Why is my dog lethargic with a swollen neck gland and not eating?

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Knuckles! I would make an appointment for Knuckles to see his Vet. The swelling can be from an infected or inflamed salivary gland or lymph node. He could also have an abscess from foreign material penetrating the mouth or from the outside, be experiencing an allergic reaction or possibly even have a tooth root abscess. An enlarged lymph node can also be from lymphoma, a type of cancer. Usually though more than one lymph node is swollen if a dog has lymphoma. I hope this helps and I wish Knuckles a speedy recovery!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bailey! Bailey needs to see your vet ASAP tomorrow. The most common reason for the swelling under his jaw are enlarged lymph nodes. With the increased thirst and swelling under his neck I am concerned he has a cancer called Lymphoma. He will need a physical exam and blood work. The most common cause of increased thirst with lymphoma is an increased calcium. Other causes for the swelling under his neck could be an allergic reaction, swollen salivary glands or lymph nodes that are swollen from something else other than cancer (reactive to something in his mouth or ears). The facial dropping sounds neurologic. 2 weeks is a long time to not eat. I would call tuesday when your Vet opens to get an appointment. I hope this helps and I wish you and Bailey the best of luck!

I certainly see what you mean about the swelling around Roo's ear! It could be a swollen lymph node, which is an indication of infection. Given that it's on one side and she is eating slowly, it could be that she has a tooth root abscess on that right side leading to the swollen lymph node and slow eating. The warm ears could be due to a fever but also an ear infection. Given her multitude of symptoms, it would be best that Roo is seen by a vet. The vet can diagnose what is causing all her symptoms and can treat her accordingly. Because she has been lethargic since Wednesday, it's best that she is seen by a vet tomorrow.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry Champ isn't feeling well. Lethargy, trouble walking, not eating/pooping are all signs of weakness and being generally unwell. This can be due to many causes however for a dog that is 2 years old I would be concerned about things such as fungal disease, parasite disease, heartworm, Addison's disease, or sometimes it can be more simple like an abscess. The wheezing is concerning that he has trouble in his lungs or heart, so heartworm is a concern. The squishy lump could be an abscess (pus filled pocket) and this could cause all the signs you are seeing as well. Either way, I recommend you get him to a vet right away, even a simple thing such as an abscess, which is fixed fairly easily, can be fatal if not treated in time. Best of luck with Champ! I hope he feels better soon!

Thank you for your question. A lump the size of a cupped fist on the neck of a 10 lb dog is a big lump!! I can't tell you exactly what it is, but there are a few possibilities. Depending on the location, an enlarged lymph node is possible, but that is pretty huge for a lymph node. I would suspect this is either an abscess or a tumor. You will want to get Zuki to the veterinarian so they can perform a fine needle aspirate, which is where they use a needle to collect cells and look under the microscope to make a diagnosis. If this is just an abscess, they might be able to lance and drain it and make Zuki feel much better. If this is a tumor, it will not be so simple. Until you can get to the veterinarian, you can trim the hair, and place a hot pack over the area for 10 minutes several times a day. If it is an abscess, this might help it break open and drain. But don't wait long to seek veterinary care, as it could get much worse. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If Hank has an infected tooth, that could certainly explain his symptoms. If the tooth is painful, he may not want to eat normally and may just not feel well. If the lump on the neck is a lymph node that is draining the infected tooth, that could also be related. So, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Hank tomorrow to see what they think and to determine how to treat Hank. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Hank is feeling better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! What you describe does sound concerning. You mentioned that the salivary glands are enlarged so this could something like salivary mucoceles though they are usully just unilateral so being both would be unusual. The other thing is making sure that it is not the mandibular lymph nodes that are enlarged in which case it may be something completely different. I think ideally a CT scan of that region is performed though if unable to you could consider an ultrasound lf the neck. Even before that, it would be helpful to sample that affected area via fine needle aspiration as this would help to rule in or out a salivary mucocele and help determine what this enlargement/swelling is. The red eyes could also represent uveitis so a close examination would be recommended. Good luck!