Dog with a swollen neck, what can it be?
Dogs are curious animals and often smell of plants or try to ingest certain insects that can cause an allergic reaction, leaving the dog with a swollen neck or other areas such as the snout.
- Allergic reaction or anaphylactic reaction is one of the most common causes whose main symptom is swelling and inflammation of the structures involved.
- This reaction can be something as simple as swelling or something more dangerous that.
- Within minutes.
- It can compromise your pet’s life.
In addition, some neoplasms (tumors) can cause inflammation of the dog’s neck. For more information on allergic reactions in dogs and all dogs with swollen neck, do not miss this peritoAnimal article.
Causes of a dog with a swollen neck may include
Allergic reactions can be triggered by insect, arachnid or reptile bites, food allergies, reactions to vaccines or contact medications and allergies (vegetables or chemicals).
My dog’s face is swollen: what to do?
Allergic reactions can cause local swelling at the bite/contact site, being more common in dogs with a swollen face. For more information on “a dog with a swollen face, what can be”, see this article.
Allergic reaction is a defense mechanism of the body, however, it can sometimes take uncontrolled proportions and cause an anaphylactic reaction (general systemic reaction) that can lead to:
Lymph nodes are small lymphatic system structures responsible for filtering and combating pathogens (such as viruses and bacteria). Once in the lymph nodes, the defense cells (mainly lymphocytes) will attack the agent and attempt to remove it. As this process occurs, the lymph node may become reactive, hot, painful, and enlarged. If it is easy to resolve, the situation will go back in 3 or 4 days. Otherwise, the lymph node continues to grow and is very painful to the touch.
An infection in a tooth can cause a reaction to the lymph nodes or an abscess, which explains why you see the dog with a swollen neck.
Lymphoma is a cancer (malignant tumor) that results from uncontrolled proliferation of cells in lymphoid tissue. In stage I, it manifests as an enlargement of the regional nodes, in stage II involves several nodes in the same area and in the III, affects all lymph nodes. It occurs more in older and middle-aged dogs, and can also be found in very young animals.
When trauma or injury occurs and the structure of one or more blood vessels is affected, blood can escape and cause bleeding. If the wound is connected to the outside, the blood drains. However, if there is no connection to the outside, there is a hematoma (blood buildup between the tissues, causing more or less significant swelling, which explains why you notice the dog with a swollen face) or a bruise (known bruising, small dimensions).
In case of bleeding: try to cover it with towels to stop the bleeding and take the animal to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
In case of hematoma: in these cases you can put ice at the site and then apply ointments that have in its composition, for example, sodium polysulfate pentosan or mucopolysaccharide polysulfate, with anticoagulant, fibrinolytic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties local.
Abscesses are encapsulated accumulations of purulent matter under tissues (skin, muscle, fat) and are how the body attempts to expel microorganisms or foreign bodies (such as seeds, spines, or dust).
If located in the neck, they are more common as a result of scratches or bites from other animals. They are usually accompanied by a lot of pain, a high sensitivity to touch and an increase in local temperature and, in more advanced states, the abscess capsule can fistula and drain the material out showing a varied appearance (between bloody or purulent grassy) and an unpleasant smell.
You can place a hot, damp compress in place to try to stimulate blood circulation. If the abscess is already draining, you should clean and disinfect it twice a day with a diluted saline or chlorhexidine solution. Many of them require systemic antibiotics, so never stop asking your trusted veterinarian for help.
A dog with a swollen neck can also be explained by tumors. Thyroid, bone, muscle mass, or neck skin tumors are often easily visible through severe blows or wounds that never heal and can even deform the animal’s neck.
Benign tumors are usually slow-growing tumors, localized, and do not metastasize (they don’t spread to other tissues or organs).
When they are malignant they develop quickly, are locally very invasive and can metastasize.
Regardless of the malignancy of the tumor, the sooner it is evaluated and diagnosed, the greater the chances of treatment and healing.
Este artigo é meramente informativo, no Animal Expert.com.br não temos capacidade para receitar tratamentos veterinários nem realizar nenhum tipo de diagnóstico. Sugerimos-lhe que leve o seu animal de estimação ao veterinário no caso de apresentar qualquer tipo de condição ou mal-estar.
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