Causes of Dog Skin Sore on Dog Muzzle: Reader Question and Vet Suggestions

by Paula Gage
(Wanganui, New Zealand )

I noticed a few days ago that my dog Felix had a sore on his muzzle. It is now aggressively getting worse.

I took his collar off today and noticed it is raw and crusty around his neck as well. Poor baby.

Suggestion From Our Veterinarian

Hi Paula,

Ouch! That sore looks like it must be bothering Felix. I don’t like the fact that you say it is “aggressively” getting worse. The sooner you can get him into his veterinarian for diagnosis the better.

If Felix were my patient, I would start with a physical exam and complete history, and unless the cause was obvious, follow up with a skin scraping to look for mange mites, skin cytology to diagnose yeast or bacterial infections, and a fungal culture for ringworm.

Most of the time, in young dogs at least, these are the only tests needed to plan appropriate treatment, but in some cases, allergy testing or even skin biopsies are necessary.

Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM