Swollen nose in dogs: What to Do if Your Dog’s Face is Swollen

What to Do if Your Dog’s Face is Swollen

If you see that your dog’s face is swollen, there is probably an underlying health complication causing the swelling. Today our Tazewell County vets illuminate what serious conditions facial swelling can be a sign of in dogs.

Causes of Facial Swelling in Dogs

There are numerous potential causes of facial swelling in dogs that vary from minor and likely treatable with a visit to the vet to larger health concerns such as tumors. Since a dog with a swollen face can often have underlying health problems, it’s common for this symptom to be accompanied by others such as loss of appetite and lethargy. 

Allergic Reaction

Allergic reactions are the most common cause of facial swelling in dogs. Bee stings, medications, certain foods, vaccinations, exposure to toxins, pollen and bug bites are just some of the many potential allergens that may affect a dog if they present with a swollen face. While mild reactions tend to clear up with minimal intervention, severe reactions are a veterinary emergency and demand immediate attention.  

Allergies trigger an inflammatory response that may cause hives and swelling on a dog’s face. The swelling might be especially obvious on the eyelids and muzzle. You may also notice reddened skin or behavior that points to your canine companion being itchy and uncomfortable if they are suffering from an allergic reaction. 

Dental Problems & Facial Swelling in Dogs

Dental health issues are another potential cause of face swelling in dogs. Dental infections such as tooth abscesses can occur deep underneath the gums, causing a pus-filled pocket to develop and lead to facial swelling. Oral injuries, fractured teeth and periodontal disease are other potential causes of facial swelling in dogs. 

Traumatic Injury

Trauma is capable of causing swelling in dogs just as much as it is in people. Whether from a fall or the bite of another animal, a facial injury is as likely an explanation as any for a swollen face in your dog.

Tumors

Tumors both benign and malignant causes facial swelling whilst growing on a dog’s face or head. Tumors can cause pressure and pain, and furthermore are possibly a sign of cancer – if you suspect your dog may have a tumor on their face we strongly suggest contacting your vet as soon as possible. As well as tumors, cysts can grow large on your pet’s face and be confused for swelling. Cysts are fluid-filled growths that are most often benign and only require attention if they grow to an unignorable size.

How to Prevent Your Dog’s Face from Swelling 

Does your dog have known allergies? If so, try to minimize his exposure to allergens that may trigger a reaction. Your vet may also recommend antihistamines to prevent swelling. 

Your vet should also know about any previous reactions to vaccines your dog has had (including facial swelling) so your pooch can be treated in advance to minimize the reaction. If you notice that your dog has been stung by a bee, bitten by a bug or otherwise exposed to an environmental allergen, treat the reaction right away with an antihistamine. Ask your vet for instructions. 

Most dental issues can be easily prevented by maintaining your dog’s teeth with regular dental checkups and at-home care. Start an at-home oral care routine and stick with it to reduce your dog’s risk of developing a dental problem. This way, you’ll be more likely to catch problems early on.

While trauma cannot always be prevented, it’s always good to keep safety tips in mind. Do not let your dog play off-leash or roam free in non-fenced areas. Closely monitor interactions with other animals so you can prevent fights. If any kind of trauma occurs, get your dog to the vet right away. 

A sad fact is that cancer and tumors cannot really be prevented. That said, early detection, diagnosis and treatment may minimize damage to long-term health. If you notice your dog has a swollen face, it’s important to act swiftly.

Are you concerned about swelling in your dog’s face? Contact us to book an exam for your canine friend.

What to Do if Your Dog’s Face is Swollen

Facial swelling in dogs usually occurs as a secondary to another problem. It can be an allergic reaction, dental issue, trauma, or a growing tumor. Most commonly, acute (sudden) facial swelling in dogs occurs as a result of an allergic reaction. Facial swelling that develops more slowly may be in the result of a facial growth or tumor. Although some facial swelling may not be serious, it almost always requires medical intervention to concretely determine the cause and proper treatment of it.

Causes of Facial Swelling in Dogs

There are many possible reasons why your dog has a swollen face. Because facial swelling is a sign of an underlying problem, these dogs will often show other signs of illness, such as lethargy and loss of appetite.

Allergic Reaction

When a dog’s face suddenly becomes swollen, it is usually caused by an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions may be caused by bug bites, bee stings, vaccinations, medications, certain foods, toxin exposure, pollen, and other environmental allergens.

Allergic reactions cause an inflammatory response in the body. This can lead to hives and swelling, especially on the face. You may especially notice swelling of the muzzle and eyelids. You may also see reddened skin and notice that your dog seems itchy and irritated. Some allergic reactions will get worse quickly, leading to vomiting, diarrhea, pale gums, weakness, or collapse. Mild reactions tend to improve with minimal intervention, but severe reactions are considered emergency situations.

Dental Issues

Facial swelling may be related to a problem with the teeth or mouth. Tooth abscesses and other dental infections can go deep beneath the gums and cause a pocket to fill with pus. This usually causes a dog’s face to become swollen, especially beneath the eye. Broken teeth, oral injuries, and periodontal disease may also make a dog’s face swell.

Trauma

An injury to the face, head, or skin can lead to facial swelling. Common injuries like animal bites and other wounds can lead to infections that cause swelling. Snake bites often cause swelling of the face and muzzle, locations where curious dogs are commonly bitten.

Tumors

Abnormal growths can occur on the face and head. Sometimes tumors can cause pain and pressure buildup. Whether they are benign or malignant, facial tumors may spread and grow, causing damage to the facial nerves, muscles, and bones. Cysts are fluid-filled growths that are often benign. However, they can become quite large and visible, especially on the face.

The Spruce / Hilary Allison

Treatment of Facial Swelling in Dogs

The proper treatment of facial swelling in dogs usually depends on the cause. Before proceeding with treatment, it’s important to contact your vet for advice.

Extreme allergic reactions can have effects that extend beyond facial swelling and hives. Severe allergic reactions or anaphylactic reactions can cause sudden vomiting, diarrhea, collapse, or breathing changes. This is an emergency situation; get to the nearest open veterinarian immediately.

Mild to moderate allergic reactions may be treatable at home using medication. A reaction is considered mild to moderate if your dog is breathing normally and acting relatively normal (no more than slightly lethargic). In these cases, your vet may recommend giving an over-the-counter antihistamine. If your dog’s face is swollen for some other reason (or unknown reasons), the next step is to bring your dog to the vet for an exam. Your vet will recommend treatment based on the diagnosis.

Facial swelling due to dental or oral problems may require professional dental work. The dog is often treated first with antibiotics and pain medication before coming in for anesthesia and a full dental cleaning and examination. Dental x-rays may be done while your dog is under anesthesia to evaluate the roots of the teeth. Depending on the cause, the vet may need to extract teeth or perform another kind of oral surgery. Your dog may be sent home with antibiotics to treat or prevent infection.

If trauma has occurred to the face or head, treatment depends on the nature and severity of the injury. X-rays may be necessary to help determine the severity. Begin by providing any first aid that is necessary, then get to the vet right away. Treatment may involve antibiotics, pain control, and supportive care. Serious injuries may require surgery. Snake bites are treated with supportive care and sometimes antivenin (if available and deemed necessary).

If your vet suspects a tumor and/or cancer, further testing will be needed to learn more. Your vet may recommend blood tests, x-rays, and testing of the tumor itself (usually a fine needle aspirate or biopsy is sent to a pathologist for microscopic analysis). Treatment depends on the diagnosis. Cancer may need to be treated with chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery.

How to Prevent Facial Swelling in Dogs

If you know your dog has allergies, try to minimize exposure to allergens. If approved by your vet, use antihistamines as prevention. If your dog is known to have vaccine reactions, make sure your vet knows so your dog can be treated in advance, minimizing the reaction. If you see that your dog has been bitten by a bug, stung by a bee, or otherwise exposed to an allergen, treat right away with an antihistamine (ask your vet for advice on this).

You can easily prevent most dental issues by taking good care of your dog’s teeth. Begin a dental care routine for your dog and stick to it. Your dog will be much less likely to develop a dental problem and you will be more likely to catch issues early on.

Trauma cannot always be prevented, but you can take steps to keep your dog safe in general. Do not let your dog roam free or play off-leash in non-fenced areas. Supervise interactions with other animals so you can prevent fights. Bring your dog to the vet right away if any kind of trauma occurs.

Tumors and cancer cannot really be prevented. However, early action can minimize the damage done. If you notice your dog has a swollen face, it’s important to act right away.

The Most Common Dog and Puppy Allergies Explained

If a dog has a swollen nose – causes and what to do

All about dogs > Health and disease > If a dog has a swollen nose – causes and what to do

When you see a pet’s swollen nose, you want to laugh. The muzzle of a dog with a ball at the end looks rather ironic. But this symptom is not at all a reason for fun. If this phenomenon is detected, the dog’s nose should be urgently examined, and even better, an examination by a veterinarian.

Probable Causes

How to determine why a dog’s nose is swollen?

If the edema is severe, then its occurrence may be associated with an insect bite , and does not pose a threat to the health of the pet.

There is also the possibility of allergy . It is explained by intolerance to drugs, products, environmental influences.

But there are other cases of tumor formation, such as injuries, infections, the presence of parasites.

If a swollen nose bleeds or mucus is observed, the intervention of a veterinarian is necessary. These symptoms indicate a serious illness in the dog.

Often a swollen nose begins to dry and scaly . The appearance of these signs may be due to a malfunction of the immune system, or malnutrition.

If the dog’s behavior is normal with a swollen nose, it is necessary to observe its condition for a couple of days. This is probably a temporary phenomenon, and the swelling will disappear in a few days.

Also, a pet may have a runny nose associated with infectious diseases, colds.

The most dangerous cause of nasal swelling is the appearance of a cancerous tumor , the causes of which are still unknown.

Cancer

In many cases, the initial symptoms of the disease are colds accompanied by mucous discharge, nasal swelling, difficulty breathing, and bloody discharge. If the diagnosis is incorrect, inadequate anti-inflammatory physiotherapy is performed. In connection with all the procedures used, there is a strong progression of the nasal tumor. There is a destruction of the facial skull, nerve damage.

Cancer activity also affects the lymph nodes and the condition of the lungs. Unfortunately, with an incorrect definition of the disease, patients turn to veterinary clinics too late, which negatively affects the disease process. For correct diagnosis, it is necessary to remember the existence of such a disease.

You should constantly pay attention to changes in the nose area, indicating an initial lesion of the dog’s nasopharynx.

The nose of an animal, according to the description of many authors, is considered a hard-to-reach area for primary examination and diagnosis. To examine the entire nose, rhinoscopy is used, as well as x-ray diagnostics, which allow you to determine the stage of the disease, the condition of the sinuses.

The pet’s treatment strategy is chosen by determining the morphological variant of the tumor. Any malignant formations have a special sensitivity to different types of therapy. In an operable case, an electrosurgical section is performed.

It must be remembered that tumors can have a malignant appearance, and with timely treatment to the clinic, the effect of treatment will be much more noticeable.

Treatment of ailments that cause swelling of the nose

The treatment of the dog depends on the cause of the swelling of the nose. If this is an insect bite, then you can get by with cold lotion .

If an allergy occurs, the allergen itself must be identified. To do this, you need to check everything that could cause the disease. Reduce dog walks or walk it at a distance from tall and thick grass. The use of antihistamines is not ruled out.

These are all minor signs of edema and do not pose a significant threat to the pet. The greatest danger is blood and mucous secretions. With these symptoms, it is necessary to eliminate the inflammatory process, that is, contact the clinic and conduct an appropriate diagnosis. You can wash the nasopharynx with a special tool, such as “ Aquamaris “. It contains only natural ingredients.

Seeds, plant thorns, various foreign objects can also cause bleeding. To remove these items, you must contact your veterinarian.

If the cause of a swollen nose is a cold or hypothermia, there are several fairly effective and painless ways to get rid of this trouble:

1. Streptocide solution is prepared, and two drops are instilled into each nostril of the dog.
2. An equally effective remedy is a squeezed onion. In the resulting onion juice, soak cotton swabs and clean the pet’s nose. But not every dog ​​can withstand such a procedure. Therefore, the best way is to dilute the juice with water, and drip the resulting mixture into each nostril.
3. Beetroot juice, diluted with boiled water, is also suitable, instilled 4 times a day.
4. A very good remedy for a swollen nose is Derinat drops. They are excellent at fighting infections and bacteria.
5. Most dog owners use vitamin A, in solution. It softens the mucosa and kills the virus.

When you have a cold, you need to take care of the humidity and ventilation of the room. Give your dog more water, with honey added to it. Water contributes to the rapid removal of infection from the body, honey strengthens the immune system.

When a dog has a swollen nose, it is better to consult a specialist and get the necessary answers from him. And also to determine the source of the disease, to undergo diagnostics, which will reveal the main cause of the disease.

A lot of trouble is given by a small puppy, sticking his nose anywhere, while injuring him. If it is not clear why the puppy’s nose is swollen, and his behavior also does not give the right answer, it is better to contact the veterinarian, at the same time get advice on the proper upbringing of the puppy.

The dog grunts its nose – what is it? My dog ​​has a stuffy nose – what should I do?

If the dog sniffles, chokes, wheezes or “grunts” with his nose, you need to find out the cause of this phenomenon. However, wheezing can be associated not only with the occurrence of diseases, but also with the innate characteristics of the body.

Runny nose in a dog as a cause of wheezing

If the dog began to wheeze or sniffle, remember how she felt before this phenomenon. Perhaps she just develops a viral or bacterial runny nose. In this case, before the dog began to “grunt”, he had a liquid discharge from his nose for a long time. If this is the reason, you need to show the pet to the veterinarian. A runny nose, especially a viral one, is a very dangerous disease that can lead to the development of complications.

And also the causes of a runny nose can be:

• Allergic reactions. In this case, it is necessary to eliminate the allergen from the pet’s reach.

• Irritation on contact with acrid smoke or vapour. If the dog is characterized by increased curiosity, it can pay for it with a runny nose and sneezing.

• A foreign object in the nose can cause wheezing and grunting. You need to remove it from there yourself or take the pet to the doctor.

• Problems with the heart, kidneys, or ears can also cause snoring. In this case, a mandatory visit to the doctor is necessary.

• If the dog has a stuffy nose, but there is no discharge from it, then pay attention to this fact. It is possible that tumors or polyps have formed in the body of the pet.

• Congenital pathologies can cause wheezing, grunts and snoring during sleep. This is due to the fact that from birth the pet’s nasal septum is deformed. This does not bring much harm to health, but such a defect can be eliminated with the help of surgical intervention.

• The appearance of parasites in the dog. This is an indirect cause of the common cold, but today it is quite popular.

There is a more unpredictable cause of wheezing in a dog.

Reverse sneeze

This is a condition that causes the owner of the pet anxiety or even panic. A “reverse sneeze” is a fit that looks like the dog is taking a sharp breath and is unable to exhale, causing it to choke.

Such attacks look frightening, but there is no reason to panic. This process often begins suddenly, just as suddenly it passes. Doctors are still unaware of the causes of “reverse sneezing”.

It is very similar to the “reverse sneezing” condition of a pet if a foreign object enters its nasopharynx. You need to carefully observe what the pet is doing in order to have time to deliver it to the veterinarian if necessary.

Severe stress or a heart attack also resembles a “reverse sneeze”. Therefore, if the dog is very frightened, it is necessary to examine his tongue. If it turns blue, then a heart attack is taking place, an urgent examination by a veterinarian is needed.

Dog snores in sleep

First, snoring is not always a problem. Perhaps the animal is just dreaming, so it makes various sounds.

Secondly, some breeds, for example, pugs, are prone to snoring and grunting from birth. Keep this in mind when buying a puppy. And also pay attention to the diet of the animal. Obesity is a completely logical cause of grunts and wheezing.

It is worth sounding the alarm if the dog cannot sleep due to nasal congestion. Usually, along with this, symptoms such as cough, weight loss, vomiting, and shortness of breath appear. In this case, you need to take the pet to the veterinarian.

What to do if the dog is choking

If the dog has a seizure and is choking, try one of the following algorithms:

• Stroke the animal’s throat.

• Close your pet’s nose so that he inhales through his mouth.