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Treatment

In the case of severe infection, your dog may need to be hospitalized for intensive care and treatment. Intravenous fluids are started along with antibiotics to cover fluid deficits and infection respectively. Your veterinarian may also decide to drain the abscess to help in the resolution of the infection. Drainage of the abscess may be carried-out under ultrasound guidance, though in some dogs, abdominal surgery may be required.

In addition, the veterinary surgeon may pass a small tube down to the infected area, leaving one end outside to help in continuous drainage of pus material. This tube can be removed once the drainage of the material stops and the infection is resolved.

During treatment, your veterinarian will monitor body temperature, liver enzymes, number of white blood cells (to see status of infection), and evaluate the liver with ultrasound.

Living and Management

Follow the guidelines given by your veterinarian. Call your veterinarian if you observe any untoward symptoms in your dog. You may need to check the temperature of your dog on daily basis and record it for your veterinarian to see the progress of treatment. Good diet management and rest are required for your dog during the recovery period. Timely diagnosis and treatment usually resolve the problem in most cases.