My dog bit my cat's ear badly. Does she need an urgent vet visit?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think it would be best to have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Usually traumatic injuries like bite wounds can become worse with time if not treated appropriately. Also, sometimes the external wound is just the tip of the iceberg and there is more to it internally or locally. Dog bites can also result in infections and antibiotics are often recommended depending on how deep the wound is. Good luck!

Ear tears are pretty common. They often look worse than they are and can bleed, a lot! Clean it up really well and if she is scratching put a cone on her so she doesn't make it worse. You can likely treat this yourself if it's minor but if you think it needs stitching or she needs pain killers or get infected then Off to the vet.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Willow has a cut on her ear. It is possible that she caused it herself by scratching, but if you did not observe it happening, she could have traumatized it on something else, or been wounded by another animal. Based on your description of the wound, I recommend bringing her to your local veterinarian to have her evaluated. At the very least, the wound likely needs to be cleaned and flushed with a sterile solution to prevent infection. Depending on how deep or infected the wound is, it may require more extensive management such as surgical closure of the wound, or bandages. Willow likely also needs an Elizabethan (cone) collar to prevent her from further traumatizing the wound. Unfortunately, dogs like to scratch at their ears and can make it very hard for wounds to heal. If the wound is superficial and Willow is otherwise healthy, you may be able to apply compression to the wound to get it to stop bleeding, and monitor it closely at home for signs of infection (redness, swelling, yellow-green discharge, foul odor). If you see any of these signs, Willow should definitely be evaluated by a veterinarian. Just a reminder, NEVER give dogs any pain medications that are intended for humans, as they can be lethally toxic to dogs. I hope this is helpful!

It sounds like Boots has an abscess from the bite wound. He needs to be examined by a vet for treatment. The abscess may need to be cleaned and flushed and then your vet can prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection.

It sounds as though Bo is quite uncomfortable since she's scratching her ears excessively to the point of bleeding. While this is not a life-threatening emergency, it is certainly causing some degree of pain and discomfort, which necessitates a more urgent vet visit. It's likely that the ear mite medication didn't work because her issue may be caused by an ear infection with bacteria and/or yeast. At this point, your best option is to call your vet to ask about scheduling an urgent visit. I hope that she feels better soon!

Yes. I would recommend to take her to the vet. The doctor will likely put her on antibiotics to try to clean up the infection. You also need to make sure that she is not licking at the area as this can make it worse. She should wear an Elizabethan collar at all times and be kept indoors completely until the wound is completely healed. I hope she feels better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. Hunter may require antibiotics for such a deep cut. I would visit with your veterinarian to see if this is necessary, especially before an infection sets up in the ear. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.