My dog's neck looks swollen when his head is down. What is it?

Poor Baldric! This swelling could be due to trauma, it could be a lymph node swelling due to a localized infection or tooth problem, a reaction to an insect bite, or it could be an abcess. Given the absence of any additional signs, I would monitor Baldric for now. Should the swelling still be present in the morning, I. Would take him into the vet. If he shows up additional signs tonight such as difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, extreme lethargy, or anorexia, then I would take him into a vet right away.

It's a little difficult to tell what exactly is swollen in your picture, but it's possible that Frankie has an enlarged salivary gland or lymph node, or something like an abscess. All of these things can occur suddenly. I would recommend having your vet take a look - they might be able to get a better idea from being able to see and feel the swelling in person. They might recommend taking a sample using a small needle (fine needle aspirate) if it seems like a lymph node or salivary gland is swollen.

It is difficult to know the cause without seeing the swelling. Your dog could have an infection, allergic reaction, injury, or a mass causing the swelling. Your dog really needs to be examined by a vet to determine the cause and then treat the problem. Your dog may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, or other medications to treat.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jack. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. He will need to be examined. The swelling may be aspirated with a small needle. The cells are then evaluated under the microscope to determine if it is a lymph node, infection, salivary gland or a mass. Based in these results treatment can be recommended if necessary. I hope this information helps!

I see what you mean about Fat Boy's swollen neck. Thank you for providing a picture of it. That could be his lymph nodes that are swollen, and they can swell up due to localized infection or even lymphoma. This is something that should be seen by a vet, and I would recommend taking him into one tomorrow. As for the swelling by the base of his penis, I'm wondering if the swelling is bilateral (on both sides). If it is, then what you are likely seeing is his bulbourethral glands. These are normal parts of a dog's anatomy, and they swell when the dog is excited or aroused. If the swelling is only on one side of his penis, then it could be a cyst or a type of tumor. Again, I would have a vet examine it.

Thanks for the pictures! At 5 months of age (nearly 6!) I doubt very seriously this is cancer, but if an abscess was in this location and is now back it suggests to me that whatever caused the abscess is still there. It's likely that he's going to need a bit of surgery to explore and drain the area. There may be some plant material or other foreign object stuck there, deep under the skin.

Thank you for your question. A lump the size of a cupped fist on the neck of a 10 lb dog is a big lump!! I can't tell you exactly what it is, but there are a few possibilities. Depending on the location, an enlarged lymph node is possible, but that is pretty huge for a lymph node. I would suspect this is either an abscess or a tumor. You will want to get Zuki to the veterinarian so they can perform a fine needle aspirate, which is where they use a needle to collect cells and look under the microscope to make a diagnosis. If this is just an abscess, they might be able to lance and drain it and make Zuki feel much better. If this is a tumor, it will not be so simple. Until you can get to the veterinarian, you can trim the hair, and place a hot pack over the area for 10 minutes several times a day. If it is an abscess, this might help it break open and drain. But don't wait long to seek veterinary care, as it could get much worse. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.