Got home about 7. Dog was fine. Got him outside while I was working in the garage. Wife got home and started running and playing with him in the yard. We came in and he hsd a normal appetite and ate dinner. Shortly thereafter, i noticed that he looked funny, and nie it looks like half his snout from under his eye down to his nose was swollen. Nothing outrageous, but definitely odd. I've probed the area and it doesn't appear to be tender. He's acting normal. Breathing is fine. Again he ate fine. Eye is not swollen shut or anything like that. It looks like a swollen ankle looks. Gave him an appropriate dose of benadryl in case it was a bite or allergy (25mg and he's about 35 pounds of fat, old corgi). He's relaxing now. I iced the area and checked his gum. I don't see any bleeding or signs of an abscess.

What else can I do? Should I watch him and take him to the er vet if looks like his vitals change? Take him in anyway? Nothing to sorrow about?

Background: we live in the city. Backyard is fenced. Woody backyard, but we've never seen any snakes.

If I had to guess, I'd think it was an insect sting/bite of some kind. Always worried about some miscreant poisoning him through the fee because I'm paranoid like that. The fact that only o e side has swollen, and that he's eating/drinking normally makes me think that is not an option.

Help! He's my buddy!

Has that happen with my dogs and wasps/bee stings.

*had

I've had 2 dogs bit on the face by a snake, probably a copperhead due to the number of them at my old house, on 3 different occasions. I took the first to the vet. The other 2 i just gave benadryl and kept an eye on them.

Got a pic?

Had a chocolate lab once that thought it was fun to chase the red wasps in the grass. Until her face swole up like a baseball. After that, she was not so interested in that game.

Had a lab that took a rattlesnake bite to the face. Eyes were swollen shut. He didn't survive it. Do what you can now.

Is the swelling painful when you touch it? Do you see any puncture wounds?

Looks much better this morning!

Usually if it's a non-painful swelling, it's a bee/wasp sting. If they freak out when you touch it, or you can see bite marks, it's a snakebite. Snakebites are more serious and should be seen, if for nothing else than getting some pain meds on board. Rattlesnake are the worst. Some dogs have bad reactions depending on where they are bitten - on ER we had one Dachshund get bit under the neck and it sloughed all its skin over the next 3-4 days. Some have clotting abnormalities too that need to be monitored.

Allergic reactions - Benadryl at 1mg/lb every 4-6 hours until swelling is down is appropriate. However, never hurts to have them checked out or at least call your vet to see what they recommend. My fat-face dogs get a shot of benadryl to work faster, and a shot of steroid that is short-acting, and sent home with benadryl.

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Looks much better this morning!

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Good to hear.

My German Shepherd got stung one time, she was whining at the back door so I let her in, thought she was carrying her black kong toy. Then saw it was her face, called the vet and they recommended Benadryl since she wasn't having trouble breathing.

After I knew she's was going to be okay I have to laugh at the pictures I took.

Just to follow up on a different cause.

Woke up early one morning and heard my dog was quietly whimpering. Turned on the lamp light and half of her face had swollen up. Her eye was bulging up. Looked awful.

Took her to a 24 hour vet. The first thing he did was try to open her jaws. She really yelped and the vet (a fellow ag)instantly said she had a infected molar. Gave her anti-biotics and a steroid shot. Few hours later she looked good.

probably a bee/wasp or scorpion sting.

came home to find my dalmatian's face half swollen up exactly like you described. she was obviously in no distress, and I couldn't find anything after doing all the checks you mentioned... so we laughed at her and called her "fat lip" for the night. The next day (iirc) she was back to normal, but we had some hilarious "sad face" pics.

Glad your dog is doing better, and hope he has no lingering effects, like mine.