My puppy's face is swollen with blisters after a bite. Is it serious?

Swelling of the face and mouth/facial swelling are often initial symptoms of an anaphylactic/allergic reaction. These reactions can occur in dogs after vaccines, after exposure to a food or substance they are allergic to, or after a bite from an insect. As it is impossible to predict whether an anaphylactic reaction will remain localized or progress to trouble breathing, which can be life threatening, it is safest to contact a 24 hour vet for Bella at this time to have her seen. The ER may recommend a treatment plan including anti-histamines, corticosteroids +/- epinephrine and montitoring until the selling has gone down. They will also likely recommend an at home dose for Benadryl after establishing a valid patient/client relationship if this should occur again as it is uncertain at this point what Bella is allergic to. Wishing Bella a quick recovery!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Laika and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. I see what you mean about the swelling, it is quite pronounced! This could be from a bug bite or it could be an allergic reaction. Oftentimes Benadryl is not strong enough to treat these issues, and stronger drugs like steroids may be needed. The best thing to do for her is take her into a vet immediately to get this treated. I hope this helps!

Oh my. Swelling of the jaw is extremely problematic because of the close proximity to the throat. Benadryl doesn't always work as efficiently as a steroid shot would, to control an allergic reaction. And the oral Benadryl can take several hours to work. I would recommend taking Lolla to the vet right away for a steroid injection to get this under control quickly. I hope Lolla's swollen jowl returns to normal soon.

The pictures are kind of blurry but I can tell there is some redness. The swelling is difficult to appreciate. It does seem like an allergic reaction to something, but what.....I cannot say. Since she is acting otherwise normally you can try to give her some over the counter antihistamine medication - you can use diphenhydramine (Benadryl). I would give her 1/2 of a 25mg caplet by mouth every 12 hours. If this has not resolved by Monday then she should see your vet. https://www.benadryl.ca/products/benadryl-caplets

Unfortunately, it is illegal for the experts at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to prescribe any drugs, including OTC drugs, without seeing the animal in person first. That's because we can't say for sure it's safe for Moana to take a particular drug. You are correct that the swelling could be due to you two bumping heads, and Benadryl will not help that (it would be used for an allergic reaction). I would continue to ice the swelling for five minutes at a time a couple of times tonight, but if the swelling continues to get worse or she starts to have difficulty breathing, then I would take her into a vet immediately.

Check and see if he has any scratches or cuts that need to be cleaned. If he does, clean them gently with a clean washcloth and tap water. Do not use hydrogen peroxide as this will be very irritating to the damaged skin and if it gets in his eyes it could cause damage to his cornea. You can use some dilute Betadine (available at any pharmacy-- put some water in a cup and add just enough Betadine so that it looks like tea) if you are wanting to use something that is an antiseptic (kills bacteria). You can give him some Benadryl, as the swelling could be due to an allergic reaction from the bush. See the attached article for dosing information. If he is pawing at his face, put an E-collar (cone of shame) own him so he doesn't scratch his skin or eyes. If he isn't looking better in the morning, or if he is getting more uncomfortable, more swollen, or starts vomiting or showing any other symptoms, seek emergency veterinary care. https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/benadryl/ Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hello. A mass as you are describing could be from a bug bite, and if so the swelling should go away in about 48 hours. If the swelling continues past that time then I would be worried about an abscess/cyst/tumor. If it isn't painful or bothering her, and it continues to get smaller then you can monitor it, however if it doesn't go away, gets bigger, gets hard, or becomes painful, then I would recommend you have it seen and tested with a "Fine needle aspirate". Good luck with Bella.