Boils are increasingly common in people these days, given our toxic environments. So it's no surprise that we're seeing more pet boils as well, especially on dogs but with cats and other pets too.
First of all, a boil or furuncle is a deep infection of your pet's hair follicle. This infection is caused by a form of the staph virus. The resulting boil swells up with pus, dead cells, and even blood. The boil can be swollen and painful for your pet. If more than one boil forms in an area, this is called a carbuncle.
Whatever other steps are undertaken, proper handling and cleaning are essential, as a broken boil can spread infection and lead to more boils on your animal or even on yourself. Typically though heredity, diabetes, a weakened immune system, or other factors are involved in the formation of boils beyond mere exposure.
Natural Pet Cures: A soothing cream can help relieve the pain and swelling of a boil. Ichthammol drawing salve may help to eliminate a boil, as might turmeric added to your pet's diet or applied in a paste to the boil. If the boil has burst, an antibiotic salve such as with colloidal silver may help prevent the spread of infection.
