My puppy has a maggot in its belly button, what should I do?

Poor pups. This can sometimes happen with the umbilical cords, especially if the sutures are placed close to the skin. I would not recommend placing any topical ointment on a bleeding wound. Instead I would suggest cleaning it with Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water and then flushing it daily with just sterile Saline, both found at your local pharmacy. This will hopefully keep the area from getting infected until they can be seen. Take special care not to soak the pups and only use a gauze to apply this so that it quickly dries. Newborn pups can’t regulate their temperature until they are around 1-2 weeks of age. Then it’s best to take them back to your vet for a recheck exam since this is a complication from a previous visit. The vet may need to place skin glue to the open area and possibly give the pups some antibiotics. I hope that your pups are able to recover well. Best wishes and take care.

Does fenyl =phenol? If so, it is extremely poisonous and corrosive to skin and body tissues so don't use it!! You can flush maggots out of wounds with hydrogen peroxide solution 3%. But you then must flush the wound very well with sterile saline or sterile water. I don't know if your puppies will survive if the maggots have gone deep inside. I'm sorry.

It looks like you've done a lot to help this little guy. I'm sure the vet would have told you this, but make sure you are stimulating him to poop after each feeding by wiping his bum with a warm, moist, tissue or soft cloth. Below is a link to an article with great information about caring for newborns. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/puppy-orphaned These little pus-filled bumps are due to a bacterial infection (pyoderma). Puppies commonly get this on their bellies and they usually go away with good cleaning. I recommend cleaning the belly with a medicated wipe or shampoo (can get this at the pet store) once a day until the bump(s) are gone. If it seems to get worse, then you'll want to take him into the vet for an exam. Below is a link to an article with more information about pyoderma. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pyoderma-in-dogs I hope that helps and your pup gets better soon.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Baby! You can continue to clean the area and apply the ointment through the weekend. It will take several days for the bump to go down. If there is no significant decrease in swelling or redness in 3 days he should be seen for oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Keep him indoors until healed and keep flies off him. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be happening secondary to a severe infection. This requires therapy as soon as possible for the maggots and the likely underlying infection. This is not something you can get over the counter and this requires a visit to a veterinarian for further assessment and local and systemic therapy. Have a great day!

It looks like it may be part of the umbilical cord that hasn't dried up or healed completely yet, which can be normal at this age. I would keep the area clean and dry and continue to monitor it. If the area seems to be bulging, worsens, or the puppy isn't thriving or nursing properly, I would seek out veterinary care to rule out more serious issues.

Puppies!!! This sore could be several things - urine scald and another puppy suckling this spot are likely. Watch the puppies closely to see if another pup is suckling or if mom is excessively licking this spot. Right now, you can use some topical triple antibiotic ointment (a small amount) a couple times a day. If it gets any bigger or deeper, seek veterinary care. Thank you for using pet coach.