Why is my dog's face swollen on one side, but he's acting normal?

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!

Swelling can be caused by trauma or infection. If she hasn't been hit or hurt herself on that side, it could be an abscess/infection. She will need to be physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose the exact cause. Trauma may be managed with anti-inflammatory and pain medication. If it is infection, the underlying cause will need to be determined and treated for resolution.

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.

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.

Bobos could be suffering from an allergic reaction to a bite or sting, even if you cannot find a wound. If that is the cause of the swelling it should go away within 1-2 days. But he could also be suffering from a tooth root abscess, which is a condition that needs to be seen by a veterinarian. Check your dog's teeth and if you see a lot of tartar, if there is a bad smell and red gums it is very likely a tooth problem. If the swelling does not subside within 2 days you will need to have Bobos examined by a vet. Tooth abscesses are terribly painful. He would need a teeth cleaning under anesthesia, the abscessed tooth would need to be removed and Bobos will need antibiotics.

In a small dog, my first suspicion would be a tooth-root abscess. Small dogs tend to get rather diseased teeth as they age and are prone to infections like this. The other possibility is that he bumped his face on something. This is over a bony area that can swell with fluid when it hits something hard (i.e. door, chair, etc.). In this case, the swelling will eventually go down within two weeks or so. In order to tell exactly what it is, you'll have to take Teddy to a vet. They can take a sample of the fluid and help to narrow-down the possibilities. I hope that helps and Teddy gets better soon.

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.