Hi,
I am a new pet owner with my girlfriend and we have had a puppy, named Brutus, since he was 6 weeks old. He is now almost 5 months. He likes to play with other dogs and he normally plays with larger dogs, rather ones than his own size. He is about 30 pounds and he is an Akita Ridgeback mix.
I went to hawaii with my girlfriend last week and Brutus stayed with my mom and her dog. He had fun and played etc. We came back home and he played with some more dogs in the dog park our apartment offers. While in the dog park I saw a little dog he had never played with before latch on to his neck... playfully (just the skin). Later on in the day when i took him for a walk, I felt a hard vein in his neck; like it was inflamed. A few hours later, the top of his neck where this little dog had bit him swelled up to about the size of a chocolate kiss. I let this go thinking the swelling will go down, and over night it turned into a golf ball sized lump. Yesterday I gave him some benedril thinking it may have been a bug bite ( he has been stung by a wasp in the mouth before) and the swelling never went down. I tried to take him to the vet yesterday but my car broke down, so last night, I noticed his gland or muscle under his jaw was starting to sag. At times he chokes when he stands up after laying for a bit.
This morning he was wimpering when you touch the lump on the top of his neck and he didnt want to get out of bed. He has a vet appointment for when I get off of work, but I was wondering if anyone knew what the lump may be? It is somewhat hard, but his sagging skin under his jaw is soft. I am thinking it may be a hematoma? Do dogs get these?
And since he was playing with anothe dog, how can I tell if they are being too rough? He doesnt wimper when he plays, he just goes crazy. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.