my dog just got into a fight he is swelling what do i do? (lab, clean)
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Ok well I have a black lab Rottie mix. He is a pup around a year and a half. He is well trained so we usually walk him off the leash. Last night at around 2am he had to go to the bathroom so my GF took him out. She didnt use a leash and when its dark I usually do. At the apartment pet area there was a guy and a german shepard. My dog ran up to him to smell and was attacked. They started to fight. The guy let his dog off the leash and my GF was trying to pull our dog back. He is a little swollen around the eyes but less than last night. And now his cheeks look swollen. Or his lips not sure what you want to call it. His muzzle is all swollen on both sides. He wont let me lift his lips to look inside but he isnt bleeding. I tried to ice it but he wouldnt hold still.
bascially can I give him motrin to help with the swelling? I really cant afford a ER vet trip either. Please help.
Thanks
Please do not give your dog any human meds without consulting your vet. Some meds are very toxic to dogs. Unless there is an urgent situation, call your vet first thing in the morning.
he should be seen by a vet, as he will need most likely some antibiotics to ward off any infection. He will probably be okay until tomorrow morning, but if it were my dog I wouldn't let it go longer than that....
We always frown on giving aspirin type products to dogs, it can cause problems...it may not ever bother some dogs, and others may get sick after one dose. I know the ER is expensive, but if your dog is in pain and is swelling up, you may not have much of a choice, he may need antibiotics if the other dog has broken your dogs skin, it could get infected very easily. If your pooch seems reasonably comfortable, maybe you could hold off until tomorrow, but if he's in pain, you really need to take him in. You can always decline certain things, they shouldn't need bloodwork, xrays, etc, so it may not be too expensive. Have them work up an estimate for you before you allow them to do anything.
he is playful and running around with his bone. I dont think he is in pain now and the swelling in his eye is all but gone its just his lips that are chubby looking. Ill give him till tomorrow and if the swelling is gone then Ill let it be but if its still there then ill take him in. thanks for all the advice
I wouldn't worry about it too much. Doesn't sound like a serious altercation except for the facial swelling. You need to be able to look in his mouth for wounds. I know he doesn't want you to but it could be life saving, never know. Mouth wounds can be horribly nasty. They can get infected or abscess even a little bit after you think they are healing up. If they abscess they will have to likely be lanced open. This abscess can also cause infection throughout the body, while it might start there it can spread to the rest of the body and kill your dog. The other swelling in the face is problem just tissue damage without any broken skin. The vessels might be ruptured under the skin like a bruise. You should give him anti-biotic just to be safe. You should have also cleaned any wounds, including those inside his mouth if there are any. That is very important. Please keep us updated on the dog.
This is why I so believe in leash laws or having your dog under control. She shouldn't have allowed your dog to run up to another dog. For one she doesn't know if that dog is friendly/aggressive even if your dog is friendly. Secondly even if the other dog isn't normally an aggressive dog a strange dog running up to him/her and the owner can be seen as a threat and offensive especially at night. Really if both dogs are friendly its still kind of rude.
Your dog could be getting an infection in the area he was bitten and that can be serious. He needs to go to a vet. He also NEEDS to be on a leash for many reasons, most for HIS safety.
Another thing to keep in mind. If your dog HAD been on a leash and the other dog was not your could have sought compensation from the other dogs owner for your dogs medical bills etc. With both dogs being off the leash you now cannot, no matter who started it.
I hope your dog is okay. It doesn't sound like a huge deal, nothing to rush him to the emergency vet over. But, as other people have already said, if he is in pain, or if things start to look worse, tomorrow I would suggest getting him into th vet.
I have to say that I agree with APBT_Samara and brokencrayola about the leash thing. All of our dogs are very well trained, very obedient, very well socialized and very friendly, but I would never ever have any of my dogs outside without being on a leash or a run, even for a second. As you found out, no matter how friendly your dog is, you never know about other dogs. Even the most obedient of dogs make mistakes, and if the dog isn't leashed, that mistake could cause the dog to get hurt or even killed, or someone else or another animal to get hurt or even killed. For the safety of my dogs, even if we didn't have leash laws where we live, I would never have them outside without being under my full control. And even though they are wonderful, obedient, friendly dogs, they are not under my full control unless they are on a leash.
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It doesn't sound like a huge deal, nothing to rush him to the emergency vet over. But, as other people have already said, if he is in pain, or if things start to look worse, tomorrow I would suggest getting him into th vet.
All of our dogs are very well trained, very obedient, very well socialized and very friendly, but I would never ever have any of my dogs outside without being on a leash or a run, even for a second. As you found out, no matter how friendly your dog is, you never know about other dogs. Even the most obedient of dogs make mistakes, and if the dog isn't leashed, that mistake could cause the dog to get hurt or even killed, or someone else or another animal to get hurt or even killed. For the safety of my dogs, even if we didn't have leash laws where we live, I would never have them outside without being under my full control. And even though they are wonderful, obedient, friendly dogs, they are not under my full control unless they are on a leash. 
