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Dog has a scratch from the park. Will it heal or need a vet?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Pit Bull Terrier | Female | spayed | 10 months and 4 days old

We noticed this on Ava tonight. We’ve been taking her to the dog park regularly. Not sure if it’s something we need medication for or if it will go away on its own.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 5th, 2018

It looks as if Ava has a scratch or abrasion of some sort. My best guess would be that she got it roughhousing with another dog at the dog park. Or, if you have noticed that she is itchy, she may have caused some self trauma by scratching too hard.

You could try putting some triple antibiotic ointment on the area for a couple days and see if that helps it heal up. If it persists for more than a few days or if you noticed that Ava is very itchy, then I would recommend taking her to the vet to be checked out.

I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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