My dog escaped and has wounds on her mouth. What should I do?

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Gracie! It’s tough to be certain of the severity of her wounds without examining myself, but fortunately those wounds don’t appear to be too serious from the photos. I think it’s unlikely that she’ll need stitches. However, bite wounds tend to get infected, so I would bring Gracie in to your vet when they open tomorrow, as they’ll likely want to start her on antibiotics. In the meantime, keep those wounds clean by gently washing them with warm soapy water (Dawn dish soap works well). I hope this helps and she feels better!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This appears to be a wound but I am unsure as to where on the body it is located since the photo is zoomed in. Based on its appearance, I would recommend getting Charlie in to be seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate treatment recommendations can be made. The longer this goes unseen, the more risk there is for infection. I would recommend having this evaluated and potentially putting Charlie on antibiotics and pain medications to help treat this. I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm so sorry to hear about Darby, I can imagine that was very scary for both of you! I would recommend having Darby seen by a veterinarian as soon as you can. Dog bite wounds can be very extensive, beyond what you can see on the surface. There can be significant soft tissue injury that you cannot see, and a wound that looks like a small puncture can actually have deep pocketing and tissue damage. Also, dog bite wounds are very prone to becoming infected, as the bacteria in a dog's mouth can infect your dog's skin and prevent the wounds from healing. Your veterinarian will likely want to sedate Darby so he/she can clip the hair around the wounds and clean them out. Based on Darby's physical exam, your veterinarian may also recommend x-rays to look for evidence of other trauma, such as lung contusions (bruises) or fractures. Your veterinarian can also prescribe pain medications and antibiotics. As a reminder, NEVER give dogs pain medication which is intended for humans, as they can be fatally toxic to dogs. Darby may be scared of dogs for a little while after this event, which is to be expected. I hope this is helpful, and good luck with Darby!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bree and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. I agree, that sore looks very painful and sore, and I'm concerned it could be infected. This should not be treated at home. I would take her into a vet immediately to get this treated. If it is infected, the vet can prescribe antibiotics. Please take her into a vet now. Best of luck.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Leia. Poor girl! From the picture, it looks like there may be some tissue missing around her lip, and she may need stitches. I do think it's best you take her into a vet now to get this treated. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I highly recommend that you have both of your pups evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. These wounds can get infected very easily. Also, it is crucial to check if any of these wounds need further local therapy such as stitches. Your veterinarian could also start pain medications as usually lacerations like that are painful. Good luck and have a good day!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Moon! If your dogs got in to a fight then it is possible that there is a wound in her mouth. Blood does smell like metal. It is difficult to find small wounds in the mouth of an awake dog. I want to reassure you that small wounds in the mouth usually heal quickly on their own. If you are not seeing blood, bloody drool, she is comfortable, isn't doing weird things with her mouth, is eating and drinking then I wouldn't worry. Another possibility is that during the fight one of the dogs expressed their anal glands. Anal glands well like sulfury, fishy, metallic stool. Check around both dogs hind ends. Clean them with soap and water if you notice the smell there. I wish you the best!