How to Use EXOCARE for Dogs and Cats: Mouth, Skin, Paws and Outer Ear Care

September 12, 2026

By Treat Protocol Co. · Updated September 2026 · 4-minute read

For dogs and cats, one care gel can have several labelled uses without every pet needing it everywhere. The useful starting point is the area you want to care for, not the number of uses on the box.

EXOCARE is a 50 g All-in-One Oral & Skin Care Gel made in Japan. EXOCARE is for companion animals, with care areas including skin, teeth and gums, paw pads and outer ear surfaces. This guide explains those directions and their limits.

Start with the label and your pet

Check the ingredient list and expiry information on your own pack. If your pet has a known sensitivity, a diagnosed skin condition or an existing treatment plan, show the formula to your veterinarian before adding another product. The manufacturer confirms that EXOCARE is suitable for most animals. If you care for a species other than dogs or cats, or an animal with a medical condition, ask for species-specific advice; suitability for most animals is not a guarantee for every individual.

Choose a calm moment and use clean hands. Do not force handling if your pet is uncomfortable. Clean the surface before applying EXOCARE. The manufacturer confirms the product is sterile, but it has no antimicrobial properties and does not disinfect the area. Remove ordinary dirt using an appropriate gentle cleaning method. Read Clean First: Where EXOCARE, HX-01 and HX-03 Fit in Dog and Cat Skin Care. Broken or painful skin needs a different decision from an otherwise comfortable, dirty paw.

The basic direction: a small amount where needed

The directions specify application of a small amount to the area needing care and describe the gel as suitable for daily care. It does not specify a gram dose, an exact number of applications per day or a treatment course. More product is not automatically better, and “daily care” does not mean applying it to every labelled area every day.

1. Mouth: teeth and gums

Use only a small amount as labelled; do not force open a painful mouth. An oral-care use is not an instruction to add gel to food or drinking water or encourage unrestricted ingestion.

A care gel does not replace toothbrushing, dental examinations or treatment of dental disease. The American Veterinary Medical Association’s dental-care guidance recommends regular brushing and veterinary dental checks. Difficulty eating, oral bleeding, drooling or signs of pain warrant veterinary attention. A painful animal may bite during handling.

For a cat with mouth ulcers or suspected stomatitis, veterinary assessment comes before optional home care. Oral use on the label does not establish that EXOCARE treats those conditions. See our feline mouth-ulcer guide for how the gel may fit into an agreed care plan without replacing pain control or dental treatment.

2. Skin: targeted care, not a diagnosis

Apply only where care is needed and avoid direct eye contact. Do not use the gel to conceal a worsening problem or replace a prescribed medicine. An injury, discharge, significant redness or pain should prompt a veterinary assessment rather than repeated trial-and-error applications.

Keep the full ingredient list available when asking for advice. EXOCARE contains canine UC-MSC conditioned medium, but it is a finished formula with other ingredients too. Read our Inside EXOCARE: Cell-Free Conditioned Medium and What It Means for Dogs and Cats.

If you are caring for a wound rather than intact skin, read The Science of Wound Care for Dogs and Cats: Cleaning, Skin Repair and EXOCARE for a diagram-led explanation of cleaning, antisepsis, skin repair and where EXOCARE fits within a veterinarian-guided care plan.

3. Paw pads: inspect first

Look at the pads, nails and spaces between the toes before reaching for a product. If the paws are simply dirty after a walk, cleaning is the first task. Our How to Clean Dog and Cat Paws: After Walks, Litter and Everyday Dirt covers that routine.

Paw pads are a labelled EXOCARE care area, but persistent licking is not a direction to keep adding gel. Seek advice if there is pain, swelling, a wound or a recurring problem.

4. Outer ears: the surface, not the canal

“Outer ear surfaces” does not mean an ear-canal treatment. Do not squirt the gel into the ear, use it as an ear flush or substitute it for prescribed ear medication. If an ear is painful, has discharge or is repeatedly bothering your pet, arrange a veterinary check.

Adjust handling for dogs and cats

Work with the animal's comfort, not against it. A cat that normally grooms well may need no additional paw or skin product; apply only for an identified care need. Keep sessions brief, avoid coating large areas and do not treat repeated licking as a cue to add more. A new bald patch, painful paw or inability to eat requires veterinary advice.

Do not invent a layering routine

Two products being intended for pets does not establish that they should be mixed or layered. If you already use a cleansing spray, wipe or medicated product on the same area, ask whether a separate care-gel step is appropriate and what sequence to follow. EXOCARE’s directions do not provide a combination protocol or waiting time.

After use and between applications

Use clean handling and avoid contaminating the tube opening. Do not assume sterility persists after opening or contact with skin. Close the cap tightly. Store away from direct sunlight, humidity and heat. Follow the expiry details on your own pack rather than an online photograph. The directions do not supply a numeric storage range or a separate after-opening period, so do not assume either.

Stop using EXOCARE if an adverse reaction occurs and consult a veterinarian if symptoms persist. For product questions, keep the packaging and batch details and contact Treat Protocol Co.

Continue reading

Product information: EXOCARE directions and manufacturer information. The AVMA reference provides general dental guidance, not an evaluation of EXOCARE. This information does not replace veterinary advice. Treat Protocol Co. imports and distributes EXOCARE in Singapore. Cover image: AI-generated editorial illustration, not a clinical case.

Back to blog