Emergency dog help: any vets on-line?

[epepke]

Tess the non-wonder Dalmatian came back from the kennel with significantly swollen jowls. Nothing else seems to be the problem, just huge upper lips and cheeks. Both sides. She's breathing fine.

I'm wondering if it may be a fire ant attack or some other sort of allergic reaction. I'm planning on giving her a human Benadryl and a dog aspirin.

Anything else?

 

[Rolfe]

Yes, it sounds like an allergic reaction. I don't know where you are but that presentation is often thought to be a bee or wasp sting. An antihistamine is a useful approach.

The situation is usually not serious and it usually goes down in its own time. However, if she shows any sign of breathing difficulty or distress, phone your emergency vet.

Rolfe the insomniac.

 

[epepke]

Yes, it sounds like an allergic reaction. I don't know where you are but that presentation is often thought to be a bee or wasp sting. An antihistamine is a useful approach.

The situation is usually not serious and it usually goes down in its own time. However, if she shows any sign of breathing difficulty or distress, phone your emergency vet.

Rolfe the insomniac.

Thank you, Rolfe. I appreciate the quick response.

She has been taken to the vet, because the swelling increased a fair amount since I posted the message. No breathing problems so far. She got an injected antihistamine and a steroidal anti-inflammatory. It seems she's going to be OK.

I thought of a bee or a wasp sting, but the swelling was on both sides of the muzzle but nowhere else on the face. I'm in Florida, and we have some really nasty ants called fire ants that from time to time have caused fatal histamine reactions in people.