Dog’s Face is Swollen on One Side – Top 3 Reasons Why

Have you noticed that out of the blue your dog’s face is swollen on one side? This can happen from time-to-time, but it’s often an indication of some type of trauma that your dog just experienced. Whether it’s trauma to the inside of the mouth or the outside of the face, it’s important to figure out what happened so you can prevent further complications. The most common reasons for your dog to experience facial swelling on one side are listed below.

1. Your Dog Received an External Trauma or Injury

An external trauma or injury of some kind could be why your dog’s face is swollen on one side. Your dog could have been hit on one side of their face which caused a wound. There might have been some type of penetration from being hit, which would cause facial swelling and inflammation. The swelling itself could be the result of cellulitis, which is a bacterial infection. A bacterial infection from the external trauma is common if your dog was bitten by another animal.

2. Your Dog Got Stung by an Insect

Your dog might be experiencing swelling on one side of his face because he was stung by some sort of insect. The most common explanation is that your dog was stung by a bee, wasp, or other stinging insects. If a bee stung your dog you might try to find the stinger and remove it, but you don’t want to use tweezers. Only use a credit card because using tweezers could push more venom out of the sac.

You can use a cold compress to help with swelling or even make a baking soda and water paste that could help reverse the acidic venom. If you use the paste then you should try to wrap up the area so that your dog isn’t licking off the paste. No medications should be given unless you have talked to your veterinarian first to ensure it’s safe.

If your dog is having a severe reaction to the sting, then you need to seek veterinary care immediately. This would include swelling that is impacting the airway, eyes swelling up, vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness. Rarely, the complications occur much later so you should pay attention to your dog for 14 hours after the sting.

3. Your Dog Has Tooth Abscess

A tooth abscess could cause your dog to have swelling on one side of his face, especially if your dog has gum disease. Gum disease that hasn’t been properly treated could create tooth abscesses and infection. If this happens, your dog will have other symptoms that you will notice right away as well. If you notice your dog isn’t eating much, has a fever, and also has some depression then a tooth abscess could be the problem.

You will notice quite a bit of swelling of the face and your dog also might be in considerable pain. For treatment of a tooth abscess, your dog likely will need to have the tooth pulled that has the infection. After the tooth is removed pain medications, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory medications are given for a certain period of time.

What to Do if My Dog’s Face is Swollen?

If your dog has a swollen face, you should first try to figure out the cause of the issue. For stings and other allergic reactions, you can use a cold compress to try to help the swelling. If your dog has trouble breathing or seems lethargic, isn’t eating, and is having other health issues, you should seek veterinary assistance right away. Treatment will depend on what is causing the issue, but if you are unsure of what happened, always just take your dog to the veterinarian to ensure it’s nothing life-threatening.