Patti, I'm so sorry you and Nikki had to experience this, but grateful you shared as my 5 y/o boy Bijou just had the same thing happen to him. He never dragged his butt and I just bathed him last night and all seemed well. This afternoon I came home and his butt felt like it had poo on it so I shampooed the hair on his backside. When I dried under his tail he screamed! I looked and the area was red and swollen and was draining! I was mortfied and called my vet. It was 5:00 pm, but they said to bring him in and they would work him in. The vet looked and said that she would take him to the treatment room and shave the area so she could better inspect. When she came back with him she said that the abscess was open so half her job was already done. She irrigated the area with an antiseptic solution and sent him home on oral antibiotic and pain medicine. I was charge 85.00 which I thought was reasonable, being seen on an emergent basis and all. I can't believe he didn't complain until it was to the point of bursting. Like I said, I bathed him last night, butt and all. I didn't feel anything unusual and he didn't cry when I did it. I hope he starts feeling better soon....I can't STAND knowing he's in pain. It looks awful and he's just laying around looking pitiful.
