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My dog has an open sore under its mouth. What should I do now?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

There is an open soar under my dogs mouth. Noticed for the first time today? Any idea what it could be?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 20th, 2018

This sore could just be from an injury. I would gently clean it with warm water and antiseptic soap. To keep him from scratching at it, you can put an Ecollar on him. 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 he will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I'd also have him seen by a vet if the sore doesn't appear to be healing over the next week. I will put a link below on how to make an Ecollar at home. Best of luck, I hope this helps! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    The sore on your dog's muzzle could be due to a number of possibilities, and unfortunately, I can't narrow them down with the picture alone. Some possible causes of this lesion include a traumatic injury (burn or abrasion), a benign mass (e.g. a histiocytoma more common in younger dogs), a malignant mass, a skin infection (bacterial or fungal), or parasitic infection, among others. It would be best to have your dog examined by a veterinarian, who will be able to perform any necessary diagnostic testing to try to get to the bottom of this issue. Until you get to the vet, you can try cleaning this lesion with an antiseptic solution, such as diluted chlorhexidine or betadine, but be sure to rinse it thoroughly and keep it out of your dog's mouth. If your dog is trying to scratch the affected area, put an e-collar (cone) on them until their vet visit. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

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