My dog has a neck scratch or cut, but seems fine. What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At least on this picture this looks very superficial and it is very likely that it will resolve on its own as long as the area is kept nice and clean. If you have noticed Dexter licking at it, an e-collar to prevent that would be ideal. Otherwise, this should continue getting better. If no major improvement in the next week or so, have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment which may include antibiotics. Good luck and have a great day!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. The wound should heal, but be sure that he is not licking it as this will lead to an infection. He may need to wear an E-collar while he is healing. If the wound looks worse, becomes painful or develops a discharge, then he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

It could be an injury from outside. I would gently clean Milo's wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and he will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. Best of luck.

Poor Jasper. I would gently clean the wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and he will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it.

It looks as if Ava has a scratch or abrasion of some sort. My best guess would be that she got it roughhousing with another dog at the dog park. Or, if you have noticed that she is itchy, she may have caused some self trauma by scratching too hard. You could try putting some triple antibiotic ointment on the area for a couple days and see if that helps it heal up. If it persists for more than a few days or if you noticed that Ava is very itchy, then I would recommend taking her to the vet to be checked out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Poor Lucky! I'm glad to hear that his vet will be checking him out tomorrow. From the picture, the skin lesion looks most like a hot spot (aka acute moist dermatitis). If you have clippers on hand, you can try to carefully trip the hair over and around this skin lesion to allow for better air flow. You can also gently clean his skin with an antiseptic solution, such as diluted chlorhexidine or diluted betadine, but be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. If Lucky is scratching at his neck, it would be best to put an e-collar (cone) on until his appointment. The vet may need to prescribe antibiotics, steroids, or topical sprays to help this lesion to heal. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! What else to do for it depends on what it looks like on physical examination which is hard for me to tell without an evaluation. If it looks superficial and you cleaned it then it is likely to heal. However, it may not if it is deep or it is infected. If no improvement or worsening in the next few days, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!