My chihuahua scratching tail, has a cut. Is it an infection?

It appears jack has a sore on his tail, but without an exam it's impossible to know what is causing it. You can gently scrub it with warm water and mild soap. If it is very weepy, has a bad odor or is very painful Kack should see his vet. Otherwise keep the area clean and prevent him from licking or chewing it and it may heal on its own. If not he may have an infection that should be addressed by a vet visit.

These look like little crusts associated with a skin infection. Your dog was probably chewing his tail excessively and caused the skin infection. If it is localized to only the tail he probably will not need antibiotics. You can try to use a topical antibiotic ointment on the area to help clear it up. If you cannot get it to clear up or if it begins to spread I would recommend taking Louie in to the vet to be checked out.

Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further licking or chewing. Sometimes, there can be some clipper burn after a grooming which can cause some irritation. The image attach shows what appears to be a small mass or lump. To determine what it is, you will need to have Pepper physically examined by your veterinarian. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect samples for pathology. This may provide a diagnosis. In the meantime, the cone may be enough to allow for healing. Your vet can dispense antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatories if indicated.

It’s hard to say if he tail is infected since it just looks crusty now with the treatment. It does look swollen. Test it for pain or being able to feel heat as this can indicate infection. If that is detected, try to get him into the veterinarian ASAP. Applying sterile petroleum jelly can also help condition the skin and promote healing. The biggest component is to prevent more trauma. He ears do not appear red or seem to have an excessive amount of debris so I would say that look normal to me. Definitely keep an eye on the ears for redness, odor or shaking the head as this indicates a problem. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This presentation is likely to be due to a mild superficial bacterial infection (bacterial folliculitis) on the ventral abdomen. Nothing to be extremely worried about as it could be self limiting/resolving. 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/scratching (if any). If signs are not resolving, a check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) will be then needed to solve the problem. 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!

Looks like an infection but I don't know what the underlying cause is. If he doesn't seem too bothered you can try applying this wound spray (you should be able to get it a your local Petco). If after 5-7 days of treatment, if no improvement or it worsens, he should see a vet. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-hot-spot-antimicrobial-gel-for-dogs )

Yes, place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent chewing or licking. The cone should extend at least 2" from the tip of her nose to be effective. You can remove it at mealtimes, just watch her closely and replace as soon as she is done eating. Keep the area clean and dry as well. You can use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution for daily cleaning. Keep it well padded to prevent trauma if she bangs it against objects when wagging.