My boxer's jowels are swollen and bleeding. When should I see a vet?

It's unfortunately not possible to post pictures here, it's only possible through our private consultation system. A swollen lip can be caused as a result of a trauma (injury) or insect bite. If it is bleeding a lot I would recommend taking her to the vet as it is quiet difficult to treat at home, it's a delicate location to stop the bleeding or prevent the dog from licking it. If it's just bleeding a little bit and slightly swollen, it is likely to get better within a few days, try to keep the area clean as much as you can, avoid feeding wet food and make sure her water is changed several times a day.

Oh goodness! Poor Jack! As a veterinarian and fellow boxer owner I would expect that this is likely an allergic reaction to an insect sting or spider bite. Boxers are very reactive! They often have gastrointestinal signs with these reactions and usually take a few days to return to normal where as most dogs will respond within hours. He needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately for some steroids and possibly even epinephrine. If his face is that swollen I worry that his throat could be swollen too, which could be very serious if it gets worse. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the picture, this could be a mass of some type or due to an insect bite. If this does not resolve within 24-48 hours, then I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It may be from a reaction from a bug bite or a scratch that occurred or an infection in the hair or skin. Clean it with mild soap and water and apply neosporin but be careful to not get any in her eyes. Take her to your vet tomorrow for a skin sample to find out the cause

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. The hair will need to be shaved to see the extent of the lesion. If she does not have a history of a traumatic wound, she could have an infected tooth. This can create an abscess under the skin that can rupture open. Her veterinarian will examine her and determine the best course of treatment. I hope this information helps!

I am so sorry to hear that Boxer has this concerning mass. Because you have noticed the mass over a period of a few months and because it is bleeding repeatedly I would have it seen by a veterinarian. There are many possible causes for masses in a dogs skin including foreign bodies, bacterial infections, cysts, and several types of benign and well as malignant tumours. In the meantime, place an e-collar, or cone, on Boxer to prevent him from biting or scraping the mass. This will hopefully stop him from bursting it again, as well as stop him from possibly infecting the area. Measure the mass with a ruler so you can compare its growth in a couple weeks time. Rapidly growing masses are more concerning. I hope that this answer was helpful and more importantly that Boxer feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both.

This is indeed a mass. Make a note of how big it is now and watch it for a week or two and then compare to the size it is now. If it grew, or started to ooze or bleed, it needs to be examined by your vet and possibly removed. If it is just a wart, it can remain, unless it causes trouble.