Dogue de Bordeauxs

My dog likes to lay outside for hours and watch kids come home from school or people watch in general on the concert. We have several padded mats layed down but they sometimes get blown out of the area he likes to lay down. We have constant problems with his elbows swelling, then infecting and scabbing. The veteranian have to give antibiotics and sometimes a cortizone shot and leak out the puss. I'm constantly cleaning him with hydrogen prozide and neo sporen or iodine. Was is the best way to go with this? I hate going the antibiotics route. We have to do this like 3 times a year...and my dog is not fond of the pills. Any answers ???