A Deep, Bleeding Wound Where a Nipple Used to Be

In an older female dog, an open, bleeding wound at a nipple is most often a mammary tumor that has ulcerated (broken through the skin), or an abscess. Mammary tumors are common in older females that weren't spayed young, and about half are benign. A ruptured abscess can also look like this.

Please stop using hydrogen peroxide. It damages healthy tissue and slows healing. Instead, rinse the wound gently once or twice a day with lukewarm saline (about 1 teaspoon of salt in 2 cups of boiled and cooled water), pat it dry, and cover it loosely with a clean, non-stick dressing or a clean T-shirt so she can't lick it.

Please don't wait until Saturday if she stops eating, seems weak or lethargic, has a fever, the area becomes very swollen or smelly, or the bleeding increases. Call the low-cost clinic to ask if they can see her sooner, and ask local animal shelters, humane societies or a veterinary school about emergency help. Many vets will set up a payment plan if you explain your situation.

See mammary tumors in dogs.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.