I’m not sure how it is for human moms, but I know as a dog mom I like to think my dogs are invincible. Like…they could never get lost or get hit by a car or break a leg or have a life threatening anaphylactic reaction. So isn’t it a bitch when we find out that perhaps our animals aren’t invincible? Most of you know that I’m a really overprotective dog mom. I take zero risks when it comes to my animal’s health. If they aren’t feeling well, straight to the vet we go. And such was the case this morning.
Today I slept in until 8:30am, which is late for me. In the past couple of months I’ve been getting up anywhere from about 6:30 to 7am. It’s nice during this time of year because it’s so bloody hot outside and if I want to do anything outdoors I have to do it at the ass crack of dawn. Anyways, I had a rough day of back pain yesterday so I think that’s why I ended up sleeping later than usual. Wynston and Khloee always sleep until I get out of bed. This morning as soon as I started to wake up and rustle the bed covers, Wynston began crawling his way out of his little cozy comforter cave. Half asleep, I walked with Wynston and Khloee to the kitchen so I could give them their daily dental chew. (McKenzie Rae was already awake with her dad). Matt came out of the office to greet me at the couch and Wynston sat right next to me. Matt abruptly exclaimed, “Look at Wynston’s face! It’s really swollen!” Attempting to come to, I wiped my eyes and took a closer look. Matt was right. Wynston’s cheeks and chin were extremely swollen and he had large, puffy bumps on his head. Oh dear God.
I began to feel around on Wynston’s head and he seemed fine. He ate his dental chew like normal and he didn’t seem to be in pain. As I felt around his chin it literally seemed as though the skin was sagging to the ground. I called the vet immediately.
I’ve been going to Oasis Animal Hospital for over five years now. I take all of my animals there. I discovered it when I was living in a studio apartment about two minutes away from the hospital. Little did I know that five years later I’d buy a home on 1/3 an acre a minute from Oasis and that apartment. Funny how life goes full circle, eh? Anyways, the clinic told me to come in immediately so I threw on some clothes, brushed my hair and grabbed my little boy with his blanket. Then we made the grueling one minute drive.
The receptionist told me they would “work me in” but upon seeing Wynston’s symptoms, a doctor saw him immediately. Praise God I took Wyn in asap because by the time we got into that vet room, not even 20 minutes after my initial phone call, Wynston’s throat was closing. He was having an anaphylactic reaction.
Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. The most common human allergic reactions are from food, insect stings, latex and medications. Turns out, it’s almost the same for animals. After a brief but thorough examination, the doctor found two small red bumps on Wynston; one on his chin and one inside his cheek. The doctor quickly explained to me that Wynston needed to be hospitalized immediately for an anaphylactic reaction which was most likely caused by a bug bite. Trying to control my panic, I signed all the papers and handed my boy over the the vet techs. I know he’s in the best hands at Oasis Animal Hospital but that doesn’t make it any easier for an overprotective dog mom like myself.
Since moving into our new home, Matt and I have noticed a plethora of nasty bugs. We knew the house had a bug problem upon closing. The home had been vacant for a year and when we did the inspection we saw lots of spider webs around the outside of the house. I called Arizona’s Best Pest Control to come out and service the home the day before we officially moved into the house. They did a great job and bugs were dying immediately. We’ve still been finding bugs but luckily they are dead. There was even a beehive beneath our back shed that we had removed before moving in.
Despite the great pest control service (that we’ll continue having monthly for the first few months then bi-monthly after that) there are still bugs out and about in the yard. We have lots of beautiful landscape and trees, which is a haven for icky insects. There’s no way we can keep all the bugs off of our property but I really wish I knew exactly what happened to Wynston. He’s not one to go after bugs or try to eat them but clearly something didn’t like Wyn being in their way…
A few hours after dropping Wynston off for hospitalization I got a call that he was stable and the swelling had gone down on his face. His chin and throat swelling was still the same but thankfully it wasn’t getting worse. Around 3pm I got another call that Wynston’s condition was good enough for me to pick him up. I went straight to Oasis to collect my little man.
Wynston was absolutely beside himself when he saw me. It was that “Oh thank God my mom is here because I was going to die otherwise” look. The first thing I noticed was that the large swollen bumps were no longer present on his tiny apple head.
Treating Dog Anaphylaxis
Wynston’s injections that were administered at the vet:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antihistamine
- 5mg/ml of Prednisolone
The treatment plan:
- 0.35mls oral prednisolone by mouth twice a day for 3 days, then 0.35mls once a day for 3 days, then give 0.35mls every other day until gone.
- Half a tablet of Benadryl (diphenhydramine) every 8 hours for the next 5 days, or twice daily if Wynston becomes too drowsy
Symptoms to look for in the coming days:
- Redness or swelling of the effected areas
- Hives
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy or poor appetite beyond the first 2 days of treatment
When I got Wynston home, the first thing he did was go potty…for a long time. He wouldn’t go at the vet which didn’t surprise me because he was probably too scared. I then fed him dinner, which he gobbled up quickly. About 20 minutes later, Wyn went into the guest bedroom and laid on the floor. His breathing was abnormal. I called the vet immediately. While I was on hold, he vomited twice. The vet recommended I take him to the emergency vet but after throwing up he seemed to be feeling much better and his breathing was back to normal. Thank you Lord.
Today while Wynston was in the hospital, I kept my mind occupied by running some errands. My first stop? PetSmart of course! I had to get my boy a new toy so I picked up a crinkle turtle and apparently crinkle turtles make everything okay!
Wynston is acting normally for the most part. I’m keeping a super close eye on him because like I said earlier, anaphylaxis can be fatal. We’re heading to California this weekend (assuming Wynston is healthy enough to travel) so we’ll be taking his treatment plan on the road.
Thank you for all of the messages, prayers and positive thoughts you all have been sending us today. You know how much of a wreck I become when my animals aren’t well. I will keep you updated on Wynston’s condition as the days go on.
Has your dog ever had a bad allergic reaction to something?
Jodi Stone says
THAT is so scary. I’m so glad you were right on top of that!
I’m similar to you with my guys, if anything is even slightly off, I’m calling the vet. Last year (or the year before) Delilah had a reaction to something, what I never found out, but it was similar to you. I went into the kitchen turned on the light and her head was covered in bumps! Thankfully, she did not have the same type of reaction your boy had and it was controlled with Benadryl, but it sure was scary.
I have an allergy to certain bug bites, so my perfect world has none.
Glad your boy is on the mend, I’m sure you’re resting easier with him home.
Amanda says
The worst part is not knowing what causes the reactions! The little red bump on Wynston’s chin indicates that it was a bug bite or sting but I really wish I knew what exactly it was so I could take measures to further prevent other incidents. You can bet that I’m resting next to my little boy!
Nan Volentine says
My first Chi, Tiba, stepped on a yellow jacket. She swelled up immediately, and I thought I was going to loose her. Long story short, the vet saved her life and she was also on Benadryl. At his recommendation I now have a bottle of children`s liquid Benadryl on hand at all times, and this happened 30 years ago. Little dogs are so sensitive to bites and stings.
Amanda says
I’m so glad that Tiba was okay after the ordeal. It’s so incredibly scary. It’s also really interesting to know that Benadryl worked for dogs 30 years ago!!!
Terri says
My little boy a few yrs back got into something that cause gim to wobble and lethargic. Not sure it was being bitten by a bug, but we rushed him to emergency vet. His eyes were dilated and they gave him fluids and a fluid pack in his back. I also was sent home with charcoal to make him vomit, to rid his body of whatever toxin he got into. I stayed awake all night watching my baby.
Amanda says
I would have done the same thing Terri! I’m so grateful that I work from home so I can keep on eye on Wyn 24/7!
Lauren Miller (ZoePhee) says
Poor Wynston! I’m glad he’s going to be okay!
Cathy says
Oh wow! Poor little guy! And poor mom too! I know how scary that can be. I’m glad he’s getting better. Keep us updated!
Amanda says
Thank you Cathy! We’re hanging in there and will keep everyone posted on the latest 🙂
Sherri Underdown says
I am so glad he is doing better. Continued prayers from Texas. Amanda you take care of your back, it’s so easy to overdo it when you are moving. Hugs to Wynston.
Amanda says
Thank you Sherri. I know I need to take it easy 🙁 Matt gets on me about it because I have a bad hip. It’s been really hard to relax though! Luckily our pool has been great therapy!
Rebecca F says
My little girl, Aeife, had an allergic reaction once. We had to rush to the emergency vet because it was after hours, and ended up following about the same treatment protocol you are. The vet thought hers was a bug bite as well. Our emergency vet back then was 40 minutes away. I think that’s the scariest drive I ever made! Thankfully I had her benadryl in my purse, so when I called as we were leaving I was able to give her a dose they recommended to hold her until we could get there (twice her normal allergy maintenance dose!) Thankfully, it has only happened the one time!
Amanda says
That drive must have been SO awful! Thank goodness Aeife has a great mom like you to take care of her!
Dachshund Nola says
Oh no! Poor baby boy! I can’t even imagine how terrified you were. Good thoughts for the baby!
Denise Gruzensky says
Oh my goodness, I’m so glad Winston is ok and sorry you both/all had to go through this today! Continued fingers and paws crossed for him to feel better! It never ceases to amaze me how much symptoms and treatment are alike for humans and our furry family members.
BTW one of these days, when you are in CA, we need to meet up!
Smiles, Barks and Wagging Tails, Denise & ~Shasta
Amanda says
I’d love to meet up in CA! That’d be so fun!
My dogs have taught me so much about different kinds of health issues. I’ve never had allergies (knock on wood) so I’m not familiar with that realm of health at all. Although Wynston’s episode was terrifying, I’m glad that now I know how to handle it and what meds to have on hand at home in case it happens again!
Sarah Gamble says
My experience is so similar to yours! I woke up and went downstairs with my little Frodo, then realised that one side of his face was completely swollen. Fortunately, the vet could see him immediately, which was good, because by the time we got there he could only partially open his mouth. Because of this, the vet couldn’t adequately examine him. Because she couldn’t properly look in his mouth, she couldn’t determine whether he’d been stung or had a tooth abcess. He was sent home with antihistamines, antiinflammatories and antibiotics, and thankfully the swelling gradually went down over the course of a few days. But he’s since reacted to another insect bite on his leg (thankfully not nearly as badly), so now I carry antihistamines everywhere we go. It’s so scary, isn’t it? You can’t help imagining worst case scenarios when things like that happen. x
Amanda says
This is the first time I’ve ever had an experience of this nature, so it was terrifying. I almost had a panic attack at the vet! Good idea to carry antihistamines everywhere you go. I’m definitely going to start doing that. I admit that I’m paranoid now but I have to try and realize that I can’t control bugs or where my dogs walk!!! Thanks for sharing your story Sarah 🙂
Jessica @YouDidWhatWithYourWiener says
Yikes! That’s scary. Sorry. Chester had an allergic reaction to a bug bite when we were camping 5 miles out in the woods once! It was just from a ton of stupid mosquitoes too! My hubby and I had a few minutes of panic but then I remembered my first aid training. He turned out fine but it was certainly scary. Wynston’s reaction looks worse than his did though. I hope he continues to improve.
Elyse Horvath says
Similar thing happened to Lilly when we first adopted her. She was sniffing around the ficas tree in my yard and came out with her snout swollen so much I gasped! Of course, it was after hours, so I took her to the doggy ER and got her all fixed up. Scary as heck though!
Amanda says
It is SO scary. We have 2 incredibly massive Ficus trees in our yard and they bring in all sorts of creatures.