Infection And Swollen Lymph Nodes

[Guest GreytfulJack]

My Casey is 13 this month. She came down with an infection in her mouth last month. Her jaws on both sides were swollen and her lymph nodes in her neck were huge. Her other lymph nodes were not swollen. She was not running a fever. My vet could not open her mouth all the way. She was in pain and visibly uncomfortable. My vet put her on Clindamycin 150mgs,2 pills, 2x's a day. Casey's swelling immediately improved as well as her spirit. She felt better, ate better and overall was herself again. What I did notice though,was that her lymph nodes would fluctuate in size. I wondered if that was normal in dogs as it can occur in people but to be sure I took her back to see the vet. Still, the other lymph nodes were normal. Casey was able to open her mouth and other than some reisdual gum redness, all looked ok. The vet decided to do another round of the antibiotic.

 

Here we are after 2 weeks and her lymph nodes are still quite swollen. She otherwise seems perfectly healthy and happy. I am going to call the vet again this afternoon but I thought I might get some thoughts from you folks on this before I do. She had a senior panel done this summer and that was great. Would the next step be to draw blood and see if something comes up there, or do the lymph nodes normally stay swollen after a bad infection? I'm guessing that they don't, and I'm worried.

 

**Afterthought....I adopted Casey about 3 years ago. She was a return and had not been well-cared for. Her teeth are brown. The vet at the time said they were stained but were otherwise in good shape. My adoption group had agreed that a dental was probably dangerous at this time of her life. I am a bit nervous that this situation is an infection caused by something in the back of her mouth, or deep inside that we are not seeing and is being severely persistent. A dental at 13 makes me VERY leery. Perhaps I am putting the cart before the horse.

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be most reassuring.

 

Tracy and Case

[Burpdog]

Although dentals are frightening, if they are necessary, they are necessary. Princess just had her first ever dental at 13 yrs 8 months and did fine.

 

If the nodes are swollen only around the mouth/neck I wonder if it is a tooth/teeth issue. With Mizzy, her's was a fractured rear molar that had to come out.

 

 

[Guest GreytfulJack]

Thanks Burpdog...I spoke to my vet earlier and we are going to finish the meds and see what happens from there. I appreciate your input!

[Guest mcsheltie]

Roo's lymph nodes stayed swollen for quite a while after she had pneumonia. But in your case I would definitely get her teeth checked. Something is causing the infection and from what you said, odds are good her teeth need attention.

[Batmom]

Although dentals are frightening, if they are necessary, they are necessary. Princess just had her first ever dental at 13 yrs 8 months and did fine.

 

If the nodes are swollen only around the mouth/neck I wonder if it is a tooth/teeth issue. With Mizzy, her's was a fractured rear molar that had to come out.

 

 

 

Ditto. I understand the reluctance to put her under, but if the teeth are nasty and painful, it needs to be done.

 

Your vet would need to do bloodwork before a dental in any case, so that would be a good step to take soon.