My dog's face is swollen and he's biting his tail. What can I do?

Without some photos, it is difficult for me to fully assess what you are seeing. However, based on the distribution of lesions you are describing, I would first want to rule out any sort of flea-based allergies. If Chuck is not currently on treatment or preventative for fleas, he should be placed on one to help see if this clears up the problems. Medication like benadryl and certain topical steroid ointments should also help if the affected areas are itchy and uncomfortable. If this does not help, I would suggest reposting on here with some good pictures of these areas so we can offer you some better and more personally tailored assistance. Also, if you want to have a consultation with one of our experts, just let us know and we can help you more directly. Best of luck to you and Chuck!

Unfortunately not much you can do back home. This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hello. Thank you for using PetCoach. He is very handsome! Those bumps look like a local allergic reaction. I suggest you try using this spray a few times a day. Spray the solution on a cotton ball and then wipe it on the affected areas. If there is no improvement in a few days then you should get him to your vet for an exam. ( ) I don't think the swelling of the testicles has any relation to this. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Leo! Make sure you check him for fleas and have him on a good flea product. Fleas love the back half of the dog-near tail. If Leo is flea allergic it only takes 1 flea bite, because the pet is allergic to the saliva of the flea, to cause a very itchy skin condition. If there is no possibility of fleas then it could be allergies, pit bulls are susceptible. The ideal treatment for hot spots is shaving the fur away from the affected area, starting antibiotics and steroids, a topical spray and usually an E-collar to keep the pet off the area. With that kind of treatment it usually heals with in 5 days or so. It sounds like Leo is very uncomfortable and would benefit from seeing your Vet. Good luck!

The first picture looks like a large series of insect bites all in one location. If Jackson has been sticking his head in any weird areas where something like that could happen, that would be a reasonable guess as to the cause of the lesions. Determining with certainty the cause of the rash is not easy without significant diagnostic testing including skin scrapings and cytology at minimum. I think that the swelling and the affected area still look bad enough that Jackson could probably benefit from a systemic antibiotic to address the skin, as well as a topical ointment with both antimicrobial / anti-inflammatory properties to help with the swelling and redness. If the area has been itchy even a little bit, Jackson should be wearing an e-collar to prevent any further damage (and as a result delayed healing) to the area in question. As far as things she can do at home if the vet is not an option, use of betadine and a over the counter steroidal cream would both be beneficial. You can obtain an e-collar through your vet or a pet store, or you can even make a home made one ( there are lots of videos available on YouTube on how best to do this). Hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. About 99/100 times if a dog comes to the vet clinic with something like this they also have fleas. If you don't have him on a good flea prevention then he is likely scratching this location due to fleas. I do think I see some "flea dirt" in the photo. I strongly recommend you get him to the vet for an exam. If he has fleas you need to get a good prescription flea prevention. Also, this type of lesion almost always needs oral antibiotics and some type of oral antiinflammatory to stop the itch cycle for it to heal. As long as he keeps scratching it, it will not heal no matter what you apply topically. If you choose to try and treat it yourself at home, you can use this hot spot spray gel 3- 4 times per day. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/3-oz-3-fl-oz-hot-spot-antimicr-2877113 ) You will also need to get some dog boots to put on his back feet so if he tries to scratch the area it won't continue to traumatize the skin. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/search?query=dog%20boots ) If you do this at home for about 5-7 days and there is no improvement or it looks worse at any time then he needs to see the vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

It appears as if Trooper may have developed a hot spot (moist dermatitis). He would need to be physically examined by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. Typically, the affected area is clipped and cleaned. An e-collar (cone) may be used to prevent scratching or rubbing. Antibiotics will likely be dispensed to treat infection and an anti-inflammatory may be dispensed for relief from itching and swelling. You can read more about the condition at the link, found in the PetCoach Library, below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/hot-spots-acute-moist-dermatitis-in-dogs/