My puppy has a gash and bald spots. Is his mom biting or playing?

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. From the picture you provided and history I would suspect that the cause of what you are seeing is from the mom over cleaning by excessively licking. It is possible that there may have been a small cut on the top of the head that your mom was trying to clean and it has turned into a large amount of hair loss. I would suggest trying to deter the mom from cleaning this area as she will only make things worse by the excessive licking. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any other questions or concerns you may have. I am also available by phone or text based consultation if needed

I’m so sorry to hear that. Clean the wound now with water and mild soap. Get some saline wound wash (PLAIN SALINE) from a pharmacy and use the wound wash to thoroughly wash the wound twice a day. I would recommend that you use a [wound care product](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-antimicrobial-pet-wound-and-skin-hydrogel) daily as well. It would be best to keep momma dog from licking it, and the only way to do that is to place an e-collar (cone) on the momma dog so she can’t reach to lick it. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything you can safely give over the counter for pain. Please do not give aspirin or any other baby formulated pain relievers. This wound is at high risk of getting infected, and at such a young age that could become very serious very quickly. I understand if you need to try to manage the wound at home for financial reasons, but if the skin around the wound is getting increasingly inflamed, or if the puppy isn’t eating or is acting lethargic, you need to try to arrange to get the puppy seen by a veterinarian somehow. Otherwise he could become septic and this could result in death. As long as the pup is eating, is vocal and alert, it is reasonable to manage as described at home, but please keep a very close eye on this puppy. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

If they are play fighting a lot, then you may have to keep them separated until the wound can heal. 1. Clip the hair away from the wound using buzzing-type clippers, not scissors or a razor. This is so you can monitor the wound and keep the hair out of the way to help with healing. 2. Disinfect the wound once with peroxide or a first aid chlorhexidine wound soap. Do not continue to use peroxide, or alcohol, as this will delay healing. 3. Apply an antibacterial ointment, such as Neosporin, twice daily. If needed to clean the wound, use a warm wet wash cloth to gently wipe away any dried fluid. 4. Prevent all licking or scratching of the wound by using an e-collar or dog booties or socks. 5. See a vet if your pet experiences prolonged lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rectal temperature over 103, or if there is creamy discharge or discharge with a foul odor, or there is swelling around the wound.

The puppies will learn how to behave amongst themselves over the next week or so, keeo any wounds bathed with saline or dilute chlorhexidine/iodine to prevent infection. Do not apply any topical ointment as the other pups may lick and swallow it. Report to your vet if the wounds become infected/red/pus covered

If Gypsy was having a reaction to the shampoo, I would have expected her to be itchy and chewing at more areas than just her leg and would have expected a problem within a day of the bath (not a week or 2 later). So, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine the area and take a sample to evaluate under the microscope to see what the problem is and determine the best treatment for her. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Gypsy feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

What you are describing sounds like scar tissue, but I would have to see it to be sure. Scars will not grow hair, but tend to get smaller and less visible with time. Puppies will heal better than adult dogs, so the scar should be much less obvious within a couple of months. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to encourage hair growth in this area if it is a scar. It's also possible that the lump is due to a deep infection. If the lump grows, appears red, or starts to ooze fluid, then it's best to take her to the vet for an exam. I hope that helps and all is well with your pup.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. 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 (if any). 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!