My dog's skin grazed near eye while grooming. What should I do?

Ouch, poor Macchiato. It happens, I've done it myself. I would gently clean the 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. I hope this helps!

Cleanse the wound with warm water or saline solution. You can either flush the wound (being careful to avoid the eye) or wipe the cut with a moistened gauze pad. Pat dry. Apply a thin film of a triple antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin) twice daily. Monitor the wound for swelling, redness, or discharge. If you notice these signs, then you will need to have the wound looked at by your veterinarian. Most importantly, make sure your dog's rabies vaccination is up-to-date. If you are unsure or close to the due date, contact your veterinarian. Place an e-collar (cone) on him or her to prevent pawing, rubbing or scratching.

I am sorry to hear about your dog's fighting! Due to the wound being so close to the eye it can be a tricky situation, because you don't want any soap to get into the eye which could cause ulceration/burning of the cornea (surface of the eye). I would also be concerned/worried if the injury was this close to the eye that there could be trauma to the eye itself. It also looks like the wound could be deep and if it extends a bit past where I can see in the photo (I can't tell because of the presence of fur) it could be long enough to warrant a stitch. If your dog is tolerant you can try using a q-tip with a small amount of soap on it to clean the area in order to clean it while avoiding the eye itself. A soap such as Hibiclens (generic = chlorhexidine) from the drug store is ideal but if not, just a mild soap at home. If your dog is wiggly/not cooperative and you may end up getting soap in his eye I would avoid using soap near it and just rinse with warm water. You can apply a small amount of topical antibiotic ointment with a q-tip as well if you think your dog will not rub it into his eye. Monitor for swelling, pain, and discharge and if these occur or the wound look larger then he should see a full service vet because it may require antibiotics or a suture.

No, just keep an eye on it for now. To keep Winnie 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 she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I hope this helps.

It is likely that some shampoo, air from the dryer, or even small bits of hair from trimming got in your dog's eye and caused irritation. You can try to rinse your dog's eye gently with saline solution (like you use for contacts). However, there could be a scratch on your dog's eye (the cornea) as well. If it doesn't look better in 24 hours, see your veterinarian for testing to see if there is a scratch on your dog's eye and get appropriate medication.

Hello, poor Klien! It looks like the scrape is superficial. I would clean it once with soap and water, the monitor it for any bleeding or other discharge. It should be able to scab over and heal on its own otherwise. If it has not healed in 5-7 days you should have your veterinarian evaluate it. You may use a small amount of neosporin if you find it necessary, but be sure it does not come in contact with his eye. Hope this helps.

I am sorry to hear about Oscar. A photo of this area will help us better provide an answer on how to deal with Oscar's issue. If the blister is small and Oscar is acting normally you can try washing the area with a mild soap and applying a topical antibiotic ointment several times a day. If the area is not imroving in a few days or if more lesions arise or the lesion worsens, then a trip to the vet is recommended.