My puppy has swollen face/paws and is itchy. Is it allergies?

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

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! That is certainly a possibility. I highly recommend that you consider taking them to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If they do think that this seems likely based on examination, therapy for an allergic reaction can be started usually with steroids and anti-histamine medications. Good luck and have a great day!

I am sorry to hear about your pup. One of our major rule-outs/possible causes in these cases is an allergy. We can have allergies to things in the environment like grass, pollen, dust (called atopy) or food allergies. We can also have flea bite hypersensitivity where just one or two flea bites can make a dog break out all over and itch. Often a secondary skin infection with bacteria or yeast develops in these cases, which require antibiotic therapy. There are some lower cost antibiotics available ahttp://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.htmls generic drugs at many grocery stores, so if you let your vet know your financial limitations, they can try to find the most cost effective options. Sometimes once the secondary infection is under control the itching may be managed with a lower cost drug like an antihistamine such as hydroxyzine, benadryl, or zyrtec, along with a fatty acid supplement. Being on an effective flea preventative is also crucial in these cases. You can read more about allergies at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952662 . I would look around to see if there are any low cost clinics in your area. Sometimes the human society or APL or ASPCA will have these. Some vet clinics will also take payment plans or work with companies like Care Credit to offer payment plans. You can read more about ideas to help pay for vet care at http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

It sounds like Ruffo may be experiencing an allergic reaction. This could be due to something in the environment, foods, bee stings, etc, especially if it is causing facial swelling or puffiness. I would definitely schedule a visit with your vet to figure out the underlying cause and get him started on some meds such as an antihistamines to help with the swelling and itchiness. If the swelling worsens on his nose, or appears on his face, head, or neck, seeking care sooner is best as this is considered a serious condition.

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.

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!

It could be allergies, a skin infection or a very slight injury, i would recommend just monitoring it for now, if you judge that it is getting worse in the next week or so then take her to the vet to get it checked and treated.