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Wound on dog's ear.

Species: Dog
Breed: Lab/Collie
Age: 1-2 years
Hello, my puppy has a tiny hole underneath his ear flap. It's red and I worry its infected. I put neosporin on it today. What is it and how can I treat him? I have emailed the photo. Thanks


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for sending me the photo. It's a little blurry, but still gets the point across:

wound on dog's ear

There really isn't a medical condition that I can think of that would cause a wound that looks exactly like this. Are there other pets in the house? It looks like it could be from a bite from another dog or even a cat. If this is the case, if it is red and sore then it could be infected. If it is infected, then Milo will likely need some oral antibiotics prescribed by the vet. There is no harm applying some neosporin, but this cream is not a very strong antibiotic and likely won't do much.

There are some odd and rare autoimmune diseases such as pemphigus or lupus that could cause odd lesions on the ear, but it would be unusual to just see one like this.

If it doesn't seem to be bothering him, it may be ok to keep an eye on things for a couple of more days. You can take a warm cloth and wipe it a few times a day. But if there is no improvement after 2-3 days or if it starts to leak a yellow or green fluid or get smelly or get bigger then I would have a vet take a look at it.

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

No, there are no other pets in the house. He never comes into contact with other animals. I wiped it this morning and there wasn't fluid coming out. I wiped off what i thought was dead skin. Thank You


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I guess we'll never know what the cause is. From what I can see it looks like a wound but it is a fuzzy picture...plus it's hard to assess things like this over the internet.

In any case, the advice would still be the same.

I hope things clear up soon!

Dr. Marie.



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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.