Is Neosporin Safe For Dogs?

Neosporin is a topical cream that contains three types of antibiotics. It is commonly used in humans to prevent infections developing from a wound and it can also help to speed up healing. It is one of the first things that people reach for whenever they have a small cut or other type of wound that is not too serious. If you have a dog you may have wondered whether it can be used to treat their wounds in the same way as it does for us. You would not be alone as it is one of the top searched for questions to do with dogs on Google. Some of the main questions that you may have about using Neosporin on your dog are answered below.

Can Neosporin Be Used On Dogs For Abrasions?

Most vets will tell you that Neosporin is completely safe to use on your dog if they have small abrasions. It will provide the same healing effect as it does on humans and there should be no side effects. The only things that vets may caution you about is making sure that it is only used when needed and not just for the sake of it.

Can It Be Used On Ears, Eyes And Paws?

It is not recommended that you use Neosporin in or around your dog’s eyes as it could cause them to become more irritated. Vets do not recommend that you apply any topical treatments to the eyes and surrounding area unless it is something that the vet has prescribed.

If your dog has an ear infection then you will need to treat the cause of the infection as this will be the quickest way to ease any discomfort. This is unlikely to be anything that Neosporin can help with and as such there would be no need to apply it to the dog’s ear.

The skin on your dog’s paws is very different to the skin that they have elsewhere and it is much more sensitive. This means that you need to be more careful about the amount of Neosporin that you use. It is also worth trying to work out what has caused the injury on the paw so that the cause of the discomfort can be treated.

Can It Be Used On Stitches And Sutures?

If your dog has had an operation and has stitches then there is already likely to have been some action that was taken to try and prevent infection. Therefore there should be no real need to need to apply Neosporin to any stitches that your dog has. If you have any concerns that the would which has been stitched is infected then you should consult your vet immediately.

What Happens If Neosporin Is Ingested?

If the Neosporin is applied in a place where the dog can easily reach it then you may be worried about him licking it. However, this should not cause any problems if you are using the Neosporin as directed. Only a small pea sized amount is needed and even if your dog does ingest this amount then it will not do them any harm.

Are There Alternatives That Can Be Used?

One of the most effective alternatives to applying Neosporin to a wound that your dog has is to use warm water and petroleum jelly. The warm water will help to clean out the wound and keeping a wound clean is one of the most effective ways to prevent infection. When the petroleum jelly is applied to the clean wound then it will provide a barrier which can help prevent an infection developing.

With a product such as Neosporin that is well known and commonly used there is more chance that it will be applied on any type of wound, whether it is needed or not. Neosporin should not cause any nasty side effects for your dog if it is applied too often but you should always be thinking about whether it is an appropriate form of treatment. You do not want to overlook other treatments that may be more effective because automatically reach for the Neosporin. The best piece of advice is that is you are in any doubt then you should contact your vet.

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