My dog won't stop licking a raw spot. When should I call the vet?

Hello. It is difficult to tell exactly where & what is going on, but the first thing I would recommend is to place an Elizabethan collar on Gemma to prevent her from reaching the area. I think bathing her in some lukewarm water is an excellent idea, you might want to add a handful of Epsom salts to the water, too. After rinsing, gently clean the area with a skin antiseptic such as Hibiclens ( available at all pharmacies ) & dab dry ( do not rinse off ). But the important thing is to prevent her from continuing to annoy the skin, so get that collar on her soo. You can buy these at any pet retailer or Tractor Supply. If the area is not healing within a few days, please see your veterinarian about this. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Ouch! That does look like a bit of a sore spot. If you have an appointment already scheduled, I would just place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Bentley to prevent him from continuing to lick the food as licking it can make the spot worse and introduce bacteria/cause an infection in an already inflamed wound. Keeping the sore spot clean and dry with the use of a washcloth is also a good idea until your appointment. If you do see any rapid changes in size, it starts oozing debris badly, or it is painful enough that Bentley can't walk on it, then trying to get in for an appointment sooner is best.

This doesn't look like a typical hot spot but the area is clearly bothering Riley. Be careful with the hydrocortisone cream. He may be licking it off, and the ingredients are not safe for him to ingest. I'd have him seen by a vet for this problem.

If Cal constantly chews on it it may be that the licking and chewing is behaviorally based rather than injury based. Having the area checked by your vet is a good option, however, to rule out any possible causes such as an underling infection or allergy. It is also a good idea to not allow Cal to continue licking and chewing on the spot and to use an Elizabethan (cone) collar until the area is completely healed. Allowing him to lick and chew on it will just prolong the healing period and the saliva may introduce a secondary infection into the area.

Poor Tardis! I would try to use a cortisone or Benadryl spray on the area and put an cone collar on her to prevent the licking. You can also give her oral Benadryl if needed for itching. See link below. If it persists despite trying this or if it worsens then yes, I would certainly take her in. Your vet will be able to give her stronger meds to help this heal faster. It will never heal if she doesn't stop licking it though so the cone collar is very important. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/#

That may be an infection. It's clearly bothering your dog because she is licking it. I would take her into a vet in the morning to have this diagnosed and treated. Tonight, put an Ecollar on her to keep her from licking it. You can make one at home. http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. It is possible that Hercules caused a hotspot like area on the foot. I would recommend using a plastic cone around his head to prevent him from licking at it further. I would then recommend using an antiseptic spray such as Malacetic conditioning spray and apply to the area until resolved. If there is no improvement or the skin condition worsens I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. 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.