Q: I went hiking with my dog, and when we returned home I noticed that she had a nasty looking scrape on her front leg. I treated it with some anti-bacterial soap and a topical analgesic. I am concerned that the scrape may be an animal scratch. Should I take the dog to the vet or “wait and see”? How can I tell if the scratch is infected? P.S. My dog is current with all her shots.

A: P- The best thing to do for wounds that might be animal bites is to flush them copiously with clean water. Keeping a wound under running water for several minutes greatly reduces the risk of rabies and other infections from bite wounds. Using an antiseptic such as betadine solution will also help and the antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin (Tm) may help as well. Deep wounds should be examined by your vet. If there is any question in your mind about whether a wound is deep it is best to be sure.

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