My dog's jaw is swollen after throat surgery. Is that normal?

It is a possibility that the tightness of both the collar and cone caused the swelling. I'd keep a close eye on the swelling, and if it gets bigger over the next 24 hours, doesn't go down over the next 48-72 hours, or Max has trouble breathing, take him back into the vet immediately. Best of luck.

The incision appears closed in the pictures and the blood around the incision appears dried, so that is all good news. However, the incision is much redder and more swollen than I would expect it to be the day after surgery, so I would be concerned that she has been licking at the incision. If you don't have one, I would recommend getting an e-collar to prevent her from licking at the incision and keep her in a kennel to make sure that she cannot run and jump and risk opening the incision. If the incision starts to ooze or continues to be red and swollen, you may need to have your veterinarian examine it to make sure that it isn't infected. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Maggy heals quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This does look quite swollen and would be worthwhile having it rechecked and a small sample drawing to rule out infection and to determine if any additional treatment is required. It can occasionally require revision and restitching to close the pocket of swelling if persistent as the skin becomes stretched

It would be good to see a picture of her incision to see if it's normal or not, but I can say that swelling can be a sign of infection. It would be best to have her checked out by a vet, as if her incision is swollen, she will need antibiotics. I would take her into a vet in the morning. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

It's hard to tell from the photo, but some redness and swelling can occur as the body brings cells to repair the wound and surrounding tissue. You can use a clean warm washcloth compress a few times a day to help keep the area free of debris and reduce swelling of the area. An Elizabethan (cone) collar is also a good idea to keep it from being licked or chewed on. If it does begin to weep, the swelling or redness spreads, the incision opens up, or it is painful or bothersome to Delilah, then a checkup with your vet ASAP is best to rule out more serious issues.

I wonder if the swelling was unrelated to the surgery and was actually a spider bite or something similar? If he is comfortable and it is not bleeding (just blood tinged fluid), then I think waiting to see your primary veterinarian would be appropriate. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Oh no, poor EB! I'm very concerned that the swelling has gotten so big that she has trouble walking, sitting, laying down, and moving. I would be very concerned that this swelling could eventually affect her ability to breath. Based on what you have described, I would consider this a medical emergency as this is not a normal thing seen after surgery. She needs veterinary treatment now in my opinion, and waiting to have her seen could be life threatening. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. I hope this helps!