Why is my 4-week-old puppy's lymph node swollen after medication?

It sounds as though your vet initially suspected an infection causing the swelling around Lexi's neck. There can be some very minimal fluctuation in the prominence of the salivary glands and lymph nodes that are located under the neck, which can certainly occur with infections. However, other conditions can also cause swelling in these areas. Puppy strangles (also called juvenile cellulitis) is an autoimmune condition that can cause some pretty prominent swellings around the neck. Given Lexi's age, this would be my first suspicion. Other issues, including lymphoma or a salivary mucocele, are always possible, although they'd be highly unlikely in such a young puppy. At this point, I think your next step is to take Lexi back to her vet for a follow up visit. Your vet will likely want to run some diagnostic testing on this swelling or even some baseline blood work to check her blood cell counts and organ function. Depending on their findings, they may prescribe steroids to help treat puppy strangles or another medication to treat a different condition. I hope that everything goes well!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Those images could either be a bite that is infected, or could be a very enlarged lymph node and a condition called 'puppy strangles' where the lymph nodes swell up. Either way, it looks very serious and requires medical attention. The treatment for these two different conditions is very different and treatment for one could make the other much worse. I recommend you bring your puppy to a veterinarian right away for treatment. Best of luck with your little one, I hope he feels better soon!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Thunderbolt has lymphoma but I'm happy he has been doing fairly well with his prednisone. It is possible that this area could be his lymph node which has swollen/grown significantly in size. This can happen pretty acutely, over the course of several hours to a day. This would suggest that his lymphoma is progressive, and his body may not be responding to the prednisone any longer. There are other chemotherapeutic options that may benefit Thunderbolt. I worry that a mass on his neck could continue to grow and possible cause difficulty breathing or swallowing. I recommend having Thunderbolt evaluated by your veterinarian to determine what the swelling is exactly (lymph node vs. mass vs. abscess, etc), and discuss other treatment options. I hope this is helpful!

I would not expect swollen lymph nodes secondary to teething. Infections, including a bacterial infection commonly known as 'puppy strangles' can cause enlarged lymph nodes. The salivary glands are also in this same area and it is possible that he has inflamed salivary glands as well. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian for a physical examination to confirm that the lymph nodes are actually swollen. If the lymph nodes are swollen they might recommend a fine needle aspirate which is a procedure that uses a small needle to obtain cells that are sent to a pathologist for review.

Hello. Have you tried bringing Nyah to a veterinarian? I would recommend having her lymph nodes aspirated in order to check why the lymph nodes are enlarged. I would also possibly biopsy the site, depending on response. What you are describing sounds like it needs oral medications to start, and if it is a simple infection, if it is causing the lymph nodes to enlarge it may make Nyah very sick soon. Puppy strangles (a form of auto-immune disease and severe infection) is also a possibility however this would be a mild case. I suggest having her seen by a vet. Good luck with her. Also, this is unlikely to be related to her diet in that location.

From the location my best guess would be an enlarged lymph node - this could be confirmed on a physical exam performed by your vet. Lymph nodes are where his immune system is stored and can become enlarged when Luicus is fighting an infection, or inflammation. It may be best to have him examined tomorrow to check he's not running a fever.

Lymph nodes can become enlarged because they are draining an infection or inflammatory part of the body, because the lymphatic flow is being disrupted, or because of cancer in the nodes. I would discuss additional diagnostics with your vet, which may vary depending on which lymph nodes are involved. Aspiration of the affected lymph nodes is easy and can often be done without sedation. The samples are sent to a pathologist for review. X-rays of the chest and or abdomen may be indicated. Ultrasound of the abdomen may be needed. Dental cleaning and removal of diseased teeth if the lymph nodes are near the head.