My dog's sore isn't healing. When should I take him to the vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At least on this picture this looks very superficial and it is very likely that it will resolve on its own as long as the area is kept nice and clean. If you have noticed Dexter licking at it, an e-collar to prevent that would be ideal. Otherwise, this should continue getting better. If no major improvement in the next week or so, have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment which may include antibiotics. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there. From your picture it looks like it was a tick that was filled with blood. I would make sure the entire tick was removed from Dexter and that the mouthpiece isn’t still in his skin. I would recommend putting Neosporin on it for now as long as it’s not somewhere where he will just lick it off. I would also recommend applying a flea and tick preventative in case there are more that you can’t see. Keep a close eye on Dexter and make sure he acts normally because ticks can spread disease. Things to watch for in the next couple of weeks are Lack of appetite, not feeling well, acting painful when walking. If you notice any of the signs I would recommend him going to the vet. Best wishes to you and Dexter and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Ouch! Poor Bess! This area looks pretty infected and if she had one last week my suspicion is she had allergies or some other cause leading to these areas of bacterial dermatitis (hot spots). You can try to clip some of the hair away from the area and gently clean it but I think Bess will probably need to see a veterinarian to get oral antibiotics. I don't think she has to be seen right this instant but you should try to schedule within the next day or so. Use an e-collar to prevent her from licking the area and making the issue worse. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Bess' skin recovers quickly!

They often develop these types of lesions due to an infection under the skin. In this location, I would be suspicious of something like a thorn stuck under the skin. However, it's possible that this is a tumor, or cyst. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done for this at home. A vet will need to inspect and explore this lesion in order to determine the cause and provide the correct treatment. This may require minor surgery. For now, it may be helpful to soak the foot a warm water bath with epsom salts for 15 minutes twice a day. Be careful not to let Dexter drink any water with epsom salts, because this can cause vomiting and diarrhea. I hope that helps and Dexter gets better soon.

From the pictures, the skin appears red and inflamed. It does look like it is infected. While this may not be a true emergency, I would recommend getting in to see your veterinarian very soon. Pookie will need the area shaved and cleaned up. Your vet may prescribe an antibiotic for this as well depending. Until you can get to your vet, you can keep the area clean and dry and use a mild soap and water to clean the wound. If Pookie is licking it, you can put on ECollar on her to prevent licking.

That heavy discharge generally indicates infection. Your pup will heal the fastest if he goes in to see his doctor. The doctor may give him a systemic antibiotic or may only give him topicals if the lesion is very small. Sometimes these pets can be itchy as well and will get medication for that too. You definitely want to make sure that he cannot itch or lick at that area as it will make it worse. The doctor will also shave the hair as it needs to be exposed to the air to dry up. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for sending the pictures! From what I can see, it looks like this lesion is only affecting the outermost skin layers, with the underlying tissue layers remaining intact. It's certainly possible that this lesion is from a traumatic injury, like the rubber bullet you'd mentioned, but it's equally possible that this is an infectious condition, like mange or ringworm. Since there is a good bit of skin damage that's bloody, it stands to reason that this type of lesion could become infected rather quickly, particularly if Crimson is licking at it at all. Even though we're now several days past the initial injury, I still recommend taking Crimson to her vet for an in person exam to thoroughly assess this lesion. Your vet may need to do some diagnostic testing to rule out infectious issues. Depending on their exam findings, your vet may need to prescribe oral antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory medications to aid in the healing process. Until your vet visit, be sure to prevent Crimson from licking at this lesion at all by putting an e-collar (cone) on her. I hope that she's on the mend soon!