My dog's face is swollen, what should I do if I can't afford a vet?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Oh my, that is quite swollen, and I'd be concerned that this swelling could increase and affect her breathing. This is a medical emergency and cannot be treated at home. Please take her into a vet immediately to get this treated. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is most likely an allergic reaction. He needs to see a veterinarian as soon as possible. This is typically treated with steroids and anti-histamine medications and they do well if treated promptly. Have a good night!

A sudden swollen face is usuaally caused by some allergy, either an insect bite or an environmental allergy, or could also be a rattle snake bite. Check for oozing little wounds, there would be a little blood oozing but not coagulating. If you find those on the head, your dog likely was bitten by a snake and needs to be seen by a vet right away. If your dog has breathing problems, vomits or is lethargic, he should also be seen by a veterinarian right away. If he is happy, eats and drinks, you can observe the swelling and it should go down within 24 hours. Of course you can also take him to the vet if he is not in distress. The vet will give him an exam and likely an antihistamine and/or steroid injection.

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.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The swelling is most likely an allergic reaction, usually from an insect bite or sting but it could be related to pollen or plant allergy. If it is not bothering Peanut at all, just monitor him at home and the swelling should disappear in less than 24hrs. If it becomes itchy and your dog stars to have fast and noisy respiration, you should take him to your local vets for an appointment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to an infection of a tooth for example, a mass or even an allergic reaction. It is not possible to know with just a picture. However, it is not recommended to give a dog Advil as this is not used in veterinary medicine due to its possible toxicity especially without possibly an appropriate dose. There is not much you can do at home without going to a veterinarian. For that reason, I recommend you consider going to your veterinarian for further assessment and possible treatment. They will start with a physical examination and possibly diagnostics depending on what the issue seems to be. You can consider your local humane society as they sometimes offer more affordable veterinary care. Have a great day!

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!