My dog has an open sore under its mouth. What should I do now?

Thank you for contacting PetCoach with your question about Louis. It looks like he could have a skin infection, but without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain. You can try putting an Ecollar on him tonight to keep him from rubbing at his mouth. You can make one at home, and I will put a link below on how to make one. Have him seen by a vet first thing in the morning. I hope this helps! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Poor Stella! I would gently clean it with warm water and antiseptic soap. To keep her from scratching at it, you can put an Ecollar on her. You can get one at a pet store or make one at home. 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 she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I hope this helps!

It could be skin fold dermatitis, either bacterial or fungal. Until he gets to see the vet, you can try wiping it with a little hydrogen peroxide every day. You can also apply a little Neosporin, but he will probably lick it right off again.

Ouch, poor Wups! He could have injured himself leading to the sore. I would gently clean it with warm water and antiseptic soap, then have him seen by a vet. If the blood is cloudy, I would be concerned the sore is infected and he will need antibiotics to treat the infection. The vet is the only one who can prescribe them. Have him seen by a vet today if possible, but not as an emergency; otherwise, have him seen by a vet tomorrow.

Ouch! That sore does look pretty large, and if you suspect it was food-allergy related, switching back to his other food (or a different bag) is a good idea. I would continue to keep it as clean and dry as possible, and if it's not healing, or has already been there several days, bring Bear into your vet. Your vet can carefully trim the hair in the area to see how large the sore is, thoroughly clean it, and provide you with antibiotics and pain meds as needed to help the area heal and Bear feel more comfortable. In the meantime, keeping the area clean and dry, keeping Bear from rubbing or pawing at it with an E-collar or T-shirt, and keeping the site monitored is best.

Poor Marley! Thank you for providing pictures of the area. If there is pus, that means the sore is infected. He will need to see a vet for antibiotics to treat it. Tonight, wash the area with warm water and antiseptic soap to clean it, and then take him into the vet in the morning to have it examined and treated. Put an Ecollar on him tonight to keep him from scratching at it and possibly making it worse. You can make one at home, and I will put a link below on how to make one. While at the vet, I recommend having his ear examined as well. I notice the sore is below is his ear, and I'm wondering if he has been scratching excessively at his ear causing the sore. This can be a sign of an ear infection. The vet can examine his ear, and if he does have an ear infection, the vet can diagnose the cause (ear mites, yeast, or bacteria), and can prescribe treatment for it. Good luck, I hope this helps and thank you for contacting Pet Coach! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Poor Duke! I would gently clean the wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. To keep him from licking at it, you can put an Ecollar on him. You can get one at a pet store or make one at home. 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. I hope this helps!