If your dog has an open sore, it is likely that he or she is suffering from a skin ulcer. These lesions usually indicate injury, infection, or disease and require an examination by a veterinarian to determine the underlying cause. Treatment and prognosis varies depending on the source of the ulcer.
Skin ulcers are lesions that affect deeper layers of the skin and result when the upper layer is compromised. These are a symptom of many different conditions and may occur for a variety of reasons, including:
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Adverse reactions to bug bites or to drugs
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Trauma or burns
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Fungal infection, such as blastomycosis or cryptococcosis
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Bacterial infection
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Nutritional disorders
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Cancer, such as lymphoma and basal cell tumors
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Parasitic disorders, including mange
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Autoimmune disorders, such as pemphigus
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Congenital disorders – the skin is abnormal at birth, in which case the abnormality may or may not be inherited
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Metabolic disorders
