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My dog fought, now his neck is swollen and painful. Vet visit?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Maltese | Male | neutered | 15 lbs

My dog is a 9 year old Male Maltese mix, he got into a fight with a bigger breed puppy and I think he bit my dogs neck. Now there is a swelling under his neck. is it something that will go away on its own, or do I have to take him to Vet? he seems a bit in pain

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on April 8th, 2017

Poor Meeko! If he has some swelling under his neck and seems painful, I'm afraid he really needs to see a vet today. The swelling may be due to bleeding, inflammation, or even air under the skin if his trachea was damaged in the fight. Some of these problems can be quite serious.

Your vet can examine Meeko and take x-rays if needed to help determine if his injuries are serious - it's possible that he might need surgery or hospitalization, depending on what is found. At the very least, your vet will likely prescribe pain medication and antibiotics to treat the wound.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on January 1st, 2017
Poor Tyago! I would recommend taking him to the vet tomorrow to be safe. Dog bite woundscan sometimes be more serious than they appear from the outside, so it would be best to have this checked. Your vet can make sure that there is no internal damage and may also prescribe antibiotics to help prevent infection or other complications from developing.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on April 14th, 2020
Poor guy. This swelling could be an abscess (infected pocket), salivary gland problem, or inflammation due to an allergic reaction. I can understand your hesitation to take him in and limitations here but he really does need to see your vet to get this taken care of. The vet likely will want to poke this area to see what is inside first, so that we know how best to treat this moving forward. If it is a firm swelling, then it is likely an allergic reaction and can be treated with a steroid shot.
I do hope that you can resource a friend or relative to help you get Hans to your vet for proper care of this swelling soon. Until you can get him seen its best to apply a cold compress on the area for 3-5 mins (if tolerated) to help alleviate some of the discomfort. Best of luck mvoing forward with your pet Hans and take care.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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