My dog has a swollen neck, bleeding, and won't eat. What's wrong?

There are many possibilities, an absess, blocked salivary gland, insect bite or injury would be the most common causes for rapid swelling. The reduced appetite is a concern, this may be due to discomfort, narrowing of the throat or fever. If this persist or increases overnight he should be checked by your vet, monitor for any changes to his breathing which would require an emergency visit

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Knuckles! I would make an appointment for Knuckles to see his Vet. The swelling can be from an infected or inflamed salivary gland or lymph node. He could also have an abscess from foreign material penetrating the mouth or from the outside, be experiencing an allergic reaction or possibly even have a tooth root abscess. An enlarged lymph node can also be from lymphoma, a type of cancer. Usually though more than one lymph node is swollen if a dog has lymphoma. I hope this helps and I wish Knuckles a speedy recovery!

My concern would be that if he is having a hard time swallowing then it could progress to having a hard time breathing. Should this happen while you are sleeping it could be catastrophic. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Elijah! He does have to see a vet immediately. It sounds like he was attacked or got into a fight, and it's serious he can't eat or drink, and is bleeding out of his mouth. There is nothing you can do for him at home, he needs immediate medical attention. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com Please take him into a vet now, it is an emergency.

I wonder if the swelling was unrelated to the surgery and was actually a spider bite or something similar? If he is comfortable and it is not bleeding (just blood tinged fluid), then I think waiting to see your primary veterinarian would be appropriate. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

BB could have a hematoma or accumulation of blood and fluid secondary to the trauma on his neck. I would be worried that he is painful when standing - while it is possible that this is from bruising and soft tissue trauma a broken bone would be another possibility. I would not recommend anything else specific if you are absolutely unable to see a vet right now - just keep him as quiet/calm as possible and continue to offer food and water. You may need to help him stand up - sometimes slinging a towel underneath to assist might help. I do not recommend any over the counter pain medications in dogs. If he stops eating, is having trouble breathing, seems very weak or lethargic, or is unable to walk I would recommend driving to the nearest veterinarian.

Poor Baldric! This swelling could be due to trauma, it could be a lymph node swelling due to a localized infection or tooth problem, a reaction to an insect bite, or it could be an abcess. Given the absence of any additional signs, I would monitor Baldric for now. Should the swelling still be present in the morning, I. Would take him into the vet. If he shows up additional signs tonight such as difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, extreme lethargy, or anorexia, then I would take him into a vet right away.