[Sled dog hotel]

Hi everyone,

My 7 month old Sprocker looks like he has been beaten up when he went to bed last night his eyes look a little puffy, then they swelled up a lot and so did the flaps around his mouth. It felt like there was a hard lump on the side of his mouth so I guessed that he had been bitten/stung by something in the garden before bed. I was up all night checking on him to make sure it didn't get any worse and he has had some piriton. The swelling seem to be going down now, but are there still.

I was going to give another half a piriton This afternoon and take him to the vet tomorrow if no improvement.

I just can't think how this happened and its annoying me. He is his usual lovely self, eating and drinking and running around like a loon so I can't think it could be anything too serious except for an allergic reaction to something ....

Any thoughts?

If he has a hard lump on the side of his mouth as well as the swollen eyes and his jowls it does sound like it could be some kind of sting or bite, often if they are stung particulalrly in the mouth there can be a risk of Anaphylactic shock which can be serious. It does however usually come on very quickly and progresses quickly as well.

Have looked up all the symptoms in case I missed any.
Anaphylactic reactions occur almost immediately – usually within moments after a dog touches, inhales, ingests or otherwise is exposed to the inciting allergen. The first signs of anaphylactic shock in dogs usually include very rapid onset of one or more of the following:

•Diarrhea
•Defecation
•Urination

•Vomiting
•Itchiness (pruritis)
•Development of hives (urticaria)

These symptoms quickly progress to one or more of the following:

•Weakness
•Lethargy
•Drooling (hypersalivation)
•Shallow, rapid and difficult breathing (respiratory distress; dyspnea)
•Pale gums and other mucous membranes

Kobi got stung in the back of the neck a few months ago and whilst it caused an egg like swelling on the back of his neck I noticed the following day and put two and two together as he had yelped in the garden and at the time it happened I couldnt see anything on checking him over there was no other problems. Some dogs like humans though can also have worse reactions then others. If its going down with the periton and he is well in himself it does look like it could well be OK and he wont have any ther effects. It might be an idea though just to ring the vets at least and see if in their opinion he may still be at risk of any complications or needs anything more doing to make sure.

http://www.petwave.com/Dogs/Dog-Health-Center/Immune-Disorders/Anaphylactic-Shock/Symptoms.aspx