My dog has a really puffy and swollen cheek? Please help!?

Question

My dog lives outdoor fulltime and she was fine in the morning, but now, she has a very puffy and swollen cheek.She can eat her food fine but she doesn't seem to be drinking her water. It could be a bee sting but it's hard to believe a bee could cause so much damage.

Answer 1

It's a very sensitive location, and a sting could cause significant swelling.  But be aware it could also be snakebite this time of year.  Just two weeks ago I went through this with one of my Aussies when a copperhead bit him on the cheek.  It looked like he had a melon in his mouth within minutes.   The vet school's course of treatment was simply to give pain meds, IV fluids to replace those lost to the swelling, and anti inflammatory meds.  They don't use antivenom in dogs due to the risk of shock.

Answer 2

take her to the vet asap! she must have ate something that she is allergic to. i have had a few of my dogs do this and they always came down to something that they were allergic to. or had an infection. if you don't have the time or money to go to the vet. try some children's liquid benadril

Answer 3

Take her to the vet.

Answer 4

My dog got under the house, where he was bit by a spider, and his cheek swelled up like that.  For him, it created an abscess.  Take her to the vet.  They put my dog on antibiotics, and it popped and drained on it's own.  

An abscess is a pocket of skin that fills up with pus.

And yes, dogs can take benedryl.

Answer 5

Yes a bee sting can cause a severe reaction. Your dog needs to go to the vet. They will give her some injections that will take care of the swelling. Don't wait, sometimes allergic reactions get worse. Good luck!

Answer 6

Why, why, why, do people waste time on YA instead of taking their pets to the vet when something out the the normal happens to their dogs?  The fact that your dog isn't drinking water should be enough to be cause for concern, let alone the puffy/swollen cheek.  Since she is an outside dog, she more then likely got stung by a bee, a wasp, or a hornet.  The stinger could still be inside the skin and causing the swelling.  You need to take the dog to the vet and have her checked out.  this is just common sense.  You don't cure it if it's a bee sting, you get the dog the proper medical care you committed to when you adopted or purchased her as your pet.  You can not treat something when you have no idea what is causing the problem.  once again, common sense.

Answer 7

INFECTION!!!!!!! Get him to a vet! IF it is a bee sting, it probably means he's allergic

Answer 8

take her to the vet, might be an abscess tooth.

Answer 9

Please take her to the vet- it sounds very much like a spider bite, and spider bites get much worse with time - she really needs to be on medication, or she could end up with a large hole in her face - the spider venom spreads, and can cause a large area to die off, or necrotize.  

  This is the time of year when all the Charlottes are laying their eggs, and they are defensive about anything brushing by their eggcases.

It may not look that bad now, but it will - please go now, and when you get back, clean out any areas with an overhang that she can have access to when she's outside - the ceiling of a dog house, corners of a shed, underneath a porch - they all need to be sprayed, and then aired out so she isn't in contact with the pesticide.

Answer 10

Yes it could have been a bee sting and your dog might be allergic to bees. My pup actually got stung by a bee and her nose was swollen for about a week. And maybe she isn't thirsty. I'm pretty sure you can give dogs benadrill (spelling?), but you should call your vet and make sure.