Is there anything that could cause a dogs lips to become swollen?
I have noticed today that our dogs lips look swollen but they aren't red although he does keep shaking his mouth when outside....not sure if it is me just seeing things

Bee/wasp sting?

It is possibly a wasp/bee sting or an allergic reaction to something.  Check carefully around lips, mouth - inside and out, muzzle and under jaw for signs of a sting. 

Piriton can be given for some reactions but in and around the mouth I'd definitely want a vet check in case the tongue or throat are swelling too.  This happened with one of mine a few years ago and had our vet surgery not been in such close proximity we could have lost her as her tongue as well as face was visibly swelling before our eyes.  Better safe than sorry!

HTH, Teri

Thanks. I have checked all around for signs of a sting as this is what my husband suggested about 10 minutes ago but I honestly can't see anything. I really can't tell if I am imagining the swelling or not......best get hubby to double check when he gets in. Vets have said keep an eye on it and if i think its getting worse then ring them back. It hasn't got any worse since this morning so perhaps its just me. Would you expect his mouth to be red?

My girls mouth wasn't red and she'd been stung a few times on the muzzle and lips plus swallowed the evil critter (sicked it up later!)

If your vet's happy for you just to keep an eye on things then I'd go with that :)  At least your aware there could be an issue which is the important thing.

Hope your lad's OK :)
regards, Teri

Maybe a long shot but I gave my lot a pigs ear 'nugget' at Richmond which kept them going for a very long time. For the last few days one of the young ones has had very reddened ( but not swollen) lips... by which I mean the bit between the nosrils and mouth - she has black lip linings. It would seem she overdid it a little. Could they have been chewing something that has provoked a reaction?

Thats the part that looks swollen the muzzle lips. I have asked my husband to fly back to the Island (off Island today) and take him to the vets as my daughter has been sent home from school with an ear infection and is now being very sick!!!

The swelling appears to have gone down so i'm hoping i'm worrying over nothing

Hi Angels2,

I'm sorry your daughter's poorly too - ear infections are so painful.  Hope she feels better soon.

That seems a good sign that the swelling has reduced - I'd imagine if it was a severe reaction to something that it would at least have stayed the same if not been obviously increased.

Best wishes that all are feeling better soon :)
regards, Teri

Just thought i'd update you all. The vet checked him over and said that he has definately been stung but they couldn't find where. She thinks its on his head somewhere as his ears are affected too which she said was quite normal - he had started to shake his head every minute or so and his ears were wet inside. She put something in his ears to cool them down, she also gave him an injection and gave us a sedative to use if he is unable to sleep due to shaking his head constantly, oh and we have some ear drops to use to keep his ears cool.

Just in case he hadn't had enough they emptied his anal glands again :-O

Poor little baby, at least I can relax about him now he has been seen and we know what it is :-)

Thanks for the update Angels2 - glad he's got some treatment now :)

how's your daughter doing?

Thanks Teri, a bit better.....its only her 1st week at school so I am hoping that she is better for tomorrow as she only just made her 1st new friends yesterday :-)

> have checked all around for signs of a sting as this is what my husband suggested about 10 minutes ago but I honestly can't see anything.

do you have nettles in your garden/on your walk? i accidentally kicked our lads ball into some nettles once and he bit them trying to catch the ball. could have kicked myself i was really worried. his lips were a bit swollen, gave him a piriton and watched him closely but you could see them go down very quickly. i did keep a very close eye though in case he swelled more but it was just jowlly lips no where near throat (had a look in mouth to). i think if you've had no really worrying swelling by now you probably won't get any.

> Just thought i'd update you all. The vet checked him over and said that he has definately been stung but they couldn't find where. She thinks its on his head somewhere as his ears are affected too which she said was quite normal - he had started to shake his head every minute or so and his ears were wet inside. She put something in his ears to cool them down, she also gave him an injection and gave us a sedative to use if he is unable to sleep due to shaking his head constantly, oh and we have some ear drops to use to keep his ears cool.
>
> Just in case he hadn't had enough they emptied his anal glands again :-o
>
> Poor little baby, at least I can relax about him now he has been seen and we know what it is

goodness, more mite, what a day!

I know!!

He hates the vets as every time we go he has to have his glands emptied and he isn't even a year old yet!!

That's good news about your little girl - bless her, just starting school too. 
Hope she's snuggled up, spoiled rotten and feeling much better tomorrow then she can rejoin her new found friends - aw, this takes me back >sigh<

Teri :)

> I know!!
>
> He hates the vets as every time we go he has to have his glands emptied and he isn't even a year old yet!!

aww, poor thing. hope your wee ones better soon to :)