Swollen Face in Dogs

The symptoms of the various potential causes are similar in a very general way.  Here are some of the symptoms you might see to accompany the swollen face in your dog:

• Small bumps or hives, sometimes with hair standing up in that area
• Itchiness
• Swelling especially around the eyes and on muzzle
• Swelling around the eyes which sometimes closes the eye(s)
• Swelling in the jaw and throat area

Sometimes the swelling, especially in the muzzle, jaw and throat areas, can result in the closing off of the windpipe, causing an emergency situation for your canine family member.

Types

The types of swollen face in dogs relate to the ways in which the swelling can occur:

• Trauma - Including blunt trauma and penetrating injuries

• Allergies - Includes food allergies and insect bites (spiders, wasps, etc) as well as environmental and household allergens (household cleaners, carpet cleaners, air fresheners, etc) and mold and pollen

• Dental issues - Includes cavities, tooth damages, bone fractures, etc

• Cancers and tumors and other systemic involvement

• Lymph node involvement - Swelling of various lymph nodes in the facial area as a result of multiple factors

During the diagnostic process, your veterinary professional will require your complete history on the lifestyle of your canine family member.  This will need to include details on dietary regimen, recent vaccinations (if not done by the treating vet), the locations where the dog may be been (to determine possible insect or parasitic involvement), the symptoms noted, their severity and duration.  He will also need to know if the swelling was noted to have come on suddenly or was it more gradual in its development?  Be sure to include any unusual behaviors noted and the duration of those behavioral changes.  Your vet will do a physical examination which will likely include some blood work, urine and fecal samples and perhaps other tissue or fluid samples to be sent to the lab for evaluation and assessment.  

A specimen of fluid from the swollen area will likely be obtained via needle aspiration and sent to the lab.  The vet may order some imaging studies, like radiography (x-ray), CT (computer tomography) imaging or MRI to identify or ascertain the presence of any masses, either felt on examination or suspected. An echocardiogram may be utilized if cardiac issues are present or suspected.  The treatment plan developed by your veterinary professional will be entirely dependent upon the diagnosis found.

Treatments for swollen face in dogs, as noted above, can be based solely upon the diagnosis found in the examination and testing, or based on the assumptive diagnosis of an insect bite (most frequently the cause) or other allergen.  

• In the latter situation, your vet will likely begin an allergic-style regimen right away, especially if there is concern that the swelling could interfere with your pet’s ability to breathe  
• Your vet may initiate a treatment plan which consists of antibiotic treatment of any penetrating or trauma wounds which show infection and inflammation 
• He may begin an antihistamine regimen if he suspects that your beloved doggy family member is suffering from an allergic reaction of some type  
• If the reaction is severe, he may also treat your pet with steroids as needed.  Epinephrine may be utilized in extreme situations in which anaphylaxis is suspected as this type of reaction is potentially life-threatening and will need immediate action on his part  
• If this severe reaction is being treated, you should expect that your pet will be hospitalized for close monitoring, utilization of oxygen, potentially IV administration of corticosteroids and heart and blood pressure monitoring on a 24 hour basis until your pet is stabilized and can safely be returned home
• If the cause is found to be dental, your pet may be referred to a veterinary professional who specializes in doggy dental procedures unless your vet has the expertise to treat dental issues, too