neck Abcess

[LeonBlack]

My dog is a 9 year old half Lab and Half Golden. Three (3) days ago he went from a active never been sick animal to an extremely ill dog.  He is running a fever of 40.6 C is very lethargic. Seems to be trembling and will not even look at me when I walk in. A massive cyst has developed on his neck. It is draining but the color is brown and stinks link excrement.

Took him to the vet yesterday, they gave him a shot and antibiotic pills but this seems to be getting worse not better.
should I be doing something more? If so what?

Please help

[ginger899]

I can't say as I have never experienced the effects of a brown recluse spider bite. I just did the dreaded 'google search' about it -which is as far as I can go (We don't have the brown recluse spider in UK) -and only from what I have read, it sounds perhaps as if it could have been a bite from that spider. But of course, I can't see Butch, or his wound, and I am not a vet.

It may be wise to have Butch in hospital at the vet clinic for fluid therapy (as it is possible the toxins from this lesion are stressing his kidneys) Fluid support will help flush out the toxins. At a guess, I would also think that intravenous antibiotic therapy could be used (?) Please do ask the vet about those ideas.

It may be that any necrotic tissue will have to be removed surgically.... Again ask the vet about that.

As for finding the source of the bite yourself and removing it -I am not quite sure what you mean. I think that would be a job for the vet. But it is my feeling that they need to make sure the lesion is as cleaned out as possible.
And any toxins -from the original bite plus toxins from infection -will possible affect renal function, so in my opinion, fluid therapy is maybe urgently needed.

[LeonBlack]

Took Butch back to the VET this morning. The Doc described the issue as a "Lemon Size abscess" behind the jaw bone structure. We have two vets in the same office. One seems convinced of a snake bite, the other is not certain.
What we do know is the cyst or abscess is huge. It has been opened and continues to drain. Some tissue was removed from inside the abscess. The tissue was already dead and black. I have seen similar effects from brown recluse spider bites but it usually starts from the outside and works in. This appears to be working in reverse. I know too much detail but I really need to know if anyone out there has experience with something like this.

If this is from a bite of some sort I need to find the source and remove it but I need to know what I'm looking for.

Thanks for caring. Whatever help is available is certainly appreciated

[ginger899]

I agree with Margot.
Did the vet say what he thought this is? Is it an abscess?
I agree that you should take him to another vet if he gets worse, and if in your opinion this cyst/abscess has not been cleaned, drained out, or attended to properly.
Although the antibiotics should usually help, an antiseptic wash is also usually recommended after the pus has been drained out. And if it is an abscess, it is wise to keep it open, keep it bathed with warm water and antiseptic until all the pus is gone, and it shows clean pink skin.

I once had an abscess which started to spread to my system. It made me feel very unwell. So he will feel very low right now.

I hope all is well. Yes please let us know how he is doing.

[Margot49]

At least he is on antibiotics but, the usual treatment is to lance it and/or put a drain in it to get that infection out of there.  If that wasn't done, and he is getting worse, I would get him to another Vet or an ER ASAP before that becomes a systemic infection.

Good lyck and please come back and update us.