Hi,  can anyone help?

My sheltie Grace ( a rescued girl of mine - I've had her for seven months) has suddenly presented with a noticeable lump under her left eye, I only noticed it this evening.  It doesn't seem painful and feels neither soft not hard.  Don't think it's a tooth problem as she is eating like a horse as usual.  I probably wouldn't have noticed it so quickly but shelties have those long narrow snouts!  I will have to take her to the vet tomorrow but wonder whether anyone has any idea what it could be?  She seems very well in herself.  She is not a young dog probably between  8 and 10 or so.  I am worried though, she is such a lovely dog and at last having a lovely life with us.

Thanks allx

could be something as simple as an insect bite or a little knock causing a swelling.  me I think if all else seems in order I would leave it a few days before vet in case it just as quickly vanishes.

It's possibly a tooth-root abscess; what are the molars like on that side of her mouth?

Yes it could be,  her breath is a bit grim to be honest, but she doesn't seem to be in pain as one would presumably be with a tooth abscess.  Will get an appointment with my vet in the morning,  I hope it's nothing awful as Grace is the nicest, gentlest dog and is having a lovely life at lastx

Some time ago now my Whippet developed something similar and I phoned the vet who advised I get some Piraton (which I normally have in the cupboard but my husband had been bashing that a lot at the time).  So I went into town (Boots) and was asked what it was for - STUPIDLY I said my dog and the women behind the til immediately said she couldn't sell it 'for a dog'.  So I said well my husband was on it of late (Hayfever) but she still refused to sell it to me.   So I went down to the other chemist in town and bought some - for my husband!!

The swelling did go down but as her breath was bad, I booked her in for a dental which was as well as she had to have several extractions.

Thanks Mamas and Papas, for that.  I will make an appointment with the vet when they open at 9.  Lately Grace has been doing a lot snorting and sneezing - yes could be hayfever and maybe the cause of this swelling. She has a very itchy skin which I combat by bathing her weekly in a special shampoo, so obviously allergy prone.

Her breath is bad so she probably needs a dental.  Thank you  all for your help and I will let you know what the vet says later on.x

I had a dog who presented with a swelling like that, below her eye, and it turned out to be osteosarcoma - the vet could feel the tell-tale pock-marked bone underneath.  But as others have said it could be anything, a tooth abscess or even an insect bite...

I had exactly the same with a 5 year old bitch.  It had spread to the lymph node.

Put together with the bad breath it's probably a tooth abscess, hopefully nothing too nasty x

What did your vet say snowflake?

So sorry everyone,  I have had such an awful week that I completely forgot.  I have had my daughter's Jack Russell staying while she is away so I have had 4 dogs, and dreadful weather! (As well as the trauma with Grace)

I took Grace to the vet on Wednesday morning who upon examination said the swelling she thought was caused by a back tooth, a big one like a wisdom tooth in humans.  It was very badly infected so the following morning Grace was admitted and had the operation to remove said tooth. I believe it had affected the jaw bone and the vet said she might have to have reconstructive surgery but she has recovered well,  seen the vet again today who is pleased with progress.  However the ABs she was given gave her diarrhoea (nasty mess this morning to clear up) so the vet has changed them.  Grace (who is a very greedy dog) has been starving as she could only eat small bit of mushy stuff.  However I have soaked her kibble tonight and mixed it with a bit of meat which she has snarfed down!

Thank you so much for your advice - I was so worried that something worse was going on so was relieved that it was only a tooth.  The only down side is that I my purse is £530 lighter ouch!!

Wisdom teeth root real deep into the jaw bone, surprising how deep they go, not always easy to get out but £530 is a lot to pay though, but as long as your dog is o.k. now then at the end of the day that's all that really counts

That figure sounds a lot but fits with what most of my vet bills involving an anaesthetic /surgery come in at.   Having a dog (these days) is surely a luxury, not a necessity

That's a reasonable price for extracting a molar; they can take a long time to avoid damaging the bone too much.

I think that sounds pretty reasonable.  I'm pretty sure when we had a molar extracted it was about £1000 - because it had a deep root and needed a long time under anaesthetic to get it out.... which is what costs, I think.

We have recently had to have a carnassial tooth removed due to a slab fracture. I used a dental specialist vet, because the photo I submitted suggested there might the possibility of fitting a crown. In the event the tooth had to be removed. The (itemised) bill was just over £730.

Glad to hear she is recovering well - sorry about the purse haha!