Triple Antibiotic Ointment

Position first: prevention. Keeping a dog with paralysis free of pressure sores is primarily about active repositioning, keeping skin clean and dry, using Vaseline as a moisture barrier at diaper edges, and getting the dog moving rather than lying in one place all day. A good memory foam surface helps too. If you’re doing all of that well, most dogs will not develop significant sores.

But sores still happen. Caregiving gets hard, life intervenes, a dog develops a spot you missed. When a minor sore does appear — a small raw area, surface skin breakdown, a scrape from a drag — triple antibiotic ointment is the first-line topical treatment.

Triple antibiotic (typically neomycin, polymyxin B, and bacitracin — the same formulation as over-the-counter Neosporin) works by covering the wound with a thin antibiotic layer that prevents bacterial colonization while the skin heals. It’s appropriate for minor surface wounds, early-stage pressure sores, and superficial abrasions from knuckling or dragging.

Application is straightforward: clean the area gently, pat dry, apply a thin layer, and cover if you can (a cone to prevent licking is often necessary). Change the dressing and reapply at least once a day.

When to call the vet instead: if the wound is deep, has a significant discharge, smells, shows redness spreading beyond the wound margins, or doesn’t improve after two or three days of ointment treatment. Those signs indicate an infection that needs systemic antibiotics. Over-the-counter triple antibiotic ointment is appropriate for surface management, not infected wounds.

There is no brand preference here — store-brand triple antibiotic ointment is the same formulation as named brands and costs significantly less. Buy the large tube; you’ll use it.