My dog's ear scab has yellow pus. Is it infected? What should I do?

It may be infected as a scab has formed and trapped the bacteria. I would gently soak the area and clean it with soap and water. Then place neosporin on it. I would also make an appointment with my vet to to have it checked to see if oral antibiotics are needes

The yellow pus is compatible with a bacterial infection of the ear canal. Immediate check up and antibiotic ear drops are required to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

If it really is just a scab, then I would leave it alone, since pulling it off will hurt and may cause bleeding. Scabs are there to protect the new tissue that is growing underneath. Scabs can often be confused by small moles, ticks, small papillomas or warts, or even a tumor. When Sven is calm and sitting near you, look and see if it looks like a scab (usually flat) or something else. If it is something else, then you should have it checked out by a vet.

With that amount of dirt and wax from his ears, it is possible it is ear mites, a bacterial or yeast infection, or just dirt. If there is an odor, any redness or he is shaking or scratching his head, then I would get his ears checked to make sure. The scab may be a pustules from a bite. If it is the only one, then you can apply some cortisone cream and alternate it with Neosporin. If it does not improve over the next 2 days, then it will need to be checked by your regular vet.

Ouch! That does look pretty irritated, so if it doesn't scab over or continues to look weepy, it's a good idea to have your vet take that look on Wednesday as it may need some anitbiotics. What you're doing at home currently is perfect! I'd continue to use the E-collar to prevent pawing at it, and keep the area clean and dry. You can use a clean compress to gently keep it clean so as to not cause more irritation by rubbing at it or accidentally bumping the scab as excessive cleaning may actually be slowing down the healing process. It should be fine to wait until Wednesday to have it looked at unless it massively swells up, becomes painful to the touch, or starts to ooze any cloudy or green discolored debris (all signs of infection).

Have him examined by your veterinarian. There may be serious infection and possibly an aural hematoma if she has been shaking her head. A hematoma develops when a blood vessel is broken in the ear flap due to shaking. This results in an ear that looks like a small pillow. Treatment is typically surgical. An ear infection can be diagnosed by examining a swab of the ear under a microscope. This can be done in the clinic. Infection can be caused by bacteria, yeast or a combination of both. The treatment will depend on the cause. "Simple" ear infections can be treated topically and usually resolve within 10-14 days. Place an e-collar (cone) on Nicki to prevent rubbing or pawing until she sees the vet.

From the photo it looks like an injury to the ear tip. These often bleed and the scab would make it look black and crusty. It should heal fine without treatment other than what your are doing by applying the antibiotic ointment. It’s best not to rub the area since leaving the scab on will protect the injured area as it’s healing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pua.