My dog's happy tail injury looks crusty. Is it infected and serious?

Aww poor Beau! The good news is that this tail looks pretty good to me. I can’t say for certain without looking at it but this could be normal healthy granulation tissue filling in his wound/surgery site. It could possibly be a small suture reaction or incision infection. If you can keep Beau from licking it (E collar), you can apply a triple antibiotic cream (Neosporin, etc) once or twice daily. Do not bandage the tail. Best of luck and hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tato. Necrosis of the tail is a very serious condition that typically occurs after tail surgery or serious injury. He may have a scab on the end of his tail from repeating damaging from wagging it when he gets excited. Pit bulls can also be prone to an overgrowth of mites known as Demodex. This is usually bald or scabby lesions. Ringworm can also make a crusty lesion. While it is likely not a serious problem for him, it is best for him to see his veterinarian to know for sure. He should certainly be seen though if the lesion grows, bleeds or starts to bother him. I hope this information helps!

These look like little crusts associated with a skin infection. Your dog was probably chewing his tail excessively and caused the skin infection. If it is localized to only the tail he probably will not need antibiotics. You can try to use a topical antibiotic ointment on the area to help clear it up. If you cannot get it to clear up or if it begins to spread I would recommend taking Louie in to the vet to be checked out.

Looks like an infection but I don't know what the underlying cause is. If he doesn't seem too bothered you can try applying this wound spray (you should be able to get it a your local Petco). If after 5-7 days of treatment, if no improvement or it worsens, he should see a vet. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-hot-spot-antimicrobial-gel-for-dogs )

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.

Sometimes dogs can get what we refer to as 'happy tail'. This is where they wag their tail so much that they hit it on walls and furniture and it causes an injury. This looks like what may be going on with your dog. Although Diesel's looks pretty painful and like it may be infected. You could try using a topical antibiotic, like neosporin, and see if that helps. If there is no change I would recommend you take Diesel to the vet because he may need an oral antibiotic and the vet may choose to wrap the tail to keep it protected.

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.