My dog's face swollen with spots after eating. Is it an allergy?

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!

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!

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

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.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is very hard to tell from the image if the face is swollen on one side or not as we can't see both sides and don't know what his normal face looks like. That being said, if there is generalized (not a specific or discreet area) swelling of the muzzle, +/- around the eyes, +/- the ears, this is more consistent with a bee sting or insect bite and allergic reaction. This can be itchy as well. I would look for areas of hives or raised bumps on his body elsewhere. Ideally he would go to a vet to get a couple injections, one of a steroid (depending on how bad the swelling is and what other medications he is on, steroids can be very dangerous) and an anti-histamine. Without an exam by a vet, you shouldn't give any human medications to dogs, as the drugs may interact with medications he is on or conditions he might have. You vet might prescribe an anti-histamine (Benedryl is a common product used in the US. You MUST make sure diphenhydramine is the ONLY active ingredient as other human medications that are sometimes in anti-histamines can be very dangerous to dogs. The dose for a dog Hercules' size would be about 50-100mg by mouth up to three times a day). Other causes of swelling/lumps would be a bump or hit and swelling, infection, he could have something in his mouth, etc. If it is small lump/swelling and he doesn't seem bothered by it, the best thing to do might be to just monitor it for now. If it doesn't get bigger/more swollen or the swelling doesn't spread, then you can just keep an eye on it. If it isn't gone by 24-48 hours have it seen by a vet. Best of luck with Hercules, I hope he feels better soon.

Poor Oreo! Please call a vet near you to have her seen immediately to help treat the swelling, as this could be an allergic reaction, and could become life threatening. Oreo may have ingested something she is allergic to or have been bitten/stung by something she is allergic to, and your vet can help direct treatment to help prevent worsening of her symptoms. If you notice any difficulty breathing that is an emergency situation, as it could indicate a severe allergic reaction, and requires immediate vet care. Good luck and I hope she feels better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not possible to know what is exactly going on just based on a picture. This could be due to an infection or an allergic reaction for example. I would highly recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck!