My dog has a hard, dark spot on his ear. Is it a scab or infection?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like a small, scabbed-up wound. As long as it is not bothering Koda, she is not scratching the ear excessively and there is no discharge around the scab, you should monitor her at home. It should fully heal up in 5-7 days. However, if the ear becomes swollen or painful, you will have to take her to your local vets for an appointment.

Hi there. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is definitely a scab but from what, I don't know. This could be from trauma, an insect bite (like a tick) or the start of a skin infection. Unfortunately there is no way to tell for sure. I wouldn't be overly worried at this stage. Personally, if Buffy were my dog, I would just leave it alone and monitor it. But, if you want to do something at home, you can apply a thin layer of an antibiotic ointment over it twice a day. If it doesn't heal or it looks worse at any stage then get him to your vet for an exam. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It could be a scab that fell off, a fungal infection, a bacterial infection, or a mite. It looks quiet right now. I would leave it alone and continue to monitor it. If it’s starting to get larger or Luna won’t leave it alone, I would have a vet take a closer look. Kisses to Luna!

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria or fungal). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics or antifungal meds (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can possibly be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar is useful as well to avoid any scratching (as you have used). 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.

This appears to be some sort of topical dermatitis. It can be caused by an underlying allergy, a bacterial infection or a fungal infection. You will most likely need to put a topical medication on the sores to help them clear up. You can try some triple antibiotic ointment at home and see if that helps. If not, you will need to take Chico to see your veterinarian. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a hot spot. This is basically a bacterial infection secondary to self-trauma such as scratching. This is possibly secondary to allergies or another cause resulting in itchiness. I recommend that you have Bella evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If confirmed a hot spot on examination, then they would start her on antibiotics and something like steroids to decrease the itch. In the meantime, you can use an e-collar which you may get from your local pet store to try to prevent further scratching. Good luck and have a good night!