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Dogs face is swollen!

11K views 34 replies 13 participants last post by  k_ann 
#1 ·
So we just got in from a family picnic, Dukes face is swollen what do I do, he has bumps all over his skin! Not sure if he got bite by a bug outside or what.. Is there an OTC med to help ?
 
#5 ·
Just got back from an emergency vet visit to be on the safe side. Gave us two injections, diphenhydramine and dexamethasone, and sent us home with hydroxzyin... 30minute visit and 300$ later this is when I think pet insurance is small piece of mind....

Anyhow he looks like Mike Tyson right now.. Living up to his breed :( pretty sure he might have gotten stung by a bee..?
 
#11 ·
Happened to Struddel once! She looked like the Michelin man! Off to the vet we go! Never knew how or why it happened!

Bee allergy most likely?? You are lucky, if that is the case! Bella a vet techs Boxer at the vet in the back yard while she worked, stung by a Bee! She did not make it. :(
 
#12 ·
My vet said some dogs are so allergic they need epi pens. I gave my dad the drill. If Amor gets stung while I'm at work, 2 benadryl immediately, call me at work and contact vet asap. I think Amor irritated the area more by scratching because we were at work and didn't realize she had gotten stung until hours later.
 
#13 ·
Bee stings and Boxers seem to be bad news. If your lucky swelling is the extent of it!

But they can be fatal! We were treating Hedi (Parvo) at the vet and I would go in the back yard kennel and play with Bella. The next day we went and I went to see her and she was not there?? ( this was in 2003)

That's when they told me she had passed...Bee sting!?? Two years old, three days later we lost Hedi to Parvo! It was a bad week for Boxers! :(
 
#14 · (Edited)
Hm that's scary! Well I'm glad I went In, I'm not good at self diagnosing animals, and administrating Otc meds, Although next time I will be more aware..

My vet (whom I'm contemplating on leaving) told me next time this happens don't panic and refrain from coming in on emergency hours... UNLESS he is having problems breathing... I'm not impressed but my problem is he is the only vet in this town, he is good at times but he has no compassion for the owners at hand, and I'm starting to wind down and tell him how I truly feel.

I have never owned a dog,anything that looks out of sorts or something that is getting worse by the minute, and hell anyone who looked at his face could say holy crap that looks bad! So off I go to the vet I don't wait for other signs.. He can be a dope head of a guy great with Duke and my fiancé for some reason.. But he doesn't deal with panicked women well.

Anyways UPdate: Duke is doing well his swelling has come down a bit. Eating and drinking fine..still looks like his mending from the boxing ring.
 
#17 ·
My last dog, a shih tzu was stung one day by a bee. When we came back inside she laid right down, and within about 5 minutes she began to pant. Didn't realize at first what was happening. It was a Saturday almost 5 PM, I called PetsMart and they stayed open for us. They had to give her IV's and keep her overnight, she had gone into anaphylactic shock . Another 15 minutes I would have lost her. The vet told me to keep benedryl on hand immediately give her one and bring her to a vet immediately, should she ever be stung again. Thankfully she never was.
 
#18 ·
4paws - wish I saw this when you first posted it. The vet is correct in saying you don't need to come in during emergency hours unless there is breathing difficulties. It can be treated with Benadryl. The "normal" dose is 1 mg per pound of body weight - IE a 50 pound dog can have 50 mg, however a severe reaction (a lot of swelling, covered in hives) can be dosed at twice that. - 2 mg per pound - a 50 pound dog can have 100 mg every 8 hours.

Yes- I have had to do this and I know it is safe - was verified by vet.

Trouble breathing is a true emergency though and you would need emergency care for that.

:)
 
#19 ·
I agree with both sides of the spectrum on this. I feel like yes, you sometimes can contain it with benedryl but sometimes it spirals out of control so fast that you can't "wait" for breathing probs to occur. My schnauzer got stung by a bee once and I did the benedryl and had cortisone on hand- it did absolutely nothing for her- even the max dosage. I rushed her to the vet close by and they gave her an antihistamine & cortisone shot and kept her for awhile and watched her. She started vomiting & having breathing probs. I don't agree with what that vet told you.
 
#20 · (Edited)
It looks like a bee sting. While asha was alive she got bitten twice she looked like this!!
Dog Mammal Vertebrate Dog breed Canidae


That was the second time she got bitten. The first time was half her face like your boys. They said if she has of got bitten a third time instant anti inflammatory needed to be given other wise her throat would of swollen shut.... :-( I kept her face on a bag of frozen peas the whole day.
 
#23 ·
I have no idea how other dogs react to Bee stings?? But Boxer faces seem to swell up like balloons!

When Sturddell had it happen at first she looked different?? Then a few minuets later she looked like the Michelin man!! Off to vet we go! Most likely she would have been fine with Benadryl??

She did not appear to be in any distress other than the swelling?? I think the "issue' is anaphylactic shock it happens to some dogs (Bella) and not to others.
 
#24 ·
Yes like Ashas face. I kept taking pictures to monitor the swelling and to show the vet. She was so miserable and itchy. Found out I hadn't given her enough benadryl. I stayed up all night with her just incase. She even finally fell asleep in my arms. They were hurting but I wanted her to be comfy just for a little while.
 
#25 ·
And that's the thing Struddell face was getting bigger but we did not notice at first but that was in part because she was still bouncing and wiggling!

When she came back inside 1 minuets later we like???? And she was still wiggly and goofy! Other than the swelling no apparent problems??

So with her Benadryl could have prevented a vet visit?
 
#27 ·
For him it was just the swelling of the face,and hives .. no other problem, just when he took a step down our porch he went face first in the grass, that's when I went into panic mode! Benadryl was no longer on my mind... Good thing there were no cops behind me... My foot was made of lead. Lol

But if there is a next time I'll know better!
 
#31 ·
I think animals are just like humans, some can get stung and just have a small sore spot, others swell up like crazy with severe reactions. The key is very close observation and having an emergency plan in place I guess. In those pictures of your guy, I could see that the other side of his face was starting to swell as well, was that taken after you'd given benedryl? How fast did that swelling start?
 
#35 ·
No offense but your dog looked bad! I would have gone to the vet as well especially if this was the first time. It is better to be safe. Roxy gets stung sometimes because she tries to eat the bees. She has no reaction but she does get welts from mosquito bites. I guess they are all different
 
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