Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

    rewards header
    Become a member today!
    Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
    Already a member? Sign in
    Petco Pay LogoBecome a credit card member today!

    Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
    when you use Petco Pay!

    APPLY NOW
    Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog has a skin wound on her chest. What to do if vet is closed?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Dachshund | Female | 15 lbs

My dog has a piece of her skin missing on her chest. Its late and cant get to a vet. What do i do?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jessica Keay, DVM

Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 28th, 2017

So sorry to hear about Jellybean! It can be very difficult to tell in a photograph, but the wound in the photo looks fairly superficial. If this is the case, then waiting to be seen until tomorrow by your vet is probably safe. If, however, the wound is deeper or more of a puncture, a trip to an emergency clinic may be warranted if you have one in your area. Otherwise, you can perform basic first aid by cleaning the wound with a mild soap if she will let you. If you have a tub with a detachable shower head, you could stand her up in the tub and use the shower head to gently rinse the wound to remove any debris/dirt that may be present and wash it with a gentle soap (don't put alcohol on the wound as this will sting and traumatize the skin). After it is cleaned, you can slather a very thick layer of antibiotic ointment such as neosporin or generic triple antibiotic ointment over the wound and If you happen to have very large bandaids or nonstick telfa pads you can tape over the wound to keep it covered you can apply these. You can pick up nonstick telfa pads at most drug stores and you can cover the wound with the pads and then use medical tape to tape the edges, creating your own large bandaid. We want the wound to stay moist and covered with the ointment to keep it from drying out and prevent further damage to the tissue. You can also place a small t-shirt/baby onesie over her to try to keep the area covered if you don't have any bandage material, as we do not want her to lick at the wound and further aggravate it. Then I would call your vet in the morning so they can take a look at the wound and decide if she needs any additional treatment!
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Ouch, oor Jellybean! A cut that wide and long will likely need stitches to close it, and the best option is to find a vet on call to see her now. There will be a vet on call for emergencies in your area if you don't have an ER vet clinic, and the information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. If you absolutely cannot get Jellybean to a vet tonight, it's important to keep the area clean and dry. You may want to bandage it, and definitely put an Ecollar on her to keep her from licking at it. I will post a link below on how to make an Ecollar at home:

    http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Ouch, that definitely looks like it hurts! It is hard for me to see just how deep that is, but it certainly appears to have a bit of depth to it. If you can't get to the vet until tomorrow morning, I would find some gauze and medical tape and attempt to cover that area up. Keep it clean until it can be addressed by your veterinarian. If you have any available or can go out to get some, I would also try and clean off the area with some chlorhexidine wash. Application of triple antibiotic ointment to the area also will not do harm, but if you intend on going to the vet tomorrow that really is not completely necessary. Most importantly, you need to try and prevent Jellybean from injuring herself more with licking and scratching. I'm sure the area is very irritated, but do whatever you need to prevent this. Sometimes the best thing to do is outfit them with an old t-shirt cut with holes for their legs. Might be hard with a dachshund, but I am sure you can make something work!

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Vet Q & A
My dog has a jowl cut. What can I do for home care before the vet?
Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Superficial wounds around the face are usually treated with topical antibiotics (creams or ointments) or antibiotics tablets. Larger wounds need to be stitched up, but if the would you found is not fresh, most likely your vet would not want to stitch it up. Please, clean the would twice a day with 4% chlorhexidine solution (you can buy it at pharmacies) for a few days and it will hopefully heal up. However, if it starts to bother Aimee or becomes painful you will have to take her to your nearest vets possibly to get a course of antibiotics.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My dog was attacked: What first aid for wounds when vet is closed?
I recommend cleaning all of the wounds with hydrogen peroxide. Then apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on them. Keep him quiet so he can rest and heal. Dog fight wounds get infected easily so please make sure to bring him right in tomorrow morning for treatment. If needed they can close the small laceration and get him on oral antibiotics to prevent infection. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Dexter.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My dog has a skin tear. How can I treat it without a costly vet visit?
HI there! I'm sorry to hear about Marley's troubles. Of course the best thing to do would be to take Marley to his veterinarian to have the wound examined, to make sure it isn't too deep, and doesn't require sutures or anything else, like antibiotics. However, I understand that isn't an option at the moment A great product to use that's over the counter is Veterycin Plus wound spray or gel. Apply this twice per day, and make sure the wound stays covered where Marley cannot lick at it. If he can reach the wound, place a sock or a t shirt on him so that he can't lick all of the wound medication off once it's applied. If you notice a lot of redness, any swelling, discharge of any kind, a foul odor, or the wound is not starting to heal in 3-5 days, then Marley will need to see a veterinarian. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
What should I do if my dog has a wound? When should I see a vet?
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a fairly superficial wound at least based on this picture. However, it would still be a good idea to have him evaluated by a veterinarian to look at it more closely in case it is deeper than what it looks like. Also, these can be painful and can get infected so your veterinarian could potentially start antibiotics and pain control medications. If superficial, these wounds tend to respond well to therapy and heal relatively quickly. Good luck and have a good night!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog has a bloody neck wound. What can I do before the vet?
Poor Lucky! I'm glad to hear that his vet will be checking him out tomorrow. From the picture, the skin lesion looks most like a hot spot (aka acute moist dermatitis). If you have clippers on hand, you can try to carefully trip the hair over and around this skin lesion to allow for better air flow. You can also gently clean his skin with an antiseptic solution, such as diluted chlorhexidine or diluted betadine, but be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. If Lucky is scratching at his neck, it would be best to put an e-collar (cone) on until his appointment. The vet may need to prescribe antibiotics, steroids, or topical sprays to help this lesion to heal. I hope this helps and that all goes well!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog has a large open wound on her ribs, no vet. What can I do?
It is hard to know what is going on without seeing it. But I think it may be more likely that the lump has ruptured or ulcerated as opposed to being bitten off. There is a chance of infection, but if the hole is in the first few layers and isn't bleeding excessively it is unlikely that Nena would die from it overnight. You should get your gran to take off the alcohol swabs as they will sting and actually can damage cells. If you cant see a vet tonight I would cover it in a clean dressing and wrap it up. Go tonthe vet as soon as you can as it will need treated, and could be more expensive if you leave it.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog has an open sore from her vest. Can I treat it myself?
I recommend cleaning the wound with antibacterial soap, rinsing it well and then applying a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. This looks fairly superficial so with keeping it cleaned and treated daily this should heal fine. If you keep Ginny outside please use a dog flea and insect repellent on her to prevent flies and knots from getting into the wound. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Ginny.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Bandages & Wound CareDog First Aid & RecoveryDog Medicine and PrescriptionsDog Health & WellnessPrescription Dog AntibioticsCat First AidDog Pain Medicine & ReliefAntifungal Medication for DogsHeartworm Medicine for DogsPet PharmacyPrescription Shampoo for DogsAt-Home Dog VaccinesDog Recovery Cones & Surgical SuitsDog Allergy Medicine & Itch ReliefPrescription Allergy Medicine for DogsDog First Aid Kits & ToolsPrescription Horse Skin & Coat CareDog Ear & Eye MedicineDog Asthma MedicationDog Anxiety Medication
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Share

Styled arrow button