? Infection in penis

Question
Hello-
My Dachshund is 5 and was fixed in the last few months. at the time that he was fixed the vet said that he had "cripts" under the sheath of his penis and that having him fixed would help. They also flushed the area out. He now is licking alot and his penis is very red and swollen and has a small amount of white to clear discharge. After he was fixed the vet gave me amoxicillin to give, I gave him all but two days. My question is can I flush his penis with normal saline that is in a pre-filled syringe and can I give him the amoxicillin I have left. Im a nurse and do have some medical knowledge. I really would like to avoid making a vet visit if I can.

Thank you

Answer

Hi Maria,

If this is the same condition your dog had in the past, and it was successfully treated with saline and Amoxicillin last time, it's possible that same treatment would be repeated now. BUT, it's also possible that because the condition returned, a different course of treatment might be called for at this time.

It's good you're able to do treatments for your dog at home, but if your dog has an infection (and it sounds like he has) he's going to need more than the two days of Amoxicillin that you have. You should complete the full course of antibiotic your vet gives you even if your dog seems the be better.

You may as well bite the bullet and make the appointment for your vet now, so your dog can get the full course of treatment. Sooner is better, since it can mean a faster recovery time if the condition doesn't fester. Maybe talk to your vet about ways you can prevent this condition from recurring. It might be as simple as washing your dog's penis weekly.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti