My dog has an open wound on his knee. When should I see a vet?

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.

This wound requires an immediate check up and possibly a stitch up as it seems infected and it is unlikely that will heal without immediate intervention. Proper disinfection and antibiotic treatment is required. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Ouch - poor pup! This wound looks quite deep, so yes - I would definitely recommend a vet visit. This may need stitches, depending on how long ago it happened, and your pup will certainly need antibiotics to prevent it from becoming infected while it heals.

That is usually a good thing that she is not limping or acting like it is bothering her. The photo has a lot of hair in the way and I can’t get a clear view of the wound, but the area looks bigger than I was expecting. A healthy dog like Wendy can often heal most superficial wounds. If the wound was deep, meaning you could see that the skin was cut all the way through, then she should see her veterinarian. If the wound was more like a scrape, then she can likely heal it on her own. You will need to make sure that Wendy does not lick at the area as that can make it get infected. Have Wendy wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. This will prevent the licking. If the area around the wound looks swollen or you see any discharge, or pain when you press on it, have her see the veterinarian as well. If you have any other questions or can post a photo with the hair pushed out-of-the-way, please feel free to post again.

Those wounds should be seen by your vet for care, even if they elect to not suture them. Bites can carry bacteria deep into the tissue, causing infection. I recommend getting him in to see your vet as soon as possible for evaluation and wound care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a fairly superficial wound at least based on this picture. However, it would still be a good idea to have him evaluated by a veterinarian to look at it more closely in case it is deeper than what it looks like. Also, these can be painful and can get infected so your veterinarian could potentially start antibiotics and pain control medications. If superficial, these wounds tend to respond well to therapy and heal relatively quickly. Good luck and have a good night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am afraid that this wound may take more local therapy for it to really heal. This means local cleaning, debridement and potentially closing it with stitches. At the same time, I think antibiotics at this point should be chosen based on a culture to be more specific in terms of what is being used specifically targeting the infectious organism. If treated appropriately, this is likely going to heal well. Good luck!