Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 6/25/2008

Question
I got home to find my papillon with barely enough energy to greet me at the door.  One eye is swollen, and he appears to be having trouble drinking and eating. We live up in the mountains, although he is mostly an indoor dog, he does go outside.  I took him to get his shots 3 days ago, but last year he did not show these symptoms, so i thought maybe this could be a bug bite.  What could be causing him to behave this way?

Answer
Elizabeth -

Get your pet to a  veterinarian as soon as possible.  A swollen face can be a sign of an allergic reaction, and along with weakness and an inability to eat and drink, it can be a serious condition.  

It is not common for an animal to have a vaccine reaction three days after vaccination.  Most vaccine reactions usually occur within 24-48 hours of the  vaccination.  However, it is possible that your dog may have a reaction to the vaccines and a visit to the veterinarian would be prudent.  

There are other reasons that may cause facial swelling.  Systemic disease can cause facial swelling and swelling of the lymph nodes which can impair eating and drinking.  

Consult your veterinarian - he/she can determine the cause of the swelling and let you know if further treatment is necessary.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM