Dog bite wound from June 2012 wont heal

[vtkita]

My 13 year.old beagle was attacked by a dog on the beach while we were out of the country last June 2012. Long story short, the wound (on her neck) wasn't.properly cleaned and being that we were in a third world country, vets weren't incredibly helpful. An abscess formed about a week after,was drained by the vet only to reform a couple weeks later. This continued periodically, the abscess moving around her neck and showing up in different places, at one point on the complete opposite side. Now we are finally back home a month.ago and I've been taking her to her vet here. At this point of return, the abscess was pretty close to the original wound and was the size of a pretty good hand full. The vet drained it. It came back. Drained again. Finally they performed surgery and cleaned it up and resealed it. A.week later, I removed her bandage to change it and it was dripping pus. Took her back in and they inserted a drain. She had the drain removed 2 days ago and things seeemed to finally be looking up until.I changed the bandage today and it seems like the pus is back. Not nearly as bad as before, but enough to drip from.the incision. I changed the bandage and sterilized the area with betadine. I hope we are in the clear.soon but after almost a year.of this, I need some clarity. What in the world is going on that no vet can fix? Any insight would be very helpful.

[Margot49]

Has the Vet cultured this?  If not, maybe they need to and a different antibiotic needs to be used.  I know, in people, sometimes these can take a long time to heal and often have to be left open to drain.  I'm stumped too

[vtkita]

Sorry, forgot to mention her antibiotic treatment. She has definitely been on antibiotics. Since she returned home on the 1st of April I've had her on a couple different kinds, the second a stronger antibiotic (do not have the name but will get it when I get home).

Currently, she has had her stitches removed and it seems to be healing nicely... minus the fluid that is still leaking (i have to change the bandage once a day). It doesn't smell or anything, it just seems like the fluid should have stopped by now. I have been applying betadine and a sterile gauze and bandage each time I change her dressing.

We were at the vet last Friday to have her stitches removed and they said everything looked okay, but I feel as though there was an implied "considering". I will be taking her back in for a check up on Saturday.

I know she is 13 but she is really healthy for her age.. has great energy and has never had any health problems. Each physical she has had, the vet mentions how strong her heart and immune system is. Is it possible that the dog that attacked her had some infection or disease? My dog was obviously vaccinated (to fly) but I'm just wondering if that may be a reason this is such a long process.

I will update as I find out more. Thank you for your comments and concern!!

[ginger899]

I also can't imagine why this is not healing. But you didn't mention antibiotic treatment...has she had that?
Some abscesses, particularly from puncture wounds can be complex. They can go deeper than they appear. And in such a case there is a surface abscess with a deeper one, with a channel in between, linking them. Sometimes the surface abscess is drained but the deeper one is still there.
...But even that doesn't quite make sense as she has had surgery to remove it -so the vet would presumably have noticed if hat was the case. I don't know.

Sometimes when a bacteria is antibiotic-resistant, Tincture of "Echinacea Angustifolia" will work. This is herbal. Generally safe for dogs unless the dog has auto-immune disease.

Don't use a neck collar (obviously) right now, use a body-harness instead.

[Margot49]

Wow, I have no idea.  Have they cultured it and is the right antibiotic being used or maybe a combo?