Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Bump under eye - tooth abscess

Species: Dog
Breed: Whippet/Labrador cro
Age: 11-15 years
My dog has had an abscess on her face for a while, under her eye, but it hasn't caused her problems until now. It burst an hour ago and pus came out of it. I tried cleaning it with a wet tissue but seemed to make it worse as it started bleeding. It's stopped now as she's cleaned it herself, but should I be worried?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question.

When an older dog has an abscess under the eye it usually means that this is a tooth abscess. The large chewing tooth (carnassial tooth) has roots that push up just below the eye. If the tooth is abscessed then it can cause a bump under the eye.

Often you can't see a problem with the actual tooth although sometimes you can see some redness on the gumline or even more obvious signs.

A carnassial tooth abscess really can only be permanently fixed by having the tooth removed under an anesthetic. We can usually get a temporary fix by giving antibiotics.

I hope things are ok!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Sick kitten is not eating. my kitten keeps being sick and hasnt eaten any thing in the last 3 days apart from a... (8756 views)

Sore gums in chihuahua. My dog's gums are very sensitive. I tried brushing them and on the right side, they... (10106 views)

Low specific gravity. This is regarding a 9 year old male pitbull, neutered with no past medical history.... (6308 views)

Incontinent after exercise. Sporadically over the course of the past year or 15 months Keeley will have... (17985 views)

Can a feral cat be tamed? Dr. Marie - a few months ago I came across a feral cat who is now named Gypsy. I... (7593 views)

Seizures...brain tumor? Hello Dr. Marie, I have an interesting scenario for you. Our Aussie is 13 and as... (5510 views)

Multiple lumps on dog. hi, i have found a hard lump under the skin of my dog, it's by his ribs it does... (9774 views)

Suddenly disoriented. our approx 8 y/o schnauzer is partially blind and partially deaf(we adopted him a yr... (26345 views)

When can my dog see other dogs? How long before my dog can be around people that own dogs? He gets his first set of... (7602 views)

Sick after having puppies. I have an important question about my dog. She had puppies 2 weeks ago and suddenly... (9789 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.