How to Treat a Boil on a Dog

Boils develop on dogs for different reasons. A bacterium on the skin finds its way into the pores of the skin, clogging them and developing the boils. Another reason is demodex canis, a parasite found in the hair follicles. Unless the boil is around your dog's anus, in its ears or by the eye, you can treat the boil at home. Home treatments require little more than a trip to your local pet store.

Things You'll Need

Goodwinol ointment
Rag
Small saucepan
Liquid calendula
Liquid St. John's wort
Iodized salt
Spoon
Syringe

Instructions

Goodwinol For Demodex Canis
- 1
  Apply a 1/2 tsp of goodwinol to the boil.
- 2
  Use your fingers to rub the ointment into the boil and surrounding skin.
- 3
  Repeat application once a day. Talk to your vet regarding duration of application. Depending on your dog's symptoms, treatment may vary from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.
Compresses from Bacterial Infections
- 4
  Soak a clean rag in warm water to create a compress. Do not make the water so hot it will scald your dog. If the water is too hot for you, it is too hot for the dog.
- 5
  Apply the compress to the boil for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. Hold it against the boil with firm pressure. During this time, soothe your dog by petting and talking to him.
- 6
  Repeat compresses once every six to eight hours to draw the pus to the surface of the boil. This helps the boil open itself and drain.
Cleaning an Open Boil
- 7
  Boil a cup of tap water in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat.
- 8
  Mix in 10 drops of calendula and 10 drops of St. John's Wort. Stir to combine.
- 9
  Mix in 1/4 tsp. iodized salt. Stir to dissolve.
- 10
  Fill a syringe with the salt mixture. Squirt the mixture into the open boil. This helps clean the boil and keeps it open.
- 11
  Apply a hot compress to the site two to three times a day. Reapply the salt mixture after each compress.