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My dog's mouth is swollen and painful. What if I can't afford a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Male | unneutered | 7 years and 9 months old | 4 lbs

The side of my dogs mouth suddenly became swollen a day ago and he is in a lot of pain. He will barely eat, come outside to potty or anything. I've gave him some Advil liquid gels. I cut open the pill and mixed it up in some wet food so he would eat it to help with the pain. I don't know what my next steps to take should be in order to make him feel better. I don't have any money to pay for a vet up front at the moment but my dog needs serious immediate help. What do I need to do to help him?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on July 3rd, 2019

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to an infection of a tooth for example, a mass or even an allergic reaction. It is not possible to know with just a picture. However, it is not recommended to give a dog Advil as this is not used in veterinary medicine due to its possible toxicity especially without possibly an appropriate dose. There is not much you can do at home without going to a veterinarian. For that reason, I recommend you consider going to your veterinarian for further assessment and possible treatment. They will start with a physical examination and possibly diagnostics depending on what the issue seems to be. You can consider your local humane society as they sometimes offer more affordable veterinary care. Have a great day!

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    Answered By Stephanie Echols, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I’m sorry to hear DOG isn’t feeling well. First, please do not give him Advil as this medication is toxic to dogs. With a facial swelling I would be concerned about an infected tooth. Unfortunately there are no at home treatments for this. I would look into payment plan options such as Care Credit so you can have DOG seen as soon as possible. In the meantime you can try placing a warm washcloth over the swollen area to see if that helps with the pain. Also continue to give soft food in case there is a painful tooth. I hope this helps and you’re able to get DOG into a vet soon. Kisses to DOG!

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