How to treat biting sores on 6-week-old puppies and stop biting?

Hello. You can buy a medicated skin wash at any pharmacy. I like Hibiclens, but you can get the generic as well. After cleaning , apply a topical triple antibiotic ointment as needed. Once the puppy matures, this bad behavior should stop, but you might want to fashion a tee shirt to cover up Titan's neck area. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly 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.

Hi there. Your mother dog doesn't have be be aggressive to "bite" her puppies. She will correct their behavior much like our parents do. If the pups play too rough or bite her, she will likely nip at them or send them a warning growl to let them know she's had enough and that she won't tolerate it anymore. Having littermates around also helps puppies establish these sorts of boundaries. With that said, puppies can get small wounds from all sorts of things that aren't necessarily intentional harm. Maybe he was bitten by another neighborhood dog? If the wound is deep he may need immediate medical attention, and if not and he starts using it again soon you can probably keep it clean at home with dilute soap and water and apply neosporin and a head cone so that he can't eat or lick any of it off until you can get him in to see his vet. Hope this info helps!

There is a risk that the bites could cause an infection. Make sure to clean the wounds thoroughly and monitor for signs of infection. That is very concerning that the puppy is biting hard enough to make you bleed and you should consult with an animal behaviorist to help resolve this behavior before he is fully grown.

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!

Is the biting aggressive or puppy behavior? If you are seeing snarling, bared teeth, growling and then biting to the point of drawing blood, that indicates an aggressive approach and you should consult with a veterinary behaviorist in your area ASAP. If it is the typical puppy behavior, usually done with hopping and nipping, wiggly body, while playing, etc, then it seems that you just need more time and patience with Papi. Puppies explore their environment with their mouths, so making sure he has plenty of appropriate chew toys can help curb the behavior. If he does get too nippy, yelping loudly, and then getting up and walking away (and thus ending play) is best to help teach him that too rough of play ends the fun. You can then praise and give treats for times where he is quietly playing with a toy or with you. Puppies do go through a teething stage at about 6-7 months of age, so the chewing and nipping behavior can ramp up again at that time. Sticking with your training can help ensure the nipping behavior stays minimal.

If this behavior is undesired, I would look into using a spray bottle filled with water and spritzing him in the face while saying "off!" at the same time. I would also consider using an empty can filled with coins and then tossing it on the floor so it makes a loud noise to startle him so that he stops the behavior. He needs to realize that this is undesired behavior and that these negative things happen whenever he does this behavior. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.