My dog has a ball-like swelling on her face. What should I do?

I am suspicious that he has An abscess (infection). In that location it could be from a tooth, or some sort of trauma or migrating foreign object. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian soon. This likely needs antibiotics, and possibly surgery as well. In the meantime I would warm compress the area several times a day. This may encourage the abscess to drain which is what we want. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Based on the swelling's location, this is possibly due to a tooth root abscess. This is something your veterinarian could check for on an examination and treat if confirmed. This is something that is treated with local therapy including drainage, debridement and antibiotics. Good luck and have a great day!

I am sorry to hear about Pepper! A swollen face can be caused by a variety of issues, including an allergic reaction, a bite from an insect, or an abscessed tooth to name a few. These are all treated with different medications, so it is recommended to bring Pepper in to the vet to examine her to determine what is causing the swelling and how best to treat her. If the swelling is increasing in size or she is struggling to breath it is a medical emergency and she should be seen immediately.

It is possible that Stella may have a tooth root abscess, a cyst, granuloma, benign or malignant mass, among other causes. I'm glad to hear that she is acting normally, but she should be examined by her vet to address the underlying cause. If she is diagnosed with a tooth root abscess, her vet will be able to discuss a dental extraction and antibiotics with you. Otherwise, a fine needle aspirate (FNA) can be performed to evaluate the type of cells present in this growing lesion to aid in determining the underlying cause.

A sudden swollen face is usuaally caused by some allergy, either an insect bite or an environmental allergy, or could also be a rattle snake bite. Check for oozing little wounds, there would be a little blood oozing but not coagulating. If you find those on the head, your dog likely was bitten by a snake and needs to be seen by a vet right away. If your dog has breathing problems, vomits or is lethargic, he should also be seen by a veterinarian right away. If he is happy, eats and drinks, you can observe the swelling and it should go down within 24 hours. Of course you can also take him to the vet if he is not in distress. The vet will give him an exam and likely an antihistamine and/or steroid injection.

Poor Bow! If she was bitten in the face and throat, she could have developed an abscess (a local pocket of infection) from the bites. This commonly happens from dog bites. It's quite serious that these areas have swollen up so much they look like a big balloon, and it could negatively affect her breathing. She absolutely has to see a vet today for this issue so she can be treated. Please bring her into a vet now. As for the fighting, if they both are not spayed, it could be related to hormones. I recommend discussing spaying both of them with your vet. I hope this helps!

Hi. That is definitely some severe swelling. Due to its location and presentation, I would be very concerned about a tooth root abscess. These can occur even if the crown of the tooth appears normal. It takes an x-ray to fully diagnose it. Other possible causes of swelling like this in a young dog could include a bite from insect or spider, injury, trauma, or infection. I recommend getting him to your veterinarian to be checked out tomorrow.