My dog has an infected wound. Does he need tetanus or antibiotics?

Tetanus and rabies vaccinations are good - glad you got that but you also need antibiotics. The wound sounds infected. Dogs have dirty mouths with a lot of bacteria. I suggest you go to the doctor and get some antibiotics. You are not getting rabies so don't be worried about that.

Hi, I would recommend you clip all the fur around the area and clean it with some diluted chlorexidine twice a day for the next 3-4 days.The antibiotics and antinflammatories you are giving are fine but Ronny might need to have that wound sutured, it looks quite a large gap between skin edges.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you do not see any evidence of a wound, it is not likely that we was injured by the cutting board. While tetanus is commonly associated with rusty objects, it is not rust objects that harbor the tetanus bacteria. Rusty objects can often be found in dirt and in areas that tend to harbor bacteria, which is why it is commonly said rusty objects cause tetanus. Just because it is rusty does not mean it will cause tetanus. If Casper was not wounded, I would not be too worried about the risk of him getting tetanus. Even if he was injured by the cutting board I would not be too concerned. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Tetanus is not contagious to people or other dogs. Tetanus symptoms are caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium tetani. The bacteria needs to grow DEEP in a wound where oxygen can't reach. I hope this helps!

This appears to be an infected wound. It looks like it has been caused by some sort of penetrating object. The antibiotics should start to kick in and sort the infection. You can clean the outside with warm water that has been boiled. If it is not improving go back to the vet in case there is a foreign body inside it.

He needs to be taken to the vet as it looks infected, he will need a course of antibiotics, i don't think this will require stitching but a bandage with a local cream may also be needed to help it heal faster.

Oh dear, poor Jack! Dog bite wounds can become infected quickly and can cause far more damage under the skin than is visible on the surface. I strongly recommend taking Jack to his vet for evaluation since surgery can be necessary for many bite wounds to assure that the wound is clean, tissue is healthy, and that underlying organs and structures have not been damaged. The vet will also likely prescribe antibiotics (cephalexin, cefpodoxime, amoxicillin-clavulinic acid are typically used in these cases) and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (such as carprofen, deracoxib, or meloxicam) if his liver and kidney blood values are normal. The vet will also likely recommend an e-collar (cone) to prevent Jack from licking or scratching at the wound, unless the collar would directly rub on the wound and cause further irritation. I hope this helps and that Jack feels better soon!