Bump after fight.

Dr. Marie replied:

I can think of two things that this could be.

The first possibility is that this is an abscess. An abscess would be an infection under the skin. There would have to be some type of penetration by a tooth for this to happen. Sometimes it can look like there is no wound, but a tiny wound can hide from view.

The next possibility is that this is something called a seroma. A seroma is a collection of fluid underneath the skin. If your dog was bitten and there was some trauma to the area then a seroma is possible. A seroma will heal on its own but may take a couple of weeks to get better.

The only way to tell the difference between an abscess and a seroma is to have your vet put a needle in the area and draw some cells or fluid out. It should be quite obvious if it is a seroma or an abscess. If it is an abscess then he's going to need some antibiotics. Some abscesses won't heal unless they are surgically opened up and drained.

I would advise that you have him checked out. It doesn't have to be an emergency tonight, but I would do it in the next day if possible. If this is an abscess and we wait too long then the abscess can spread. Waiting could mean the difference between healing with antibiotics or needing an expensive surgery.

It's very unlikely that you need to worry about the other dog's vaccinations. The only virus that is transmissible via a bite from dog to dog is rabies and this is very unlikely. Dogs with rabies show neurological signs and not a swelling like you have described.

Hope everything heals up well!

Dr. Marie.

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