My dog's nose is red and sore. Why is he licking it so much?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While this may be caused by a bite from another dog, from my experience, this looks a little bit more like a wound from nudging something constantly with the nose. Perhaps nudging a door to a crate, or sticking his nose under a door repeatedly. I recommend keeping a close eye on the area, and maybe even getting Bear an E-collar or "cone" so that he does not cause further trauma to the area. I advise against applying antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin as Bear is likely to lick them off quickly. I hope this helps and that all is well with Bear!

These types of lesions are normally seen with a skin infection, but ringworm does not typically look like this. The fact that she has been licking more may be the reason for her developing a skin infection of her muzzle. These infections often develop when there is excessive moisture, or when something is irritating the muzzle. This can happen when their mouth has contact with a plant, or substance that irritates the skin. These type of infections are usually managed well at home with daily cleaning. I recommend rinsing the are with cool water, then wiping it with a medicated wipe (can get this at the pet store). It's best if you can do this twice a day. If the lesions are not starting to heal after a week of treatment, or are getting worse, then I recommend taking her to the vet. The vet will be able to diagnose the specific cause of this and provide the best treatment. I hope that helps and Little Bear gets better soon.

Poor baby. Definitely looks red and irritated. It may need oral antibiotics or possibly just some topical antibiotics. I would call and schedule an exam and get the correct medications. The cause could be infection, allergies, immune mediated conditions, and more. Needs to be looked at a little more closely.

Hello, thank you for your question about Bear. Based on Bear's relatively young age and the photo that you have provided I would be suspicious that Bear is experiencing a mild bacterial or viral infection in this area. Puppies are often more susceptible to viruses such as the papilloma virus more than adult dogs, this virus typically forms cauliflower like growths in/around the mouth, but certain forms can be more mild and not lead to these signs. It is possible that Bear has a bacterial infection, these are usually fairly benign and self limiting. Another possibility is that Bear is experiencing sensitivity or an allergy to something in his environment leading to this lesion. Some dogs are very sensitive to certain types of food bowls or toys, and can develop these lesion secondary to this. I would recommend having Bear evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can examine the lesion and Bear's mouth. They can discuss the need for additional diagnostics such as an impression smear or gentle sampling of the area. Depending on these findings they can then make recommendations for necessary treatments such as antibiotics. Hope this helps, good luck!

Depending on your dog's age and clinical signs, this could be a few different things. A fungal infection is certainly possible, and if this is the case, it will definitely require a systemic anti-fungal rather than something topical to rid the problem. Bacterial or viral infections can also cause this sort of thing. Another distinct possibility are certain types of tumors. One that come to mind in particular is call a TVT (transmissible venereal tumor). We see this a lot in young, in tact male dogs although it can in theory occur in any canine. Other cancerous growths can occur on the nose and face as well, but this one is fairly common. The only way to know for sure will be to obtain cytology and/or biopsies of the affected areas. I would strongly recommend getting Vador into the vet to be examined sometime soon. These sorts of things are best dealt with head on in the beginning. Hope this helps.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Frank. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. I am worried about his nose. It is possible that he has an autoimmune skin disease that is resulting in the signs you see. If his veterinarian suspects this to be the case, he will likely need a biopsy taken from the nose. Based on these results, treatment can be prescribed. This issue is not likely related to his intestinal parasites. I hope this information helps!

Sometimes these lesions can occur from rubbing the muzzle on cages doors, carpets...etc. Sometimes they can also be from infection and less commonly from an autoimmune disease. I would recommend to have him examined by his veterinarian who will likely prescribe medication orally. Treating this area topically can be difficult as most dogs will lick off any medication you apply to the area so oral medications are generally best. You should also protect the area from further rubbing with an elizabethan collar which should be worn at all times. You can try gently washing the ears with an antibacterial hand soap (rinse well) once daily if he tolerate it. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.