My dog has painful black gunk on his lips. How can I help him?

This looks like a bacterial and possibly yeast in his skin folds from his saliva. This is really common in larger dogs with large lip folds. You could try to use some medicated wipes like miconahex-triz wipes. If it isn't healing, then I would have your vet take a look at it. He will likely need some antibiotics and possibly an anti-fungal medicine to help this heal. I hope this helps!

Hi there! In looking at the pictures you have submitted of Nixon's lips It looks like he could have a mild skin infection called lipfold dermatitis. This can be either bacterial or yeast. And it does appear to be mild. Other possibilities would be irritation from his canine tooth rubbing or maybe auto immune conditions. Since it does appear mild you can try once daily topical cleaning of the areas with over-the-counter astringent pads. Those type of pads that the store sells for acne. If you don't see any improvement within a week or if it is getting worse I would recommend you take Nixon in to see his vet. They will be able to closely examine him to make sure it isn't something more serious and if they do think it is an infection they can prescribe medication for him. I hope you found this information helpful. I wish you and Nixon all the best!

Poor guy! Your can try this: It won’t hurt him if he licks it off. However, if it’s not improving in 5 days or so, I would recommend that you schedule a recheck with your vet. I’m worried he may need antibiotics, as he may have a deep skin infection. If it continues to be a problem , a skin biopsy may be recommended. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like the area around his mouth is infected but without seeing him I can’t tell you what kind. It’s not emergent, but I would recommend your parents taking him to a vet for an exam, diagnosis and treatment. They may need to look at his skin under the microscope. As I said, it’s not emergent but I do recommend it is looked at up close. Good luck and kisses to Hachi!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like Seb has a skin infection around his mouth. Staffy's commonly have a microscopic skin mite called demodex. I recommend taking Seb to a vet to scrape the skin for the mite and treat the infection with antibiotics. Good luck and kisses to Seb!

You could give him a bathe with a medicated dog shampoo and see if that helps. If not, he should be rechecked by a vet to determine the cause and treatment. It sounds like he could have a bacterial and/or yeast infection so oral medications may be necessary. If your vet is not able to diagnose the problem and treat and then you could go to another vet for a second opinion. He may need an antibiotic, antifungal, and/or an anti-inflammatory to help treat the problem.

Toby is a very handsome man! If the area continues to bother him (if it stays swollen and he doesn't want you touching it) I recommend making an appointment to have him seen by a vet for diagnosis and treatment of the issue. If the swelling spreads elsewhere, he develops hives, or he begins to have any difficulty breathing, have him seen by a vet right away, as this could be a sign of a serious allergic reaction. If you are using plastic food or water bowls I recommend switching to stainless steel or glass and washing them thoroughly every day, as sometimes plastic bowls and the bacteria that can live on them can lead to irritation of the lips/ chin. If you think Toby may have chewed on an electrical wire and that may have caused the lesion on his lip, let your vet know right away, as this can be very painful.