My dog has swollen face, hives, vomiting, bloody diarrhea. What to do?

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 and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Maggie Mae Santana. I would advise that you have her seen today if the vomiting persists, worsens, or other signs develop. Not sure if the vomiting is related to the allergic reaction but it could be. I would withhold food and water for at least 12 hours and let her stomach/intestinal tract settle down. She can have ice cubes to lick on every few hours is there is no vomiting. Then after a short fast give her a few tablespoons of water and wait for one hour. If she hasn't vomited, then start feeding her really small meals about 1-2 tablespoons every few hours throughout the next 12 hours after the fast. You can try to give the Benadryl but if that makes her vomit, then hold off until her stomach settles down. Again, if the vomiting persists, you will have to have her seen today. Good luck and have a great holiday.

I am so sorry that Chanita is dealing with this. I would highly recommend calling your veterinarian and taking her to see them. This looks like it could potentially be an allergic reaction and that would explain why the benadryl helped and the lesions are no longer there. She may still have some of the allergen affecting her. Your veterinarian can perform blood work to make sure there is nothing else going on with her and then give her medication to help with the allergen. They can also vomit from an allergic reaction so it does not surprise me. Regarding her stool you can always try a bland diet (boiled chicken and white rice). I hope Chanita feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

These are signs of an acute allergic reaction and immediate check up would be required to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately. Steroids and antihistaminic drugs are very likely to be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

It's probably an allergic reaction to either an insect, something in the environment or something he ingested. if it seems to just be getting worse you need to take him to the vet right now in order to get a steroid injection.

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.