My dog has a cut or graze that looks infected. What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the picture the cut looks superficial. I would keep it clean and dry with a mild soap and water and continue the neosporine. If you notice it’s hot to the touch, has any drainage or is swollen, then contact a vet. Kisses to your pup!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If at all possible I recommend a vet visit to see if this wound could be closed. Suturing it closed may allow much faster healing than leaving it open. Otherwise be sure to keep it clean and dry. You can use an antiseptic like betadine or chlorhexidine once to clean it. Be sure to dilute cleaner then rinse well. Use just today or if the wound gets extremely dirty. Using daily can actually slow healing. Keep the area clean and dry. I recommend Ares stay primarily indoors until it is closed as he could get a maggot infestation of flies lay eggs on the wound. Using hydrotherapy or gentle water from a hose is a good way to keep it clean. If there is swelling, discharge or pain, Ares needs to see a vet for medications. I hope he heals quickly.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a fairly superficial wound at least based on this picture. However, it would still be a good idea to have him evaluated by a veterinarian to look at it more closely in case it is deeper than what it looks like. Also, these can be painful and can get infected so your veterinarian could potentially start antibiotics and pain control medications. If superficial, these wounds tend to respond well to therapy and heal relatively quickly. Good luck and have a good night!

Hello. I think you need to use your best judgement on this. You can try cleaning the area with a chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine skin scrub ( usually available at all pharmacies ) twice a day, & if it does not seem to be healing or appears to be getting worse over the next few days to a week & it continues to worry you, then do see your veterinarian. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is very hard to say if the wound is infected or not without examining your dog in full. In general, infected wounds are discharging, smelly, hot and painful to touch. Many dogs with infected wounds are generally unwell. A visit at your local vets is recommended to assess the wound and decide on the best treatment for Oreo. I suspect he may be prescribed an antibiotic cream or ointment to speed up healing.

Thank you so much for giving us more detail. Of course, we can't tell for sure, but that looks like a small tear or cut which could have happened from a kennel edge, scissors, clippers, or a sharp edge of a table, etc. I would expect more tearing or bruising if it was a dog bite. The wound looks clean, but I would still recommend an antibacterial cleaner/wash since there is likely bacterial from the skin that has gotten into the wound. Most of the time, that is all we recommend for small wounds like that because they will heal well as long as they are kept clean and protected. Depending on where the wound is, you may need to use an e-collar or shirt to keep it protected and keep Sonny from licking at it since that may cause it to get infected. If at any point the wound is red, swollen or oozing a yellow or green discharge, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine it. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and Sonny heals quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. It does not look infected to me, and it looks like it’s healing. I’d keep an eye on it for now. If you see swelling, warmth to the touch, extreme redness, and pus, have him seen by a vet. Should it not get better or gets bigger, also have him seen by a vet. Keep the area clean and dry. I hope this helps.