Cellulitis refers to a suppurative infection of loose connective tissues subcutaneously and subfascially. The pathogenic bacteria are mainly hemolytic streptococci, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and anaerobic bacteria. This disease is often caused by infection after skin or soft tissue damage, and it spreads rapidly through lymph and blood, and has no obvious boundary with normal tissue. Dogs often occur on the buttocks, thighs, armpits, chests and tail roots. Systemic symptoms are obvious.
1. Symptoms
1. Dogs with shallow lesions, local redness, swelling, heat and pain, central inflammation is particularly obvious, and it quickly expands to the surrounding area, and then necrosis and erosion occurs in subcutaneous tissue.
2. Dogs with deeper lesions show that they are mostly red and swelling on the surface of the skin, which is often found in honeycomb tissues under the fascia, in the muscles, etc., with obvious tenderness and systemic symptoms such as high fever and tremor.
3. Acute cellulitis occurring in the submandibular and neck can cause laryngeal edema and tracheal compression, leading to dyspnea and even ventricular rest. Sometimes inflammation can spread to the mediastinum.
4. Cellitis caused by anaerobic bacteria is accompanied by extensive fascial necrosis and progressive skin necrosis. There may be crimps under the skin, pus odor, and serious systemic symptoms, which often occur in perineum and abdominal and back wounds.
2. Treatment method
1. Systemic therapy:
Dogs with mild symptoms can take Baiyanjing orally, 1 tablet each time, twice a day; dogs with severe symptoms need penicillin intramuscular injection 3-4 times a day, and streptomycin intramuscular injection 2 times a day; oral metronidazole tablets, 0.2-0.4 grams each time, 3 times a day, or intravenous injection of metronidazole glucose solution, twice a day.
To prevent acidosis or sepsis, sodium bicarbonate is injected intravenously once a day for 3-4 days. Inject vitamin C and vitamin B complex intramuscularly, 1 to 2 times a day. Intravenously intravenously 10% glucose solution, twice a day to strengthen the heart and rehydrate.
2. Local treatment:
For dogs with early cellulitis, 50% magnesium sulfate can be used to apply wet and cold compress on the affected area, and block the injection around the lesion with 0.5% to 1% procaine. When the inflammatory exudate is reduced (3 to 4 days after the disease), it is changed to a hot compress.
When there is a lot of local pus and the systemic symptoms are obvious, multiple incisions should be drained immediately, and the incision should have a certain length and depth; at the same time, the necrotic fascia and subcutaneous tissue should be removed to directly reach the healthy tissue, and thoroughly rinse with 3% hydrogen peroxide in the incision, and then drain with sterilized gauze soaked with sulfadiazine injection. The wound is generally not sutured or temporarily loose suture 1 to 2 stitches (to prevent the drainage gauze from falling out). Treat it once every 1 to 2 days.
3. Strengthen care:
Keep the dog's skin clean and hygienic; pay attention to keeping the incision pus drainage smoothly, and retreat immediately if adhesions are found; give a nutritious diet, but avoid fishy and raw and cold foods. You can add 1 pill a day to supplement a variety of trace elements and vitamins to promote the dog's physical recovery.