This morning, totally out of the blue, Mishka our old labrador had a really swollen area all on one side of her face. We took her to the vet earlier this afternoon and he thinks she has cellulitis, which I've heard of, but not sure what exactly it is. We thought the problem was tooth related as she is old and has rank breath, but the vet seemed to think her few remaining teeth are okay.
However he did ask us if she had been in any altercations with other dogs lately and suddenly OH and I both recalled that on Wednesday evening when we were standing chatting to a couple of fellow dog walkers in our road that one of the other dogs, a little westie, suddenly started barking and lunging at Mishka. As it was dark we didn't think much of it but the vet seems to think somehow this incident could be the source of the problem. Not sure if anyone on here has any experience of this condition in dogs and if it's easy for a dog to get something like this from a minor altercation
Lyn
_______________________________________________ Gold/White Shih Tzu, Green Cheek Conure
I havent any experience of animals getting it, but Terry my OH had it last year and as I understand it for humans there is usually a wound which can be small that will trigger it. It is very painful and can lead to septasymia (sp) so has to be watched carefully. In humans it usually shows itself in a limb which in Terry's case was his knee/leg. He had fever, ached all over, knee/leg really swollen and red hot to the touch the colour resembled a pillar box red. They treat humans with antibiotics and painkillers. Has the vet prescribed anything?
My daughter's horse had a bout of cellulitis a few years back. Vet treated with injected antibiotic for a few days, then she went onto oral and was fine within a week. It is infection in connective (soft) tissue that gets in through a small wound. I do remember she looked really sorry for herself for a few days. Hope Mishka is better soon.
I'd never heard of it in dogs before either and I'm not convinced that is what she has. The last time her face was this swollen was due to her teeth and we are a bit worried it's that again even though the vet said her teeth look fine. The vet said if the swelling hasn't gone down by Tuesday then she will need to be knocked out so that they can have a better look. I'm not happy about her having an anaesthetic at her age and even just getting her to the vets is a huge ordeal for her as the older she gets the more nervy she is when there. Yesterday she was shaking the whole time we were there, however if it doesn't improve we are going to have no choice
Lyn
_______________________________________________ Gold/White Shih Tzu, Green Cheek Conure
Bev x Our family: my-Lovely-Hubbly and I, Benny and our two little Ladies - Betty and Gloria. RIP dear little Ladies - Lottie, Cottie, Elsie, Dottie, Hilda and Margie. You may have gone, but are never ever forgotten.
Gwenoakes wrote:How is Mishka getting on, Mercedes? I do hope if it was cellulitis that it has now gone.
Well Gwen she seems to be okay now, the swelling has gone down but we are not convinced she actually had cellulitis. Our main reason for thinking this is that she had really bad breath before all of this but while she was taking the antibiotics her breath cleared up, now she has finished them it's bad again. We are inclined to think maybe it is her teeth or her gums that are playing up so we will just keep an eye on her for now to see if the swelling comes back.
Lyn
_______________________________________________ Gold/White Shih Tzu, Green Cheek Conure
from me too.
