My dog has a red, irritated armpit sore. What should I put on it?

Poor Cooper! Skin lesions can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. Based on the pictures it looks like Cooper’s skin is likely causing him pain, but dogs are very good at hiding signs of discomfort. I recommend making an appointment to have Cooper seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the sores you’ve noticed and to make sure they are treated appropriately. The vet will likely wan to look at a sample from the area under the microscope to determine if there is an infection and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From the picture you provided it does look as though there is quite a bit of redness / irritation. I would recommend using Sentry wound ointment, which you can find at PetCo or online. You can apply this twice daily to the area. If there is no improvement after 48-72 hours, I would recommend having this examined by your veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Poor Diesel! Thank you for providing a picture of his wound, it helps me formulate my answer. It looks like it may be starting to heal, I think I see a scab formation starting, and I will give you some advice for general wound care at home. 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. Hopefully it heals without problem!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Ninja! I can not see the skin well in the pictures due to all the hair. I am not seeing an open wound but more of a sore. If the area is flat, red, moist and weeping it is likely a hot spot. Hot spots are superficial skin infections that occur secondary to allergies, scratching and excessively moist fur (like after a bath or swimming). They crop up very quickly and get larger just as quick. I treat hot spots by shaving all the fur away, having owners use an E-collar or T-shirt to prevent further scratching and I prescribe a course of oral antibiotics and tapering course of steroids along with a topical spray. Most hot spots with this treatment heal with in 5 days. I would make an appointment with your Vet. I wish you the best!

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking (if any). 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

This looks like an area of moist dermatitis, or hot spot. They get these from licking or rubbing an area of skin that was irritated from an insect bite, allergy or injury. To treat this I recommend trimming the fur around the area, then cleaning off the discharge with warm water and antibacterial soap. Once it’s rinsed and dried you can apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. The most important thing is to prevent her from scratching or rubbing this area so it can heal. Use a cone if needed. If it’s not improving then I recommend a veterinary exam and treatment. They may give medication to prevent the itching, and possible a topical spray or ointment to dry up the skin. Hot spots are common in Goldens so I’d have a cone and medication on hand to treat these at home before they get bad. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Daisy.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. 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.