Dear Paws4Pets: This weekend I took my dog
“Marty,” a dachshund-beagle mix, out
to some property, where she sniffed and
sniffed and dug and sniffed and sniffed. I think
she had her nose buried in the rocky soil for so
long that she gave herself a rather large (maybe
the size of a nickel) blister on her upper lip. It’s
not puffy — just a raw patch under her nose, and
she licks at it. I saw something saying that canola
oil or olive oil might help chapped lips, but this
seems like a larger area. Any tips?
- Matt P.
Dear Matt P.: First, I have to caution that it’s always wise to consult your
dog’s vet. With that out of the way, I’d
say the best thing to do would be to
treat the raw patch like you would a
blister or a raw patch on your own
nose. Keep the area clean, rub a bit of
Neosporin over it two or three times
daily and watch it closely.
Marty probably will lick off the antibiotic ointment
within a minute or two of application, but in such small
quantities it isn’t a problem to ingest. A Band-Aid
probably will cause more discomfort and trouble
than it prevents. You also can ask your vet for
topical medicine to reduce any discomfort and
thereby reduce her licking of the area so it can
heal faster.
If it is indeed just a raw patch caused by
friction, the area should heal up within a few
days. But do keep a close eye on it: If the
patch looks like its getting infected
or otherwise changes for the
worse, take Marty to the vet
right away.
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