Hi all

I wormed my 9 month old lab with drontal today and have just noticed that her face is starting to swell. It is swollen on top of her muzzle and and around her jaw. Do you think this is a reaction to drontal and should i get her seen by the vets tonight?

Ally x

Yes, it is a reaction, Piriton will help but get to the vet for a antihistamine injection asap would be best and never give Dontrol to that dog again.

thought so, i've got some piriton in the cupboard so will give her some of that as we have a bit of a drive to the vets and dont want her to get any worse. Any idea on how much to give?

Drontal has three different ingredients, which are also in other wormers, so I would avoid any wormers with those ingredients in future as you won't know which one has been reacted to.

Would ask the vet when you let them know you are on the way, if this is not possible then give one, don't worry she is unlikely to be very ill if this is the first time but it does need dealing with.

One of my old boys Fred had this problem with Dontrol and we gave him Panacur Granuals and he had no problem with that at all. He had his first episode when he was about 2 years old and we thought he had been stung by something as it was summer time but I did remember when it happened again about 2 years later that once again I had wormed him. This second time he was a lot worse and was vomiting all the time.

At the time we did a lot of research into the problem and the chemists at Dontrol were very helpful but it was them that said never give it to him again as it could prove fatal. They said that because he had been given it many times without problem was not to say it was not partly the cause of the problem. They said it would be a constituent of the Dontrol added to one or two other things that had caused the problem and because we did not know what these were it was best not to try to give the tables again, as in the case of all allergic reaction it continues to get worse following each occasion there is a reaction.

Since Fred was castrated we, or rather he, had had a continuing and increased problem with his immunity and it is likely that was one of the factors and the Dontrol was obviously another but it was the other trigger we did not know and therefore the only safe way was to us another product.

I am sure you dog will be fine as this is the first time but it is as well to get the vet to give an injection to make sure the reaction stops, good luck and let us know how things go.

just got off the phone to the vets and he said to give her 10mg of nurafen liquid which should take the swelling down and if she hasn't improved by morning i have to take her in.

Ally x

Well Ally she will have improved but the morning well one would have hoped so - to be honest I can't see how nurafen will stop the allergic reaction although it may help with swelling and providing that is not effecting the breathing then there should be no problem. Of course you will have to go with what the vet has said but I would have gone with a couple of Piriton myself.

Great that your vet has given advice over the phone.  At least it has put your mind at rest, and you can take her in tomorrow if needs be.

I had to take my girl to the vets this morning as the swelling hadn't gone down. The vet i saw doesn't think it was a reaction to the drontal as the swelling was only on her face and there was no sickness, diarrhea or loss of appetite. She thinks she may have stumbled across some biting/stinging critters out on her walk or in the garden but has advised not to give her drontal again to be on the safe side. She's had a steroid shot and the swelling is finally going down.

Ally x

The dog Fred that I was talking of only have a reaction in the head the first time, the vet may be correct but I would be concerned that it was an allergic reaction and should be reported.

Trouble is that vets are often reluctant to 'blame' things as they could get in trouble, but suggesting you avoid it in future is pretty telling.  I would think it was more than a coincidence how it happened, but big companies have a way of making vets cagey