My dog's cheek wound is white and crusty. Is it a scab or infection?

The wound looks puffy from the photo (but I would need to palpate it to know for sure). The crusty area next to it could indicate another wound that is scabbed over or it could indicate a bacterial infection or ringworm (which humans can get). Your best option is to have Sophie examined by the veterinarian in case the wound is infected. She would be placed on antibiotics if that is the case. They could also test her for ringworm if it looks suspicious on exam. Make sure to protect the wound from scratching or licking. Sophie may need to wear an elizabethan collar if she can lick the area. A doggie shirt can help protect it from scratching. You do not want to disrupt the scab (it's nature's bandaide). I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It looks like she has a skin infection. You could clean it with a wound wash and see if that helps. Otherwise, have your vet examine her to determine the cause and treat. She might need an antibiotic and corticosteroid to help treat.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is difficult to know without an examination. However, this is possibly due to a severe infection or even a growth is possible. I would highly recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

It sounds like she has a hotspot which could be secondary to allergies and/or an infection. The best thing would be to have your vet take a look at it to determine the best way to treat. She may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and or a corticosteroid to treat and your vet can prescribe. If you can't take her to a vet than you could clean the area with an antiseptic wound cleaner but if she keeps scratching the area than it will not heal. Covering the area probably will not work but you could get an E-collar to prevent her from scratching.

If he doesn't seem to be bothered by it, you could try to clean the area with an wound wash and see if that loosens up the scab. Shaving the hair with a pair of clippers may also help. If the scab persists and/or he has other lesions, then he should be examined and treated by a vet. He may need an antibiotic and allergy medications to help treat.

Ouch! If you haven't already, your may want to have a biopsy done of the scab or the affected area and then sent to a lab. This can help determine what is going on with the cells there (whether its abnormal or just poor healing) and can also be checked for bacteria, yeast, etc that may be slowing healing and need treatment.

This sounds like a hotspot which may require antibiotics and also antiinflammatory/pain medication to reduce the scratchinh as prescribed by your vet. Be sure to keep the wound clean and bathe 2-3times daily with dilute chlorhexidine or saline in order to reduce the infection.