My dog's bite wound is cracking open. Is it healing or infected?

It’s so tough to tell from pictures alone, but I don’t see anything alarming. If you see any discharge from the wound, or if it seems to be opening up I’d recheck from the vet. From what I can see, if healing continues normally Olive should be fine.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the photo, it looks like Milo has sutures under the skin, which you cannot see. There does seem to be a mild amount of swelling and redness of the incision, and a very slightly opened area. Swelling and redness, especially if accompanied by discharge, are signs of infection. Milo should definitely be wearing his E-collar at all times. Licking and chewing can cause the sutures to loosen and the incision to open. You can apply a warm compress the the area several times a day to reduce swelling and promote healing. If you notice that incision opens more, there is any bleeding or discharge, or the area feels hot to the touch, Milo should be seen by his vet as soon as possible. I hope this helps and that all is well!

The wound actually looks very good. Make sure it does not get contaminated with dirt. You need to keep your dog from licking the wound as the licking may get it infected with bacteria. Should the wound start to ooze or show pus, you should have it examined by a vet who will then give you an antibiotic ointment to alleviate that.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor girl! This actually look more like a scab from some mild trauma. While I do not see evidence of a bite in that picture, that is still possible and an examination would be needed to determine that for sure. Because it is small and mild, I think it would be ok to treat at home. You may apply a thin film of triple antibiotic ointment on the affected area twice daily for 5 days. If this does not improve or resolves, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. There is a very good chance that this will improve quickly. However, if you notice any signs of worsening, like severe swelling, have her evaluated. Good luck and have a great day!

Poor guy. Bite wounds often are left open in small areas to allow the infection to drain out before it then heals over by 2nd intention healing. I would only suggest covering this with a loose t-shirt for now. As long as there are no signs of infection (yellow or purulent discharge with a foul odor) and no large gaping openings (typically >2 cm), then it should be ok to wait until Monday to get him checked again by your vet. Based on the picture I don't see any majorly open wounds there. You can safely flush this area with sterile saline from your local pharmacy to help keep infection at bay since the wounds are slightly open. But again, dog bite woulds can be left often for the first few days to allow draining to occur before things heal up on their own with granulation tissue that the body will make itself. I do hope that Aussie's wounds heal up well soon! Best of luck moving forward and take care.

I am sorry to hear about your dog! I would recommend bringing him in to his vet to examine the wound if it is not improving. It probably needs to be shaved and cleaned (I cannot see the actual wound in the photo so assume it is covered in fur and the wet area on the cheek). Often bites are puncture wounds and are deep and sometimes do require antibiotics to treat infection.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly an infection site though it is hard to really see well based on a picture. An examination would be really helpful in determining what is the most likely cause. Since it has already started improving, I would recommend you continue monitoring this. If you notice any discharge, bleeding or pain from it, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Best of luck!