time to give this to your pet unless, as I said, you make your vet aware of its administration prior to using it. Besides, your vet will need to check out this swelling to make sure it doesn't need to be lanced and drained. Please contact your vet as soon as the clinic opens this morning and get your dog in for an examination. The vet may want to use something other than Cipro to treat this, including, as I said previously, lancing and draining the abscess and maybe using a topical medication in addition to an oral one. Please let us know what the vet says.
Ghilly
Your dog needs to see a vet ASAP. That liquid like ball is edema and depending on how large it is and that it is on the throat, a drain my be necessary. As for the Cipro....there are some very serious risk factors. If your pet has any of the MANY risk factors, giving Cipro can be deadly to your dog. If your pet is under 2 years old (assuming by the weight he is a medium or large breed)....do NOT under any circumstance give Cipro.
Please please take your dog to the vet so he is properly treated in a safe and humane way. Another concern is...is your dog current on vaccines? Is the dog that bit your dog current on its vaccines? Many of the viruses these vaccines cover are transmitted by body fluids, which includes saliva. Given your dog has puncture marks, saliva was definately transferred from the other dog to yours.
Please get your dog to a vet as soon as possible. He needs antibiotics and wound dressing. Cipro may not be the right med and in any case all antibiotics should be given as a full course, not one-off treatments which could interfere with the right treatment. Tony