My puppy has an open wound. Is licking harmful? Will she be okay?

This is a quite deep and serious wound and would require a stitch up to heal. An immediate check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory/and pain relief medications. Unfortunately persistent licking will cause infection in the long term. 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.

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!

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.

As far as I can see the wound looks fine at this stage. Cone should be kept all times unfortunately, as licking can delay healing process and open up skin margins. There is no acceptable amount of licking, the wound can open up any time. 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!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Kona. Poor girl. I would gently clean her wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. To keep her from licking at it, you can put an Ecollar on her. You can get one at a pet store or make one at home. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I hope this helps!

If Snowy has a visible wound that appears infected it is best to seek veterinary care asap. Open infected wounds will need cleaning from your vet and antibiotics to help it heal. You will also need to stop Snowy from licking or chewing at the area as that will only make the infection worse by introducing more bacteria into the wound. After treatment, using an Elizabethan (cone) collar or old t-shirt to keep him from licking and scratching at the wound is best to help it heal. Your vet may also recommend medicated shampoos, flea medications, daily allergy meds, or other treatments for long-term relief of the initial cause of the itching.

Wow, that looks quite deep, and Roxy needs to see a vet sooner rather than later. Gently clean the area with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep it clean and dry, and prevent her from licking it with an Ecollar. Get her into a vet as soon as you can. Best of luck.