Ask Dr Claire
My dogs cheek is swollen, I’ve not noticed any significant increase in size over the past 8 hours, but I am worried, there is also no visible cut or bite.
Some of the common underlying causes of a swollen cheek might be:
- Tooth root abscess (swelling tends to extend to the eye from the cheek)
- Allergic reaction (such as from a bee sting)
- Abscess secondary to other causes i.e something they have chewed on that has pierced the inside of their cheek and introduced infection
- Underlying mass
In this case, we really need to find the cause of the swelling so that we can treat your dog’s problem.
We can not know what these lumps truly are (looks can be deceiving) unless we take a sample of the lump/swelling and look at those cells under the microscope.
Sometimes the sample needs to be sent to a veterinary pathologist to interpret what it’s likely to be, and then recommendations are made from there as to whether a biopsy, drainage or removal would be needed.
If you’d like to chat in person, you can book a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail, as soon as possible.
We’re here to help!
Chat soon,
Dr Claire