• Hate to be alarmist, but if it is a spider or bite, the swelling could kill your dog by cutting off oxygen flow etc. I know you will be vigilant but if the benadryl doesn't help FAST (like in 30 mins), you might want to consider an emergency vet if there are any signs of breathing issues. And of course I type this and think, DUH she knows that. Okay so I worry. Please let us know how he is. In so many ways a sick dog is worse than a child… they can at least TELL you whats up. 😞


  • For what it's worth, this happens to my 15 year old border collie mix about once every 2 months (she gets a swelling below her eye, on her cheek - it's hard and a little warm, but doesn't seem to be particularly painful). The vet hasn't found a cause. The swelling usually goes down in about three days, but Rimadyl seems to reduce the swelling within 24 hours. If you have some around the house, maybe try that rather than Benedryl, although that certainly can't hurt.


  • Sorry Digital is having problems. Could be a bad tooth, or bite, and as you said, you can't go wrong with benadryl. 1 every 6-8 hours is what my vet has suggested in the past, and for a bad allergic reaction, he had me give 2 (50 mg) as a first dose. Digital is at the "if it's not one thing, it's another" stage of life. Hope he is better today.

  • Houston

    How weird..here'shoping for a swift recovery though…poor Digital


  • Well this morning is about the same. Haven't tried breakfast yet, but he ate his sweet potato w/thyroid pill sort of slowly. But at 14, he doesn't have the greatest teeth. My guess is a tooth. Attitude is same old Diggie. I'll try another benedryl, but I doubt that's the solution. Anyway, please keep the little guy in your thoughts.


  • Hope Digital is feeling better soon, Agile.


  • thanks - ate breaky (water soaked kibble and scrambled eggs) with gusto. Cleaned his plate and asked for more, so I don't think he feels too bad. I recently upped his breakfast from 1/3 c to 1/2 c in the morning so I did not give him seconds, but I think hubby let him clean my breakfast plate.


  • Do let us know how he is tomorrow.


  • A good appetite is positive! Thanks for the update.


  • Glad to hear some improvement. Poor guy.


  • I think tooth too, Kim. We had this same thing with Querk a few months ago. are you on FB? i can share the pics there. I thought he was going to need an extraction (and he still might) but a course of antibiotics took care of it with a few days. It hasn't recurred, but I think it will eventually need to be pulled. Good thoughts going out for Diggie!


  • No, i'm not on FB, but the universe keeps telling me i need to be, so ask again later in the week.

    Energy-wise he is great. Took all the curlytails out to the agility field today and he did a few jumps, tunnel, maybe the dogwalk. I think his new idea of agility training is to interfere with Zest and ask for food. It's a lot of fun to (try) to practice agility with 3 basenjis. :rolleyes:

    It is heartening to hear you did not have to have the tooth pulled. That was sort of my thinking about asking the vet to wait to see him to give the antibiotics a little more time. He had only been on them 2 days (4 doses) when I noticed the swelling.

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