My dog's face is swollen and itchy; should I take him to the vet?

I cannot pinpoint exactly what is going on but Bruno could have an ear infection with so much itching that he caused damage to his face. He could also be itchy following a bite from an insect or even a snake. I suggest you take him to the veterinarian as soon as you can. What you describe, does not sound comfortable at all for Bruno. Best wishes for a good recovery.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bruno. I recommend that you seek emergency veterinary care. A swollen face can be a sign of an allergic reaction such as an insect bite or sting. If this is the case, it requires prompt treatment. If the swelling progresses, it can interfere with his ability to breathe. I hope this information helps!

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!

He looks to be generally itchy. I'm suspicious of allergies causing this, but it could be due to mange, fleas, or other causes. The eye may be a separate problem, or related to the allergies. Without seeing it, it's difficult to tell the cause of this, or the severity, but the fact that it's swollen shut warrants a visit to the vet. I recommend having him seen by a vet within the next 24 hours to prevent serious complications with the eye. The vet can also help narrow-down the cause of the itch and provide medication to help give him some relief. One thing you can do for itchy skin, is give a bath with cool water using an oatmeal or aloe shampoo. You can get these shampoos at the pet store. For now, you can flush the eye with normal saline. Saline flush can be bought at the pharmacy, or supermarket in the eye care section. Flush the eye 3-4 times daily and gently wipe away the discharge with a warm/moist cotton or cloth. Below is a link to a good video that demonstrates how to flush the eye. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXVNMcPzhs I hope that helps and Roscoe gets better soon.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Blu. Poor boy. It could be an allergic reaction that he is suffering from, and my main concern is that his face looks swollen. If his face swells too much, it could cut off his trachea, leading to respiratory distress. I would take him into a vet immediately to get checked out. Best of luck.

It does look like a bad case of hives. The problem with allergic reactions is that they often get worse, and can lead to breathing difficulties. Due to this, I would take Bruno into an urgent after hours clinic now.

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.