My dog's ear tip is cut, black, and crusty. Does it require a vet visit?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It appears from the pictures that the area is healing over. If this is dry and dark in color, this indicates it is likely healing. This spot will likely flake off once completely healed. If it continues to grow in size or does not resolve, I would have the veterinarian recheck the area so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please remember to rate this answer as helpful or not. Thank you!

Hello. It looks like some of the other pups have been chewing on the ear. It will definitely continue to heal on its own & the swelling will go down. To combat the dry cracked skin, you can rub a little aloe vera onto the ear tip, but watch to make sure more puppy teeth do not continue to go after the ear. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If it is healing and she has stopped scratching I would continue your treatment plan until the area has scabbed over. If it fails to heal I recommend having your Vet examine it and see if antibiotics are needed. I hope this helps and I wish Winnie the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a scab which probably formed secondary to some type of injury or traumatic event. As long as it continues to heal up then Buffy is likely going to be just fine. If at any point you notice any discharge or it becomes open, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good day!

It’s hard to say if he tail is infected since it just looks crusty now with the treatment. It does look swollen. Test it for pain or being able to feel heat as this can indicate infection. If that is detected, try to get him into the veterinarian ASAP. Applying sterile petroleum jelly can also help condition the skin and promote healing. The biggest component is to prevent more trauma. He ears do not appear red or seem to have an excessive amount of debris so I would say that look normal to me. Definitely keep an eye on the ears for redness, odor or shaking the head as this indicates a problem. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

He will be fine. You’ve already applied the medication so don’t clean it as you may break the scab and start it bleeding again. This is a common injury and it will heal in a few days to a week. I recommend using clippers rather than scissors to trim the fur as it’s safer. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Max.

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).