What You Need To Know About Skin Tags On Dogs (And How To Remove Them)

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Curved scissors like these are sometimes used to manicure nails, but they are also very helpful for removing skin tags from your dog’s skin.

A good pair of curved scissors will be small, stainless steel, and easy to clean. You want to make sure that there is no rust on the scissors, and they should be thoroughly cleaned before you start the process of removing a skin tag.

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This will be used as a sterilization solution. This is a type of disinfectant that is often used during surgeries. It is used to treat and to prevent wound infection. It absorbs slowly, which allows it to keep things sterile for a longer period of time than some other antiseptic solutions.

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This will be used to clean the area where you are removing a skin tag before you remove it. This prevents any dirt or bacteria from being present where you make a cut, which can prevent infection before it even happens.

This product, also known as rubbing alcohol, kills germs and bacteria. It is commonly found in hand sanitizers.

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Cotton balls, bandages, and gauze can be used to make sure that bleeding stops and to keep any wounds safe from infection.

You can use any type of new, clean cotton-based gauzes. Choose gauze and cotton balls that suit the size of the tag that you are removing from your dog.

Any bowl can be used to help with this removal. A stainless steel bowl is best because it will be the easiest to clean and keep sterile. If you are feeling like an overachiever, you could even get a surgical grade, stainless steel bowl!

Hot water is useful for using when sterilizing and cleaning. Make sure the water is not so hot that it will cause any damage to your dog. You should not be putting hot water directly on your dog.

Both of these products can be used to keep bacteria from getting into wounds and to prevent infection from occurring in any opens wounds. Antibiotic creams are very common.

Antiseptics kill all cells in the applied area whereas antibiotics turn living cells against other living cells. Either can be used to clean up an area and are considered safe to be used on healing wounds. Choose whichever is available.

Cornstarch is an ingredient commonly used in cooking, but it can also be used to stop bleeding. This is because it is a thickener. Like it can cause a sauce to thicken when cooking, cornstarch can also cause blood to thicken and stop bleeding.

The first thing you will want to do is sterilize your scissors.

Mix together hot water and povidone-iodine in equal parts. Let your scissors soak in this mixture for up to 10 minutes. Then, remove and dry the scissors. Let them cool down before moving on to the next step.

Use fur clippers to clear any fur around the tag. It will grow back, and the fur could get in the way while removing the tag, so you will want to remove it before you begin the process.

Then, use a cotton ball to apply isopropyl alcohol to the skin tag’s bump and the area around it. This will clean the area and get rid of any dirt or bacteria that could lead to infection after you cut off the tag.

Cut gently and make sure to not use any tearing movements to remove the tag. You should only be cutting the tag off if it is only loosely attached or very small. If it is bigger, make sure that you visit a vet instead.

Now, you have to stop the wound from bleeding. Hold a gauze to the wound to help it stop bleeding. If it is still bleeding after a few minutes, apply a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to the wound. This will help to stop the blood flow, and you should see the bleeding stop within a few minutes.

Once the bleeding has stopped, you can use an antiseptic solution or antibiotic cream to protect the open wound. Apply this to the wound carefully, making sure your hands are clean before you apply it.

Then, wrap a cloth around the wound. If this is not possible, use bandage tape to put a gauze on the wound to keep it protected.

Over the next few days, you will want to keep an eye on things.

The wound should start to heal. If the wound does not seem to be healing or your dog is uncomfortable, go to the vet and have them take a look at it as something could be infected.

It’s quite possible that your dog will try to lick the area where the wound is. This is normal. Try to keep them from licking the wound as much as possible because this can cause infection in the open wound.

If you have any concerns or questions about the wound, always see the vet as soon as possible! It’s better to pay a little extra money for a visit that to cause your dog unnecessary pain or discomfort.