AI overview
Informational only - not a veterinary diagnosis. For urgent signs, contact a vet immediately.
Ask about a symptom, behavior, or care question. We'll give you an AI overview and link the closest expert-reviewed guides.
Informational only - not a veterinary diagnosis. For urgent signs, contact a vet immediately.
A dog bite wound almost always needs a vet within 24 hours, even when the skin puncture looks small: canine teeth crush and shear tissue underneath, and bacteria from the biter's mouth are pushed deep, so up to 20% of untreated bite wounds become infected or abscess within 3–5 days. Rinse the wound with saline, cover it with a clean cloth, keep your dog calm, and go - do not wait to see if it “settles down.”
Persistent bad breath, brown or yellow tartar along the gum line, red or bleeding gums, and dropping food while eating are the classic signs of canine periodontal disease. By age three, over 80% of dogs already have stage 1 or 2 disease, and untreated dental infection is linked to heart, kidney, and liver damage - so a photo check every month and a professional cleaning under anaesthetic every 12–18 months is the standard of care.
Persistent itching in a dog is most often driven by flea allergy dermatitis, environmental allergies (atopic dermatitis), food allergy, or a secondary yeast or bacterial skin infection. Rule out fleas first - a single bite can trigger weeks of itch in a sensitised dog - and book a vet if the itch stops your dog sleeping, if the skin is broken or smelly, or if it has lasted more than two weeks.
A dog that shakes its head, scratches one ear and has a warm, smelly ear almost certainly has an ear infection, and infections do not clear up on their own. Book a vet appointment within a day or two, sooner if the ear is swollen shut, bleeding, or so painful your dog will not let you near it. Signs that point to the deeper ear - a head tilt, circling, wobbling, or a flickering eye - mean same-day care. Do not pour anything into the ear before a vet has looked inside it.
Persistent paw licking is nearly always itch, pain, or infection rather than a habit, and allergy is the single most common reason. Rust-brown staining on white fur, a yeasty smell, red skin between the toes, or limping all point to a medical cause that needs treating rather than discouraging. Book a visit this week if licking is daily, the skin is broken, or there is swelling or a bad smell. Go the same day if a paw is hot and swollen, bleeding will not stop, there is a puncture wound, or your dog will not bear weight. Sudden frantic licking of one paw after a walk often means a grass seed, a cut pad, or a sting.
Open PetLumen, add your pet, and Ask PetLumen for a threaded conversation tied to your pet's scan history.
Open the app →