Help...What's going on with Max????

leli

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Max's right nostril (at the bottom) is swollen. The swelling goes from mild to quite pronounced at different times. It is red, especially when the swelling is particularly up (I've noticed it more after walks) and sometimes gets a thin layer of what appears to be a slightly cloudy mucus (does not appear to have the consistancy or colouration of pus). I noticed it yesterday morning and he still has it. I can see no evidence of trama (no cuts, punctures, splits in skin) and his other nostril is fine. He is otherwise normal, as far as going to the bathroom, activity, eating/drinking, responsive, etc.

I think it's just been irritated by something. Maybe he stuck his nose too close to the wrong bug (though I don't see any welt that would suggest a sting) or plant on a walk yesterday morning???? We've cleaned it a bit and applied a little polysporin to the outer edge, just in case it is becoming infected at all. We're going to keep an eye on it and, if it hasn't improved, contact our vet on tuesday (long weekend here). If it swells to the point where it affects his breathing or he acts "sick", we'll see the emergency vet.

Has anyone ever had a similar experience with their dog?
 

momofmany

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Mine have gotten ringworm on their nostrils. It lives outside and you know how dogs are at needing to sniff everything in their path. My vet tells me that it's actually quite common.

When they get it, it does look a bit swollen but I haven't noticed any puss. Could Max have gotten stung by something that he smelled?

Darn their nostrils anyway!! Poor Max!
 

starryeyedtiger

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does he have green snot comming out of his nose or has he been coughing? if so- ask your vet about putting him on cephalexin or doxycycline. (used to treat upper respiratory- snot is a sign of it.) Also- has he been around any other dogs lately- at a pet store, dog park, etc??? if so, he could have picked up something from them (like upper respirator or something of that nature.) fortunately- if that's what that is- it's pretty easy to treat if cought early...if not tended to though it can lead to kennel cough/etc. At the shelter i work at- we usually give Cephelaxin 2x a day for 7-10 days and it clears it up well
/ OR another option might be allergies (i'm thinking that might be the case here with your max
) sometimes it can aggervate just one nostril- or one might be more sensitive. If so, he can take anti- allergy tabs or benadryl - consult your vet first to find out the proper dosage - and before he starts anything- he needs to be seen by a vet to rule out illness/etc.


Also- since it's just one nostril- it could be VERY possible that it's an insect bite. This might be causing the dranage/swelling. He might need to have the site lanced and drained if it gets worse and go on antibiotics for a short amount of time. Definitely take him to the vet to see what is causing his issues though because it could be a number of things. my guess would be an insect bite or allergies. Eithor way- just about everything i've listed is easy to treat and if tended to promptly and properly -he should be just fine
So i wouldn't worry too much- but i would be diligent about having a vet check him over! I hope he feels better soon!
 
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leli

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

does he have green snot comming out of his nose or has he been coughing? if so- ask your vet about putting him on cephalexin or doxycycline. (used to treat upper respiratory- snot is a sign of it.) Also- has he been around any other dogs lately- at a pet store, dog park, etc??? if so, he could have picked up something from them (like upper respirator or something of that nature.) fortunately- if that's what that is- it's pretty easy to treat if cought early...if not tended to though it can lead to kennel cough/etc. At the shelter i work at- we usually give Cephelaxin 2x a day for 7-10 days and it clears it up well
/ OR another option might be allergies (i'm thinking that might be the case here with your max
) sometimes it can aggervate just one nostril- or one might be more sensitive. If so, he can take anti- allergy tabs or benadryl - consult your vet first to find out the proper dosage - and before he starts anything- he needs to be seen by a vet to rule out illness/etc.


Also- since it's just one nostril- it could be VERY possible that it's an insect bite. This might be causing the dranage/swelling. He might need to have the site lanced and drained if it gets worse and go on antibiotics for a short amount of time. Definitely take him to the vet to see what is causing his issues though because it could be a number of things. my guess would be an insect bite or allergies. Eithor way- just about everything i've listed is easy to treat and if tended to promptly and properly -he should be just fine
So i wouldn't worry too much- but i would be diligent about having a vet check him over! I hope he feels better soon!
The mucus is pretty much clear. Slightly cloudy ie white if coloured at all. That, combined with the fact that he has no other symptoms (no cough, normal eating/drinking, activity, bathroom habits etc) plus the fact that it's only the one nostril strongly suggest that it isn't an infection (or at least, if it's infected, it would be a local infection to some injury in the actual nostril).

He's been vaccinated for kennel cough, but as I've said, no coughing.

Allergies, I suppose, could be possible if he was irritated into rubbing that nostril too much and that caused the trouble. It would also explain why the swelling decreases and increases, since he might be continuing to irritate it by rubbing. It's something to keep in mind.

I think insect bite (though I can't see a location) or some other inhaled irritant from a walk. The changes in levels of swelling could have to do with him rubbing at it, too.

While the swelling is noticable, it is not to the point where it's blocking him breathing through that nostril and it lessens on its own. At this point, it doesn't need to be lanced and hopefully will resolve without that being needed. Since it's the long weekend here and it's not affecting his breathing, plus he has no other symptoms, I think we'll just keep an eye on it and call his regular vet tuesday morning. If other symptoms show up, there is a change in his habits/behaviour, or it becomes more severe, then we'll do the emergency vet thing. But, otherwise, we'll wait. At this point, it's not, IMO, an emergency, just something to keep an eye on and discuss with the vet when the holiday is over.
 

louisa

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my dog has hayfever and he gets that too, but mainly whe he is in a area with lots of plant or very high grass, he even has little snezzing fits sometimes which are cutie, yet i do feel bad when hes ose is all red and swollen and the clear mucus makes me feel bad that i cant do any thing. imo i dont think its and emergancy just keep an eye on him and when possible get him to see hes regular vet just to run some test
 
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