My pet has a lip wound with pus and blood. What should I do?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. The hair will need to be shaved to see the extent of the lesion. If she does not have a history of a traumatic wound, she could have an infected tooth. This can create an abscess under the skin that can rupture open. Her veterinarian will examine her and determine the best course of treatment. I hope this information helps!

Ouch, poor Wups! He could have injured himself leading to the sore. I would gently clean it with warm water and antiseptic soap, then have him seen by a vet. If the blood is cloudy, I would be concerned the sore is infected and he will need antibiotics to treat the infection. The vet is the only one who can prescribe them. Have him seen by a vet today if possible, but not as an emergency; otherwise, have him seen by a vet tomorrow.

I am very sorry that Kitty has his sore near her lip. Thank you for proving pictures, it is difficult to know precisely what caused this lesion it may have been a cat scratch, a traumatic puncture from for example a fence, or possible a primary skin like feline acne, or allergic disease. At this stage it appears to be slightly crusted and inflamed and I would suggest a trip to the veterinarian. The vet will most likely clean the wound and debris any necrotic material. The vet may also send home pain relief, anti inflammatory medications and / or antibiotics. The vet will also be able examine the area and reach a diagnosis. Best of luck to you both and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It's unfortunately not possible to post pictures here, it's only possible through our private consultation system. A swollen lip can be caused as a result of a trauma (injury) or insect bite. If it is bleeding a lot I would recommend taking her to the vet as it is quiet difficult to treat at home, it's a delicate location to stop the bleeding or prevent the dog from licking it. If it's just bleeding a little bit and slightly swollen, it is likely to get better within a few days, try to keep the area clean as much as you can, avoid feeding wet food and make sure her water is changed several times a day.

If Snowy has a visible wound that appears infected it is best to seek veterinary care asap. Open infected wounds will need cleaning from your vet and antibiotics to help it heal. You will also need to stop Snowy from licking or chewing at the area as that will only make the infection worse by introducing more bacteria into the wound. After treatment, using an Elizabethan (cone) collar or old t-shirt to keep him from licking and scratching at the wound is best to help it heal. Your vet may also recommend medicated shampoos, flea medications, daily allergy meds, or other treatments for long-term relief of the initial cause of the itching.

Hi and thanks for your question this morning. From the picture, it looks like a puncture wound or bite wound that has become infected although it could be other skin issues like a fungal infection, parasitic infection, or a bad bacterial infection. Keep the area clean with a mild cleansing cloth a few times daily or 3% hydrogen peroxide on the wound until you can take Snowie into your veterinarian- snowie may need to have fungal or bacterial culture done on the wound and may need to be on antibiotics or another medication for a while. I hope she has a speedy recovery!

I am sorry to hear about Kallu. A photo of the wounds may help us to better answer your question, but I would definitely recommend bringing Kallu to a veterinarian for examination as it sounds like his wounds are serious and may require sutures or bandaging, and most likely will require antibiotics as bite wounds introduce bacteria into the tissue and can become infected.