Question
I just noticed that my black lab had some swelling around his upper "lips". He hadn't been out of the house for a while. Looking around the house, I found a small brown spider with a black abdomen near where he had been laying. Could this be serious? Pictures:
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Edit: swelling went away a little, then came back with less "severity" (seemingly after chewing on a certain toy)
Answer
It doesn't seem very severe, but you can never tell from pictures alone. Your dog's behavior tells you whether or not the situation is severe.
If a dog:
- gets very inactive and sleepy,
- stops eating, drinking or defecating,
- starts panting heavily without obvious cause,
- vomits without obvious cause (like eating grass or unusual objects),
- becomes very agressive very suddenly or
- has pale, yellowish or even blueish gums,
you should treat it as a medical emergency and see a vet as soon as possible. Don't waste time asking people on the internet, get help for your dog.
In this particular case there doesn't seem to be a need to rush to the vet, but you should keep your dog under observation to find the cause. It could be an insect bite or maybe he bit himself while playing with the chewing toy. It could also be a bad tooth, a skin condition, allergic reaction or something completely different.
First remove any new toys, pillows, snacks or food and water bowls to see if one of them caused the problem. Have a look at the teeth and gums to see if there's a problem there. If he's as active and playfull as ever and has a healthy appetite, you can wait a few days to see if the problem solves itself. If his behavior changes, you should make an appointment with a vet, just to be sure.
Answered By - Elmy