My anxious dog rubbed his face raw in crate. Does he need vet care?

Ouch, poor Oprah! I would gently clean her 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 she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. It sounds like she could have some separation anxiety, and it getting upset in her crate. You can get a pheromone diffuser called DAP that helps dogs with anxiety and pair that will a DAP pheromone collar that releases pheromones when in contact with her skin. If these methods do not help her, then I recommend having her seen by a vet to discuss the use of anti-anxiety medications. Best of luck, I hope this helps and enjoy your new dog!

It’s hard to say from a picture. It could be a bruise or abrasion, rash, or infection. The vet will take a close look at all of Tobi’s skin and hopefully create a treatment that help with the skin (if needed) and anxiety.

It is not uncommon for dogs to traumatize the top of their nose when they are in a kennel or cage and trying to get out. They usually rub a sore on the wire part of the cage. If the wound does not seem to be bothering her, you may be okay waiting to see her regular veterinarian. If she seems uncomfortable or the wound/rash are worsening or spreading, then it may be best to get her in somewhere sooner. If you start to notice that the wound looks infected (pus coming from it), I would bring Wendy in sooner because the worse it gets, the longer it will take to heal. If you have an E-collar (the lamp shade looking device) at home, I would put that on her in the meantime to prevent her from further damaging the area. Hope Wendy heals quickly!

We commonly see this problem with pets that are boarded and have anxiety. You can to calm her by placing an Adaptil or DAPP collar on her. You can also try a thunder shirt placed on her while she is crated. The only other way to prevent scraping of the nose while in the crate is to get stronger anti-anxiety medications through your veterinarian or to place an e-collar (cone) on her to try and prevent her from being able to reach the crate with her nose. Apply some neosporin onto her nose to help it heal.

It sounds like poor Jack has severe separation anxiety. Some dogs will adapt well to their crate and it will help with the anxiety, but other require additional help in the form of medication. I recommend having him seen by a vet first thing on Monday. You can discuss with your vet his anxiety problems, and the vet can talk about medication options to help him deal with his anxiety. Unfortunately some dogs just need that extra help because their anxiety is so severe, and it sound like Jack could be one of those dogs. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks as though Dexter may have a skin allergy or infection in this area. I would recommend cleaning the area using a mixture of betadine and water (mix until you have a light brown color) and cleanse the area twice daily. In addition, you can use a product such as Malacetic Conditioning Spray, which can be found online quite easily and apply to the area twice daily until resolved. If it worsens or persists, I would recommend having this looked at by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

For anxiety, I like Composure chews and Adaptil diffusers. If these don't help, there are prescription medications that you can discuss with your veterinarian. Making sure Lewis is getting plenty of exercise is also very important. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids/comfort-zone-diffuser-with-dap-for-dogs